Regardless of which format you decide to use, I recommend starting the strategic process by conducting a Strategic Discovery Session. It is helpful to first consider the organization’s strategic positioning (how the organization differentiates itself from its competitors) and the market environment surrounding the organization and then conduct a SWOT exercise.  Spending time up front identifying how internal and external factors may impact the organization over the length of the strategic plan cycle is a wise investment of time. It helps ensure that a solid understanding of current risks and opportunities are factored into both the desired outcomes and the final plan.

After completing this preliminary step, you can formulate your desired outcomes. During my time as CEO, my most successful strategic plans included financial, people and process — goals that tied to our overall purpose. The purpose is your WHY. It is not only why the organization exists — it is also what unites the people in the organization. Ensuring the purpose is not only understood by each member of your organization but more importantly how each contributes to that purpose is critical to the whole team buying into the plan. Having your purpose front and center as you craft your plan is critical to your success.

As I mentioned above, plans should also include financial, people and process goals. Give some thought to the desired outcomes as they relate to financial goals along with the human capital and culture, talent attraction, retention, employee happiness and wellness, engagement, and development goals. Is the financial goal achievable? Is it a big enough stretch? Will it motivate people? How does it compare to the market growth and average return? In regards to people, what is most important for your organization in the coming year? What, in this area, do you need to focus on to deliver on your purpose?  What will tie the people to the purpose more completely?

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Some organizations overlook setting PEOPLE goals and focus solely on the financial goal. In my experience, this does not achieve a sustainable framework for the organization.

Lastly, goal setting should also consider process improvements that support the purpose and delivery of the financial goal. Including this in your goal-setting project will ensure that the strategic process is more thorough and robust. The more you can involve operational team members in this strategic activity, the more likely the goals will be achieved. People with hands-on operational experience and insight need to be at the table to ensure the best chance of getting the process development and investment right.

It goes without saying that goals need to be MEASURABLE. One of the reasons I like OGSM is because measurement is a key factor in the framework. Again, I encourage you to discuss the key performance indicators and measurable outcomes with operational leaders and those at the grass root levels. Depending upon how large an organization you lead, you may want to extend the strategic planning process to include work teams and/or strategic planning committees to flush out more detailed action plans.

Once the plan is crafted, the process moves on to communication, implementation and follow up. These steps are where the rubber hits the road and the plan starts to become a reality. Next month’s blog will address these important steps. As a leader, I always looked forward to the strategic planning process. Today I enjoy coaching and sharing my experiences with other leaders.

Overall, the more inclusive you make the process, the greater chance you have of succeeding.

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“The return-to-office battle will resume after Labor Day.”

“Workers face pressure as top companies push post–Labor Day return to office.”

“Battle over return to office heats up as bosses lose patience.”

“Return-to-office deadline after Labor Day sets up showdown.”

Whether “battle” or “showdown” prove to be accurate or exaggerated descriptions of how things actually transpire remains to be seen.

Either way, those descriptions — and the stories they’re part of — reflect the reality that return-to-office plans can quickly cause employer-employee relations to become difficult at best and adversarial at worst. While either of these outcomes is problematic, the issue becomes even more toxic if it contributes to an overall deterioration of the relationship between a company and its people.

So, what can a company do? It begins with transparency. Regular communication and meaningful conversations with employees can go a long way in fostering understanding about the decision and alleviating some of the concerns.

Here’s what our firm did. We adopted a trial hybrid work-from-home program in February of this year and closely monitored key data points across the next several months. We determined in recent weeks that modifications were necessary.

While the flexibility and other benefits of the policy remain important, we saw a couple of trends emerge following the program’s implementation. We decided the best course of action was to bring people back to our offices four days a week beginning September 6.

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In communicating the revised policy to employees, we shared data points that led to our decision. Beyond our own results-oriented metrics, we also provided important context about factors beyond our control that impact our business and which employees might not have considered.

For example, we discussed how inflationary pressures caused our costs to rise by approximately 20-25%. This is important background information, as employees often don’t fully understand the external stresses that companies are under. Similarly, employees need to know what companies are doing in response (in our case, implementing price adjustments and updating our hybrid work policy).

We learn the most when we encourage our teams to share their experiences, so our leadership spent a lot of time over the past month listening to employees. We asked questions designed to foster a meaningful conversation: How are you feeling? What’s on your mind? How is your work-life balance? Are you still committed to the company?

