The management team at Rocky Mountain Health Care Services views the company’s 406 employees as “a big community” by putting them in position to be at their best with the tools they need to do their job in work that is engaging, according to an executive with the nonprofit.

Last year, Rocky Mountain was selected as the top workplace for employers with 300 or more employees in The Gazette’s Best Workplaces program. The nonprofit also was selected in 2020 as one of 110 employers honored as best workplaces. The executive, Summer Galceran, Rocky Mountain’s director of marketing and community engagement, said the organization used the feedback it received from employees during that year to “improve and become first” in its category.

The Colorado Springs-based nonprofit holds a $70 million with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ant the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance to operate the PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in the Colorado Springs area. Under the program, Rocky Mountain provides a wide range of medical and social services to 916 area clients that are 55 years and older that require nursing home care.

Rocky Mountain’s work force includes doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, behavioral health specialists, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians, home health care coordinators and employees in many other roles to offer care to its clients from its adult day care center at 2502 E. Pikes Peak Ave. and a second center in the Briargate area next year. They provide services ranging from primary, specialty and emergency medical care to meals, transportation and prescription drugs.

The nonprofit also has been distributing tablet computers called Grand Pads to about two-thirds of its clients so far that connect to wireless networks at no cost and can be used for virtual doctor visits, to send and receive email, take photos, listen to music and participate in virtual bingo.

Galceran cites three elements of the organization’s efforts to develop and retain employees as key to becoming a top workplace – a year-long leadership development course, an employee recognition program with awards and generous paid time off. Rocky Mountain’s benefit package also includes health, dental and vision coverage, a retirement savings program, shortand long-term disability coverage, education and licensing fee reimbursement and a wellness program.

“Most of our team members could make more in the for-profit sector, but our culture keeps them here — they are engaged with the people we serve,” Galceran said. “Of all the jobs I’ve had, this is probably my favorite because of the people we serve.”

Rocky Mountain’s leadership boot camp trains 12-15 employees a year with coaching to develop their talents and each participant develops a project or program that is pitched to the nonprofit’s executive leaders in a “Shark Tank”-like format.

The employee recognition program, called kudos, allows Rocky Mountain employees to recognize each other on a Facebook-like platform for “going above and beyond” in their job and living the organization’s core values. The recognition earns points for gift cards or cash donated to nonprofits.

The paid time off program gives employees in their first two years with Rocky Mountain up to 24 days of time off (which can be used on six federal holidays), based on hours worked in a pay period and those with four or more years’ experience get up to 34 days off.

Rocky Mountain was started in 1976 as Homemaker Services with four employees in a small office in Grace Episcopal Church to provide home health care. The organization merged in 1993 with the Diabetes Education and Support Agency and added programs for brain care and to assess clients to determine if they qualify for long-term care. The nonprofit changed its name to Rocky Mountain Health Care Services in 2003 and won its first PACE contract in 2008.

I have witnessed the impact the PACE program has had on the elderly of our community and it is amazing! I am so grateful to be a part of such a caring company! — ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE SERVICES EMPLOYEE, BEST WORKPLACES SURVEY