TAMPA, Florida– Tampa General Hospital recently topped the Forbes list of “America’s Best Places to Work for Women,” beating out companies like Crocs, Carvana and L’Oreal.
what you need to know
- Tampa General Hospital recently topped Forbes list of America’s Best Places to Work for Women
- The list is based on a survey of 50,000 Americans who work for companies with 1,000 or more employees
- The companies were evaluated according to criteria such as working conditions, diversity, discrimination and wage equity
“It wasn’t surprising to hear that,” said Stephanie Jackson, operations manager for ortho, neuro and ID service lines at TGH. “As I develop myself here at TGH and watch my colleagues grow across the organization, I also get to reach out to a colleague to collaborate. It’s just a great environment. It’s a great culture here.”
According to Forbes, the ranking is based on a survey of 50,000 Americans who work in companies with at least 1,000 employees. Participants rated companies on factors such as working conditions and diversity, and women employees were asked to provide ratings on issues such as maternity leave, discrimination and equal pay.
Jackson started at the hospital 13 years ago as an administrative assistant and parking clerk.
“Actually, I didn’t think I would be here very long,” Jackson said.
Jackson said the hospital allowed her to go back to school and even helped her fund her undergraduate studies, paving the way for her to a managerial position.
“Interest, growth within an organization. You find what you’re passionate about and what you love, and TGH is a very nurturing environment. They allow you to go to other departments throughout the organization, understand that department, see if maybe you’d be a better fit in that department, and then it just kind of evolved from there,” Jackson said.
Glenda Wright said her career at TGH was also unexpected.
“My journey through TGH was very random,” Wright said. “I didn’t know I would love to work in the hospital or EVS.”
Wright began working eleven years ago as a temp and administrative assistant in the hospital’s environmental department. The department has the task of keeping the two million square meters of TGH sterile. She rose through the ranks to become its first female director.
“When TGH says, ‘We encourage diversity, we support diversity,’ it does, and I am testament to that in more ways than one — I have no previous hospital background, although I did have a medical background and coming in as a woman, a black woman and being able to work and collaborate with others.”
Wright and Jackson both mentioned the hospital’s mentoring program as another important development tool. Wright said she wants to help members of her team find similar paths to success from now on.
“Getting our team to take advantage of education and getting our team to pursue a career and be like, ‘Well, what’s next for you?’ It brings me great benefit and personal satisfaction when I see my team grow and do the things they want to do or perhaps didn’t think they could do until they settled into the organization.” , Wright said.
According to TGH, they regularly conducted surveys to get a feel for employee needs. Two recent surveys showed that women employees value flexibility, opportunities for growth and development, and health, wellness and benefits programs the most.
