From rounding to retention: how one health system boosted staff satisfaction by 24%

This large, not-for-profit health system in the Midwest has built an employee-centric culture that puts people first. By rethinking how leaders connect with staff, they created a holistic engagement approach that combines surveys, rounding, recognition, listening tools, and life event resources to boost satisfaction, strengthen retention, and build a more connected workforce.

The Challenge

Healthcare is built on people caring for people,
but with record turnover and rising burnout, keeping teams connected has never been more critical. Like many others, this system faced high vacancies and staff who often felt unseen. With tens of thousands of employees across hospitals and clinics, leaders needed a better way to listen, act, and stay connected.
They set out to:

• Make every team member feel valued and heard
• Catch small frustrations before they became big problems
• Turn employee feedback into real, visible action

The Turning Point

Improving retention required more than a new program. It meant rethinking the entire employee experience. Leaders created a connected framework that supports staff from the moment they accept an offer to long after they leave, combining data, dialogue, and recognition into one continuous feedback loop.
Their approach includes:

• Pre-hire outreach to welcome new hires before day one
• Surveys at key milestones such as onboarding, two weeks, six months, one year, and eighteen months
• Tools to gather feedback, crowdsource ideas, and identify trends
• Resources for major life events to support staff at work and beyond
• An alumni network to stay in touch after employees move on

At the center is staff rounding powered by CipherRounds, the most personal and consistent part of their program. A few years ago, the team reimagined how they used CipherRounds. Instead of broad, process-heavy check-ins, leaders shifted to shorter, more meaningful conversations focused on connection and action.

In one year, leaders completed more than 31,000 staff rounds, engaging nearly 13,000 employees multiple times. These conversations created momentum across their engagement strategy—and it showed.

What They Asked

Simple but powerful questions created conversations that gave leaders the insight and empathy to act quickly.

What do you love about your job?
What would make your workday easier?
What’s a small “pebble in your shoe” we can fix?
What’s one thing we can do to support you today?

The Results

Employee satisfaction jumped 24%
In less than a year, more employees agreed that their leaders took action based on survey feedback, and 15% more said their ideas were valued by the organization.

This progress came from leaders who closed the loop quickly by acknowledging feedback, acting on it, and sharing updates with staff. Employees saw that their voices were not only heard but also driving meaningful change.

One example says it all: during a rounding session, a night-shift nurse mentioned needing more microwaves in the breakroom. By the next day, leadership made it happen. It was not about the appliances, it was about showing that every voice matters.

Over 900 moments of recognition (and counting)
To elevate recognition, the organization launched CareGrams through CipherRounds, a digital way for employees to send quick thank-yous and shoutouts. In less than a year, more than 900 CareGrams were shared, each alerting leadership in real time and helping recognition ripple across the system.

40% more leaders acted on feedback
Leader responsiveness jumped from the 59th to the 84th percentile. With CipherRounds, leaders could see exactly where to focus, take action, and track progress, all without double documenting or chasing spreadsheets.

Frequent rounding = higher retention
Employees who were rounded on ten or more times were far more likely to say they planned to stay. Internal data showed that employees who scored low on “intent to stay” were 80% more likely to leave within a year, making frequent check-ins an early warning system.

With CipherRounds, leaders now spot feedback trends early and act before issues escalate. And beyond the numbers, they use rounding data to uncover themes across departments. Dashboards and reports show what’s working, what’s not, and where to focus next.

The Impact

Rounding on staff is no longer just a box to check, it’s the backbone of how this health system builds connection and trust. With CipherRounds, leaders meet employees where they are, listen deeply, and act fast. The result: happier teams, stronger culture, and a workplace where people want to stay.