Originally published on PM360 as a spotlight post of ConnectiveRx VP, Employee Experience Libby McManus' 2024 ELITE 100 Strategist award.
Training Base on Empathy and Human Connection
Until you’re a patient needing a specialty medication, it’s difficult to imagine the trials you’ll face. Libby McManus knows this firsthand. After a bout with what she thought was the flu, she learned she had advanced Crohn’s Disease and was near organ failure. As a patient finding herself on a lifesaving treatment, her prescription journey quickly taught her how difficult the process can be.
As Director of Training and Ongoing Learning, Libby’s purpose- driven approach is the foundation of the training department. Her empathetic nature is key to designing programs that teach interaction skills to Teammates who’ll be supporting patients who have a potentially life-threatening illness and potential medication access issues.
Personal stories elevate training. So, Libby espouses the importance of using stories as part of the employee onboarding process because they’ve proven to engender a higher purpose regarding the work. Stories also play an integral role in CRx University, the company’s onboarding program that’s evolved under her leadership.
Incorporating input from across the company was critical to developing this program. Therefore, she created teams from various departments to determine what new employees need to know. The program brings new hire groups together in a culture- building cohort and quickly delivers a deeper understanding of ConnectiveRx’s role in the healthcare ecosystem.
As part of her newly formed training organization’s strategy, Libby developed specific personas around different types of customers to help employees understand the kinds of people and situations they’ll encounter during their interactions. For example, one patient persona may be based on a woman diagnosed with a condition requiring specialty medication. Employees learn what she is feeling and experiencing as she’s dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and even her pharmacy.
Stories can also illustrate the company’s mission. Libby recognizes that it is easy to lose sight of the larger picture: helping people to get on and stay on their medication. By revisiting these personas, employees are reminded why they do what they do, why it’s important in the bigger picture, and what impact it can have when a patient feels heard and understood while traversing their prescription and treatment journey.