Since March of 2020 healthcare workers have been in crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic put healthcare workers under enormous strain which continued surge after COVID surge. In light of this situation, NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health wanted to show gratitude for the sacrifices their teams have made. In early 2022, we partnered with the health system to develop work to celebrate and thank their staff for all that they have done over the past 2+ years.
“The Greater Good”
In partnership with our clients, we developed a :30 spot using the health system’s footage and imagery featuring real staff members working on the frontlines and behind the scenes. The spot celebrates and honors them as the caregivers of NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health, rising to unprecedented challenges and providing exceptional care to patients and communities. The spot ran during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics and was greeted with positive feedback from the public towards healthcare workers.
The spot included a CTA for viewers to visit a microsite, “Pay It Forward Together.” The microsite featured videos and images from patients, families, the community and other staff members showing their thanks. The site also encouraged viewers to submit their own stories of gratitude.
Gratitude Weaving Installations
To help spread this message of gratitude, we partnered with experiential design firm AllKinds to create a visual representation of the messages collected on the Pay It Forward Together microsite. The result was tapestries made from weavings of the gratitude messages submitted on the microsite, one for each of NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health’s nine hospital lobbies. The tapestries were on display in May and June, coinciding with the start of National Hospital Week.
The campaign was well received, making staff members feel truly appreciated. Patients and families who encountered it at each hospital location or on television also responded well to the messaging: the vital importance of our healthcare teams and the idea that when we all join forces, we can make our local communities stronger and healthier.
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Notes:
The pandemic exacerbated issues that already existed in the industry like low morale and burnout. According to Morning Consult, nearly 20% of healthcare workers have quit their jobs during the pandemic, another 31% have considered leaving, and almost 80% have said that the shortage of workers in the industry has had an impact on them and their office.