The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) this week announced it will receive USAging’s 2024 Workforce Development Award in recognition of its ongoing dedication to advancing leadership values that pave the way forward for all.
With this national acknowledgement, LMTAAA secures its third consecutive award from USAging, a peer collective representing Area Agencies on Aging across the U.S.
The accolade, received during USAging’s 2024 annual conference and tradeshow July 8-11 in Tampa, Florida, underscores LMTAAA’s prioritization of a diverse, supportive environment as key in staff satisfaction and retention, according to a news release from LMTAAA.
The initiative furthers the continuation of a culture of belonging that begins on day one, the group stated.
“Our approach to a constructive workplace is simple: access, representation and respect,” said LMTAAA Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Beth Mercer. “Potential can only be achieved when knowledge flows freely, support is clear and purpose is transparent. Our workforce development program is designed to hold ourselves accountable for providing the tools our staff need to define their own success.”
Team member feedback powered the transformation of LMTAAA’s workforce culture.
A staff survey discovered a positive workplace was just as important for long-term satisfaction as fair compensation and remote flexibility. To support this need, leadership focused on implementing structured onboarding and training plans as well as frequent engagement opportunities to strengthen employee confidence and connections.
“Turnover can lead to a loss of institutional knowledge, cohesion and organizational stability,” added LMTAAA Executive Director Nicole Kiddoo. “By building actionable steps towards progress and inclusion from the first day of employment, we reinforce our belief that the way forward is only as a team.”
This is the third consecutive honor from USAging for Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging.
In 2023, LMTAAA was selected for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award recognizing the creation of a nuanced professional development program. Its first USAging accolade was received in 2022 for the agency’s formation of an Excellence in Leadership Academy which has seen 50 percent of graduates receive elevated career opportunities.
Since 1976, the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging has led with the goal of enriching lives and supporting people to live fully with dignity through the values of service, excellence, empowerment and collaboration, the group stated in a release.
LMTAAA is funded through the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Aging and Long Term Support Administration, the Older Americans Act, the Administration for Community Living and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare.
