Employee engagement in a rural hospital isn’t theory. It’s personal. In this conversation, Mary Kay Kirgis talks through twelve years of building trust, navigating staffing shortages, and keeping a small healthcare system moving when everyone wears multiple hats. Her lens is grounded, human, and honest about the work. Change isn’t optional. It’s the job.
In this episode we talk about HR, employee engagement, healthcare, rural staffing, change management, employee experience, leadership, technology in HR, the nursing shortage, and career development. Mary Kay breaks down what actually moves people in a small-town environment, how relationships drive retention, and why understanding employee needs matters more than any engagement program.
Key Takeaways:
Embracing change becomes a survival skill in HR. The teams that thrive are the ones willing to adjust roles, workflows, and expectations instead of clinging to old habits. Rural healthcare adds its own complexity, forcing leaders to be creative with staffing and flexible with responsibilities.
Building real relationships is what keeps people loyal. When employees feel seen, listened to, and supported, they show up differently. Small gestures go further than surface-level perks, and meaningful engagement comes from consistent, human connection rather than manufactured culture pushes.
Innovation shows up in unexpected ways. Sometimes it’s a new staffing model. Sometimes it’s cross-training. Sometimes it’s simply taking the time to understand what each person actually wants from their career. Clear development paths matter, and authenticity is what makes them believable.
Listening drives real improvements. When leaders pay attention to what employees are actually saying, engagement stops being a guessing game and becomes a partnership. Employee experience becomes the backbone of retention, especially in smaller communities where every role carries weight.
This episode was recorded live at isolved Connect in Scottsdale.
The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.
Learn more about isolved: https://www.isolvedhcm.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Mary Kay and Her Role
02:46 Embracing Change in HR
05:55 Navigating Employee Growth and Development
08:47 Employee Experience in Healthcare
11:50 Innovative Strategies for Staffing in Rural Areas
14:47 Building Relationships Through Engagement
Guest:
Mary Kay Kirgis, HR Director at Guttenberg Municipal Hospitals and Clinics
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mary-kay-kirgis-40ba8b4a
C
onnect with Us:
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
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