The Project
The purpose of our project is clear: To cultivate an environment where every individual feels valued, heard, and respected.
We aim to achieve this through three key strategies:
- Highlighting the Real Impact of Rudeness: We show the profound effects of mild to moderate forms of rudeness, or microaggressions.
- Demonstrating Team Benefits: We showcase the undeniable advantages that come with civility in teams.
- Providing Practical Toolkits: We equip staff with life-skills and techniques to confront incivility in the moment.
Join us in this journey towards the promise of hospital staff waking up in the morning excited about the work day ahead, feeling significance and belonging on their team and leaving the day with pride and fulfillment in the work that they do.
Why Civility Matters
Civility is the foundation and the boost required for high-functioning teams at any level in the organization. How we show up at work and react in the moment matters.
Let’s not forget that we are all bound to be patients eventually, if not already. By contributing to a positive hospital culture, we ensure that when the time comes, we benefit from the best possible care.
Join us in making our workplaces more civil, supportive, and effective for everyone. Together, we can create environments where healthcare professionals thrive, ensuring they can provide the compassionate care that we all deserve.
Meet Our Team
Dr. Yann Brierley
Dr. Yann Brierley is a General Pathologist who has served the Vernon community since 2008. Currently, he is also the Laboratory Medical Director for the North Okanagan and Chief of Staff at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital and was the vice-president of the VJH Physician Society for 3 years.
In 2021, he developed a keen interest in workplace culture. This interest was sparked by the hard data around the impact of civility on team performance and patient care that was too compelling to ignore. It promised an avenue for an improved work environment in the face of mounting numbers of people facing real workplace struggles every day. This was the genesis of the Civility Matters Project; a project which has garnered strong support from Interior Health, Doctors of BC, Health System Redesign and was the project for both the Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) initiative and the NAVIG8 Leadership Program offered through Interior Health.
Faith Wood
Faith Wood is the founder and CEO of Inspiring Minds Consulting (www.imind.ca). She has been the primary facilitator and co-designer of the Civility Matters program at Interior Health. With over 20 years of experience, Faith has established herself as a trusted advisor in fostering respectful and effective communication.
In 2021, Faith focused her expertise on the practical aspects of improving workplace culture and interactions. Her passion for enhancing workplace dynamics and improving the quality of interactions is evident in every seminar and training session she conducts. Faith’s commitment to practical, hands-on training has driven the Civility Matters initiative forward, ensuring that participants gain tangible skills and techniques to foster a positive workplace environment.
Supported by various professional organizations, her efforts are aimed at building positive and productive workplace cultures where every voice is heard and valued. Faith’s dedication to practical solutions makes her training sessions not only informative but also immediately applicable in real-world settings.
Sharon Hughes-Geekie
Sharon Hughes-Geekie is Director of Facility Engagement for Vernon Jubilee Hospital Physician Society and owner of JumpStart Communications and Business Development.
For 12 years, Sharon served as Area Director – BC Interior for a national healthcare company. During her tenure she witnessed first-hand an increase in incivility by clients, their families, and staff at all levels as a result of the tremendous stress experienced by those trying to secure adequate healthcare, and those trying their level best to provide it.
Challenges around staffing shortages are not going away which is why Sharon is passionate about Civility Matters. Changing workplace culture is key to improving employee morale and enhancing the patient/consumer experience. As someone who works in both healthcare and the business community, Sharon recognizes that the Civility Matters toolkit and resources developed through Dr. Yann Brierley’s project has the potential to profoundly impact the health of all organizations, not just those serving patients.
Alicia Ponich
Alicia Ponich has been the Clinical Operations Director at Interior Health since 2021. She became a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders in 2016, earning this credential through a project focused on staff engagement. Her extensive experience spans various sectors of the healthcare system, including Acute Care, Long-term Care, Community Care, and Primary Care.
Alicia is deeply committed to practical solutions in staff engagement, recruitment, and retention. She recognizes that healthcare is a dynamic and complex field, requiring diverse perspectives and innovative approaches for continuous improvement. Her dedication to staff engagement is evident in her hands-on approach, ensuring that staff are empowered with the skills and support they need to perform at their best.
Alicia highly values her staff and is devoted to creating an environment where they can thrive, believing that empowered staff lead to better patient care and a more positive workplace culture.
Project Funding
The project has received funding from Doctors of BC through Facility Engagement, Physician Quality Improvement, Health System Redesign, and Interior Health NAVIG8 program.
