For longtime housekeeper Blair Clayton the word ‘family’ is at the core of everything he does. He celebrates the family who raised him, and the work family he leads. And through his dedication, he honours the patients and families at the heart of his work.
Blair has been working in environmental services in healthcare for almost 35 years. After all this time, Blair says he “wouldn’t change it for the world. Healthcare is in my blood now.”
Blair worked for Crothall Healthcare before taking on his current role with Nova Scotia Health as assistant manager of environmental services at the QEII’s Halifax Infirmary (HI).
As a leader and a person of African descent, Blair draws influence and inspiration from leaders far and near – Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and “our own Viola Desmond. I read stories like that, and for people to be that brave under those circumstances. There are people that have come before me; I stand on their shoulders. They opened the door for the opportunity I have today.”
Blair also credits his parents, who weathered the challenges of an interracial marriage in the 1960s and beyond. Blair notes, “My mom and dad are still together, God bless them. They raised four kids, and they did a great job.”
Blair is proud to lead the team of more than 300 people responsible for housekeeping at the HI, saying, “We’re the first line of defense from a germ and virus perspective.” He reinforces that message with the team as often as possible, saying, “At the end of the day, you can go home with your head held high. You never know when somebody you love may need to come in. You clean that bed in that room as if someone in your family may be the next one coming in to use that bed.”
It's important to Blair that members of the housekeeping team feel appreciated and recognize their importance in the system.
“Housekeepers have a huge amount of responsibility. They are a spoke in a huge wheel; each spoke is equally important when it comes to providing services to patients and families.”
Blair credits the team for their commitment to patients, families and Nova Scotia Health team members. “In our business – in any business – you’re only as good as the people you have working with you. People need to feel empowered, engaged, respected, and feel part of something. We spend so much time at work – we need to make the best of it. At the end of the day, we’re going to go home, recharge our batteries and come back tomorrow and do it all over again.”
Inclusion is one of the values Blair brings to leadership. “I very seldom make a decision by myself,” he says. “I ask the team, ‘What do you think about this? What might work, based on your experience?’ I get different ideas and different perspectives. I’m fortunate because I’ve got such a good group of people that are so dedicated and so committed to our patients, and what we do here. I’m blessed … It feels like home to me.”
Photo of Blair Clayton, assistant manager of Environmental Services at the QEII Halifax Infirmary.
