Atrium Health Implements Minimum Wage Increase
As the new year sets in, many Atrium Health teammates will be seeing a larger paycheck. The health system will increase base pay for the bulk of its workforce by a minimum of 3%, with its hourly minimum wage increasing to $15 per hour at Atrium Health Floyd and Atrium Health Navicent in its Georgia and Alabama markets. The current minimum is $14 per hour. Atrium Health Navicent’s increase is effective Jan. 21.
In total, Atrium Health’s parent organization, Charlotte-based Advocate Health, will be investing an additional $328.4 million into its teammates’ compensation beginning this month.
“Every day, our teammates deliver exceptional care for our patients and communities, so it is essential that we prioritize taking care of them too,” said Ken Haynes, president of the Southeast Region of Advocate Health. “That’s why we continually make these types of investments into our workforce, to make sure we are attracting and retaining the best talent. It’s because of our teammates that Atrium Health is the most trusted and preferred health care provider.”
The 3% across-the-board base pay increase amounts to an additional $117 million in salaries spread among more than 64,000 Atrium Health teammates across the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.
The increased minimum wage will result in higher wages for 31,700 hourly workers in roles such as nursing aides, medical assistants, pharmacy techs and environmental services technicians. This is the fifth minimum wage increase in less than four years for Atrium Health Navicent teammates.
In total, the increased minimum wage represents an added $45.5 million investment into Atrium Health’s hourly teammates, including compression adjustments designed to lift wages for those previously making just above their respective new market minimum. Also, recalibration of pay ranges for jobs within the organization is resulting in another $40.9 million in additional salary investments.
Atrium Health also is expected to provide more than $125 million in added funding as part of other compensation programs it offers its teammates.
“Creating and sustaining a great workplace culture is key to providing high-quality health care for our patients,” said Gina Keadle chief human resources officer for Atrium Health’s Georgia region. “It’s important our teammates receive marketcompetitive compensation and know they are appreciated for the excellent health care they provide each and every day. This added investment helps demonstrate Atrium Health’s commitment to our teammates and the value they provide to the communities we serve.”
In recent months, Atrium Health has been recognized by Newsweek as a “Top 100 Most Loved Workplace,” by Forbes as a “Best Employer” in both North Carolina and Georgia, as a “Best Place to Work for Veterans” and a “Best Employers for Diversity,” as well as by Diversity MBA Magazine as a “Best Place to Work for Women and Diverse Managers.” Atrium Health was also named to Becker’s Healthcare’s “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare.”
As the health care industry continues to face a shortage of qualified clinical staff, Atrium Health is currently hiring, with a special emphasis on nurses. Whether an experienced nurse looking for a change or someone just entering the profession, Atrium Health and Advocate Health offer endless opportunities to start or enhance a career. Visit our careers website for a complete listing of available positions.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing $2.8 billion last year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 155,000 team members across 68 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits.