Empowering Through Language: TouchPoint’s Nashville Team Builds Belonging and Opportunity

During this year’s Services Appreciation Week, we’re proud to spotlight the incredible work of the TouchPoint Support Services team in Nashville, Tennessee, where meaningful change begins with listening.

With a team made up of associates from over 15 countries of origin, the Nashville location has spent the last two years focused on strengthening retention by building a more inclusive, communicative workplace. The driving force behind this initiative? A simple, powerful insight: language access matters.

Thanks to feedback from associates like Josef Czelusta, a manager on the Environmental Services (EVS) team, leadership learned that language barriers were creating obstacles—limiting communication and career advancement for many associates. Formal English language training had been a long-standing request from the team. And with the launch of a new Patient Experience pilot on the horizon, the need became urgent.

Josef took action, reaching out to the broader hospital community and discovering that demand for ESL (English as a Second Language) classes far exceeded supply, with waitlists stretching into the hundreds. Determined to find a solution, Josef connected with VP of DEI Yolanda Walker and FNS recruiter Katie Barrentine, and together, they forged a path forward.

Through key community partnerships—including with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE)—the team developed a custom ESL program tailored specifically to the needs of EVS associates. The program combines essential workplace language—such as safety protocols and patient satisfaction scripts—with foundational English skills, giving participants the tools to thrive on the job and beyond.

The response was overwhelming: all 21 available spots filled immediately, and five weeks into the 15-week course, the program reported 100% attendance and full engagement. Associates are already expressing greater confidence in their ability to communicate with patients, caregivers and colleagues.

“This initiative started simply because we wanted to help them improve their lives,” says EVS Director Reda Hanna. “Watching the training sessions, I can see their communication growing stronger—and with it, their opportunities within the organization and their lives in the U.S.”

The program has already proven a success with first-shift associates, and the team is actively working to expand it to additional shifts and cost centers acrossTennessee. It’s no coincidence that this team has also seen some of the most significant gains in patient satisfaction scores in the past year. By investing in people first, TouchPoint is creating a culture where associates feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow.

Since 2011, TouchPoint Support Services has been redefining hospitality in acute care settings—offering seamless experiences from food service to environmental services. And in Nashville, they’re doing so with heart, purpose, and a powerful commitment to every associate’s success.