Igniting Inclusion and Celebrating Inclusion Day – Thecla’s Story
Pui Wong | Communications Intern, Compass One Healthcare
The Journey to Morrison
Many of our associates’ journeys to Morrison have been anything but straightforward, and Thecla McPhee’s was no exception. Having studied Hotel & Restaurant Management in college, Thecla moved from Canada to California upon graduation and struggled to find steady work. A family member suggested that she joined Morrison, but she was not crazy about the idea of working at a hospital. Thecla said she would give it some thought—which she didn’t really, until she was asked again.
Thecla joined Morrison in 1998 and has never looked back since. “It was nothing like I ever envisioned in my mind.” To Thecla’s surprise, her studies provided her a solid foundation to grow a career with Morrison. She has had many opportunities to learn and grow within the company. “It was the best move I ever made,” she says. While there were certainly bumps along the way, the ride has been great.
Fast Forward to an Inclusive Team
Now Thecla is a Director of Food and Nutrition Services who supervises her account’s operation for compliance, cleanliness and general function. She communicates both up and down the line to ensure everyone is on the same page and that they are informed of important matters.
Though Thecla has never felt excluded in the workplace, she has encountered people who thought she wasn’t qualified to manage the Nutritional Services Department because she was not a dietitian. Luckily, she was supported by a boss who believed she was doing a great job.
“The good thing was that it was only an isolated situation, and growing my career was very important to me that I didn’t let those biases stop me from moving forward,” she says. Today, Thecla sees herself as a valuable asset to her team and Morrison as a whole. “I am able to use my past experiences to mentor my team to become the best of themselves.” She always tries to encourage the staff in a positive manner to motivate them.
Creating a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
Thecla believes a diverse workplace brings a lot of creativity and innovation to the work environment. “How boring it would be if we were all very good at the exact same thing,” she says. “Diversity is talent in motion that is constantly changing and evolving because of the fact that we take the time to include talent from various backgrounds, which brings strength to the organization and keeps it competitive.”
There are many ways we can help create a more diverse and inclusive workplace, Thecla says. To name a few, we can take the time to listen to others a little longer as well as engage and empower our associates because they do have great innovative ideas. We should not be afraid of failure, and we should allow ourselves to learn something new from someone older or even younger.
“Be open and receptive to change because the traditional work environment of the past is changing and in order to be successful, we need to participate in an environment that includes everyone,” she says.
Looking for more stories of inclusion? Check out our latest one:
Join the Morrison Healthcare Family
Looking for meaningful work helping people? Do you want to marry your passions and serving others? Check out available team member or management opportunities to join the Compass One Healthcare and Morrison Healthcare family. We believe in the Power of Food to change lives and are proud of the opportunities we have each day to help people and serve alongside world-class clients.
Morrison is a proud part of Compass One Healthcare and Compass Group USA.
