By Jeanni Brosius
In a small town, the second-largest employer is bound to have family members and close friends working under the same roof. North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) welcomes multiple generations to its dedicated team. Because there are more than just clinical positions available, NARMC is a desirable place to work for many professionals. Careers are available in accounting, marketing, clerical, IT, dietary, housekeeping and more.
Harrison is a small town, but it’s the hub of the surrounding rural area, which contributes to NARMC being the second-largest employer in the community. Many employees encourage their spouses, children or other family members to apply for jobs at the hospital.
“People want their family members to be a part of the good things we are doing here at NARMC,” says Human Resource Specialist Donna Copeland.
It helps that the hospital offers benefits, such as extensive medical and insurance plans, retirement plan, an employee-wellness program, continuing education, tuition reimbursement and significant discounts for medical services and meals.
Although multiple family members may work at the hospital, they cannot report to each other. Having employees from multiple generations allows the hospital teams to meet the needs of a wider variety of patients and their families, and to relate more effectively to them.
Melissa Henderson works on the environmental services team, and her husband, Michael, and twin sons also work at NARMC.
“We needed insurance and full-time work,” she says. “My great aunt retired from NARMC, and said she knew the hospital needed people in housekeeping and laundry, so I applied.”
Soon after, Michael got a job at NARMC working part time at night as a janitor, and Melissa took a job working days in laundry. After a couple of weeks, Michael transferred to working full time during the day, which allowed the couple to ride to work together.
In 2012, the Hendersons’ daughter also came to work at the hospital and obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant license, which helped her get a job at a nursing home in Jasper. In May of this year, their 20-year-old twin sons, Bradley and Austin, took jobs in the kitchen at NARMC. Melissa believes the variety of opportunities at the medical center will allow her sons to work their way up through the ranks.
“It’s a good place to work with benefits,” says Melissa. “And the biggest benefit for me is I get to see them.”
The Hendersons aren’t the only family at NARMC. Shannon Hilliard, chief radiation therapist at Claude Parrish Cancer Center, took his first job at NARMC in 1996, then moved and came back in 2002.
“I came back to the same job because this is where I wanted to raise my family. Being able to serve those that need cancer treatment, all while living in the Ozarks, was the right fit for us,” he says.
His daughter, Spree, earned her degree in journalism and her master’s in multimedia at Arkansas Tech. She recently moved back to Harrison to take a position in the NARMC marketing department.
“I never imagined moving back to my hometown,” Spree said. “Working for NARMC has brought new challenges and experiences that help me grow daily. I really have enjoyed being able to come back and work alongside people that I have known for years. Being near my family and close friends is a bonus.”
The Hilliards work on opposite sides of the hospital but still bump into each other every now and then. “I am still not used to running into my daughter in the hallway,” Shannon said. “Watching your child move away, live their own adventure and then come home to join your community as an adult is a rewarding experience. It has been fun watching her carve her own niche in our community.”
The Shoemake family has also made NARMC their home. Dawn Shoemake is the behavioral health nurse manager at NARMC. She joined the team in 2012.
Her husband, Mark, recently took a position as a chef at the medical center.
“I was living in Kansas City and came back to Harrison once a week to care for my mother and stepfather, so it eventually just made more sense to move back,” Shoemake says.
Shoemake says it took a lot of careful consideration for her husband to take the chef position.
“It was a big decision for him to leave his previous employer, where he had been for 15 years. The benefits made him come here,” she says. “It was a great decision for our family. My sister-in-law recently moved from Houston and she now works here, too.”
Another benefit of a multi-generational workforce is that the employees can learn from each other.
Younger nurses learn from their more experienced counterparts, and the experienced nurses learn the lastest technology and trends from their younger coworkers. This diversity and collaboration happens on many levels and makes NARMC stronger.
“It’s rewarding to know that NARMC provides a great work environment,” says Copeland. “I’m proud that our employees want their family members and friends to join our team as well.”
The above article is from NARMC, a custom publication of Vowell, Inc., which also produces Arkansas Money & Politics.