I also shared in a companywide email my sincere belief in the value of the energy, knowledge and training that come from everyone working together in an office. Being together also provides a number of benefits to our business overall and to the professional growth and development of our employees. Going forward, we’ll focus more than ever on engaging with employees and demonstrating our commitment to their success.

The reality is, no policy about where and when work gets done — in-office, remote or hybrid — is going to make everyone happy. Employers know people have choices about where to work and should be prepared for at least some level of attrition because of their policies.

By regularly providing transparent communications and holding meaningful conversations, your company will be well positioned to garner the type of support and loyalty needed to keep and grow your employees.

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In fact, according to the American Hospital Association, two-thirds of hospitals currently have a nurse vacancy rate of 7.5% or more. Hospital employment has continued to decline compared to pre-pandemic levels and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that hospital employment is down 95,600 employees from February 2020, with no signs of the trend slowing down.

Vacancy rates may be perceived differently whether you are in human resources and looking at the hospital as a whole or if you are the nurse manager of a specific unit, i.e., medical surgical. This may even vary from organization and how the vacancy and measurement is defined.

At Conexus MedStaff, we have seen different interpretations of the actual “vacancy” terminology, and the criticalness related to that vacancy. Please note, having any vacancy is not recommended. A nurse manager may take a leave of absence into their consideration of vacancy, as they are looking at their total full-time employment (FTE) requirements.  This manager may also consider a position as vacant as soon as a notice has been given; however, hospital policy may require approval and authorization for reposting the same position. Furthermore, having a vacancy of several positions within one unit, and even within one shift, may have more of an impact then another area which is larger and has more personnel to lean to.

The inclusion of time as a consideration of vacancy may vary as well. For example, a nurse manager may consider a nurse providing notice of leave as an impending vacancy, however, the healthcare system may consider a monthly calculation or a quarter as the measurement.

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Vacancy Rate Calculation

If you are curious how to calculate your organization’s vacancy rate, see the explanation and accompanying example below.

Take the number of vacant job-specific positions (or positions within the whole organization) and divide by the total number of job-specific positions (or positions within the whole organization). Then, multiply that number by 100 to identify your vacancy rate.

There is no denying that the healthcare industry is currently experiencing the effects of high demand for healthcare professionals and higher than normal turnover, while also struggling to recruit and retain talent. The direct impact of this, is likely felt hardest within the actual unit, including healthcare staff, patients, and family of those patients, that are providing and receiving care.

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Being creative and remaining flexible to identify both short- and long-term solutions remains key to overcoming these current and ongoing challenges. To learn how Conexus MedStaff can offer strategic partnership and assistance in achieve these goals, learn more at www.conexusmedstaff.com.

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Sustainable Continuous Improvement

There are five critical steps to creating a performance management program.

Measure. To make sure that processes align with corporate goals and strategies, your company needs to develop effective measurement strategies by asking the right questions in the beginning, such as: “What are our KPIs?” “What are they intended to measure?” “What do we want to improve by tracking this?” Data provides key indicators to help pinpoint when and where there is a problem, which ultimately translates to profitability. Many companies don’t invest in automation and robust ERP systems, which is a mistake.

Another common error is adding people in response to a problem when the more sustainable and cost-effective solution begins with identifying the root cause through measuring data. Extracting data and measuring KPIs around processes often allows companies to identify millions of dollars in savings.

Empower. You want to create value for your customers as well as engaging your stakeholders and employees. By empowering employees and involving the people close to the Gemba, you allow them to solve problems and not just cover them up. Engaged employees set the stage for change. If they buy into this empowered culture from the beginning, change will happen quickly and smoothly. You will also be able to utilize improvement ideas from the people who are actually doing the work. They see things in your organization that others don’t and can often make immediate changes that have a positive effect on processes, people and profitability.

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Publish. If you can’t see the big picture, it is difficult to make meaningful changes that will have a positive impact. With a performance management program, visual boards are the ideal solution in that they communicate goals to people at all levels, identify problems while there is still time to make a difference, help instill process discipline, and keep everyone informed. Daily control and monitoring of department-wide measures provides trending data to highlight systematic issues. If something is out of sight, it is usually out of mind as well. Keep the information in front of your employees, and you will see positive changes.

