At a time when many employers are wrestling with the challenges of high turnover and shorter onboarding windows, a worker that takes initiative, works independently and helps to make sure other team members understand the tasks at-hand is an invaluable asset to any facility team.  

Sherry McKinney, a lead housekeeper for Family Health Care, a community health center with several locations in Michigan, has proven to be just what the doctor ordered over her year with the company. In addition to her daily duties, Sherry is responsible for a staff of three on-call and part-time housekeepers, meaning that she must coordinate multiple schedules and delegate tasks in a constantly evolving work environment.  

Her commitment to the team goes above and beyond expectations; McKinney works a full-time job elsewhere and comes straight to her job with Family Health Care full of energy and enthusiasm, setting the tone for a productive and efficient approach every day. On several occasions, she’s taken weekend time to get a head-start on jobs for the week.  

“Sherry takes special pride in seeing a job well-done. She coaches her co-workers to take pride in their work as well by leading them by example,” says Family Health Care Facilities Manager Terri Vanias. “Her energy is commendable!” 

When it comes to teaching and training her teammates, McKinney takes the extra steps to make sure everyone learns why things are done, not just how — whether it’s a particular cleaning process or helping to understand why a certain piece of equipment or chemical is the right choice for the job. She’s even been known to bring her own tools and equipment with her, in order to experiment with a process or test an idea before asking the facility to make a big purchase or accomplish a task without waiting for an order to arrive.  

“Diligence, responsibility and teamwork are always admired in people, and Sherry has all of these qualities. Her willingness to help however she can and her attitude are admired by many,” says Vanias.  

McKinney truly embodies the concept of leading by example.  




POSTED ON: 10/21/2022