Communicate. Timely communication is key when it comes to sustainability. Holding a daily accountability meeting that lasts anywhere from 15-30 minutes allows time to address the previous day’s sub-optimal performance as well as set expectations for any potential disruptions in today’s operations. With a quick daily meeting, team members at all levels can address issues in real time, which initiates and expedites the root cause analysis process. In this meeting, you will also assign actionable corrective measures and identify future continuous improvement opportunities. Participation from all areas and appropriate levels is necessary to enhance communication horizontally and vertically.

Celebrate. To keep employees engaged and passionate about what they do, celebrate the wins. This is accomplished through employee appreciation and peer recognition. Listen to your employees as they are the ones who drive innovation. Ask them, “If you had a magic wand, what would you do?” It says to the employees, “My ideas mean something,” and what is a better motivator than seeing your own ideas put into action? It inspires people to go forth and do good things!

For an organization to thrive, it must be sustainable. If you do nothing else, put a performance management program in place. It empowers employees and fosters a culture where employees think like owners, and when employees think like owners, productivity improves, waste declines and complexity is kept to a minimum via continuous monitoring. These improvements are noticeable and contribute to the bottom line. When incorporated into an organization, the employees themselves become a competitive advantage in the marketplace. By creating a culture of continuous improvement, you can drive innovation by breaking free from the “we have always done it this way” mentality.

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Going green isn’t just good for the planet. It’s good for business too. Airline giant United Airlines saved $2 billion by making lighter, greener planes to drive down fuel costs. By switching from paper towels to air dryers Soldier Field is saving $12,000 a year. Amazon, Facebook, and Google? Their implementation of sustainable practices like wind and solar power is saving them 10% on their utility bills.

With top companies making green business practices more commonplace and 77% of American consumers motivated to purchase from environmentally-conscious companies, creating a sustainability plan is imperative to ensure success for your business.    

Luckily, it’s easy being green. Here are five steps to develop your own sustainable business plan:

1. Identify your environmental risks

Does your company rely on fossil fuels? Do you make products made from non-recyclable materials? The first step in creating a sustainability plan is to determine what aspects of your business practices can have negative impacts on the environment. Check out a full list of business environmental risks and be objective – How many risks have your company failed to address and how can your business correct them?

2. Match sustainability goals with business goals

It’s been proven that going green can add more green to your company’s bank account – but what about your other business goals? For example, if expansion is in your future how can you make sure your next offices are greener? Be specific in your goals to educate and motivate your employees and send a clear message to your consumers.

Keep in mind that adopting sustainable business practices isn’t something you can just do when Earth Day rolls around or for a flashy marketing campaign. It’s a lifelong initiative and the best way to future-proof your business. With two-thirds of Americans agreeing that the government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change and policies like a carbon tax attracting bipartisan support, we’ll be seeing more green legislation – and more penalties for businesses not being sustainable – in the coming years.

3. Partner with other environmentally conscious brands and communities

The average consumer isn’t just going green but is making more educated buying decisions. With two-thirds of customers saying they want to purchase from brands that advocate sustainability, green business certifications are on the rise to let buyers know they’re supporting sustainable companies. Membership in environmental communities like the US Green Chamber of Commerce can also show customers they can trust your practices are sustainable while connecting you with other businesses for partnership and advice.

Partnering with a non-sustainable company can negate any strides you’ve made in implementing your sustainable business plan. Working with green vendors can be as easy as partnering with a local business to reduce driving distance and fuel costs, partnering with companies that boast green manufacturing practices, or teaming up with a business that supports the local community.

4. Don’t forget about social and economic impacts

Corporate sustainability is comprised of three pillars: environmental, social, and economic. Make sure all three are incorporated into your sustainability plan. Socially, you’ll need to maintain acceptance from employees, stakeholders, and the public. This means treating employees well, making meaningful (and green) partnerships, and engaging with the community.

As for the economic pillar, align your company’s spending practices with environmental values and prioritize both equally. Incorporating economic factors into your sustainability plan will prevent you from adopting extreme measures in the name of going green. For example, transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner energy can be taken in phases rather than all at once.

5. Build mechanisms for metrics and feedback

The success of your sustainability plan will be determined by both metrics and feedback from your consumers and employees. When writing your business goals determine how you will measure success. If you’re looking to reduce water waste this can be as simple as comparing your office water bill from one month to another.

Feedback on how your business is incorporating sustainable initiatives will help determine if your goals are attainable. Ask your leaders if they’ve had any problems implementing more sustainable practices and find solutions that still fit within your goals. Getting feedback from customers through surveys, social media, and live chats can confirm whether your sustainability plan matches consumer desire or whether there is another green initiative you can take to attract and keep loyal clients.

At Adecco, our goal is to help make your company future-proof, including by helping you create a sustainability plan to stay on top of business trends. For more insights on how sustainability is driving the future of work, read our article on green game-changers or check out which skills are in high demand for companies in the new green economy. 

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Value. You should always demonstrate the value that your staffing firm brings to the client. This can be done in many ways: metrics such as the number of fills, time-to-fill, retention, new projects or programs initiated, etc.

Vision. Part of the QBR should focus on the future. You should always identify ways to improve the services you are providing and anticipate ways to help your clients identify potential problems and then develop solutions for them.

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Vibe. “How are we doing” is always an important part of the QBR. You want to obtain feedback on what’s going well, what needs to be added and what no longer needs to be included. Yes, you may hear something you’d rather not hear, but knowing where improvement needs to take place and taking appropriate action may prevent you from losing the account.

Volume. Last but certainly not least is the ask! Find out where additional staffing opportunities are. Can you replace some of your competitor’s business? Can you add more of the services that you are already providing? Can you offer staffing in new functional areas? You should always have a goal of increasing the market share of your current clients.

Use the four Vs to make sure your future QBRs are effective and a win-win for you and your client.

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Does the number of suppliers in our program really matter?

More suppliers = more talent. That’s a good thing, right? Sure, so long as you’re considering all the factors, starting with the most obvious: cost. When pressed, an MSP in the room admitted they care so much about supplier size because they allocate a certain number of resources to manage a program’s suppliers. If the size of that supply base increases, they incur more cost, and vice versa.

Suppliers also make choices on which clients they’ll work their hardest for. Things like overall profitability of the account, ease of doing business and the client’s brand strength can affect these decisions. Your program’s success depends on the quality of recruiters an agency assigns to your account. With fewer suppliers in your program, there’s less competition and a greater chance for success for any single supplier — something that could ensure you access to their top resources.

So which is best? The right answer is whatever works for your program and company. Culture, program goals and customer success all matter when making the correct decision here.

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Do we have the right governance in place?

More importantly, are our program rules helping us to collectively meet the needs of the business?

The best measure of program success is determining whether it’s successfully filling the vast majority of positions — or if people are working around it.

Our industry is bound by the same constraints as every other — cost, quality, speed and risk. Ultimately, hiring managers want each of those things in varying priority based on their business circumstances, and we must accommodate. If that means blowing these standard rules out of the water, then so be it.

How are we defining “the program”?

During that same industry conference, a program owner proudly described the rules he’d implemented, how he lowered rates within the program and so on.  But with all his “success,” he couldn’t get a handle on the Statement-of-Work (SOW) suppliers. The problem? His program was too narrow.

Though terms like “Total Talent Management” have been around for years, full-time employees, contingent workers and SOW suppliers are rarely managed by a single owner. Different rules apply, different processes exist, and different costs are associated with each.

We must think bigger. We must define our programs by what our clients need holistically from a human capital perspective and deliver in a way that uniquely fits their company’s needs and culture — regardless of how we’ve done things in the past.

Are we truly serving the customer?

In over 20 years, I’ve yet to meet a hiring manager that says they want sub-par talent. When they come to us looking for help, they generally don’t care which company supplies the talent. Ultimately, it’s their need to deliver on business priorities — and the (usually urgent) need for talent to do so — that motivates them. Hiring managers want quality talent and an easy process, and as program managers and suppliers, we must ask ourselves whether we’re delivering on those needs. If the answer is no, you’re doing them a disservice.

At the end of the day, a program should exist to serve its customers. For many years, programs have been focused on control, rather than enablement. When you work backwards from the client, you start to realize that how programs are managed needs to be re-thought, broadened and focused on the things that matter most: enabling your customers and, as we say at Pride Global, helping the world work.

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