A Blueprint for Retaining Staff: Mission-Based Strategies Four Oaks, Inc. of Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Karen Bruess, Vice President Organizational Development Kim Venner, Senior Program Manager, Quality Improvement

What is a Mission-Based Blueprint? A strategic approach to understanding, supporting, and applying mission-based initiatives that are sustainable. A structured process which uses organizational mission linked with data management. A plan which involves applying stages of development that incorporates staff from various levels within the organization, including Board Members.

What are Mission-Based Initiatives? Initiatives that are designed to promote and support agency mission Initiatives that staff can connect to the delivery of agency mission Initiatives that engage individual staff in various ways

Developing a Mission-Based Blueprint Recognize three primary stages of development : ( Preparation, Design, Implementation/Evaluation) Understand the identified processes of each stage Identify activities to be conducted to complete processes Involve staff and Board members throughout development stages Understand the targeted outcomes of each stage/process

Implementing a Mission Based Blueprint Two primary check points for application: Do staff understand the link between the initiatives and mission? Are individual roles defined and are staff ready to engage?

What is your agencies level of preparedness? Take 5 minutes to complete Assessment Tool

What is your level of preparedness? What stage are you primarily at? What have you accomplished that you can build on? Where have you possibly over-looked some key steps? What work do you have left to do?

Sharing our experience A multi-year plan to applying Mission-Based Initiatives

Staff identified themes connected to retention COMMUNICATION/CONNECTIVITY: The ability to share their passion and put it into action The ability to understand and be part of the larger agency QUALITY/WORKLOAD: Efficiencies and improvements that support the focus of serving families RECOGNITION/RETENTION: Acknowledge our commitment, expertise and successes SALARIES/BENEFITS: Make improvements TRAINING/LEADERSHIP: Support professional growth and build competency DIVERSITY/CULTURAL COMPETENCE: Commit to cultural competency

Highlighted Initiatives Listening Post Involved CEO/top administration Administration went to staff Used as a vehicle to gain feedback on critical questions/issues. Linked administration and staff in a personal way

Highlighted Initiatives Legislative Campaign (2 year project) Empowered staff to impact legislation concerning state funding Agency coordinated resources/information to support staff advocacy Communication provided throughout the process and outcomes were celebrated 3,689 letters sent,, 14 site visits by legislators, resulted in a pay increase for direct care workers

Highlighted Initiatives Training Balanced mandatory training’s with employee developed competency training’s Used staff and families as trainers Provided staff development resources at program level Emerging Leaders Program Redesigned New Employee Orientation to focus on staff passion and agency mission Developed Residential and Community -Based orientation manuals

What are these other initiatives?

Lessons Learned Listen and respond to staff Communicate and create visibility Create initiatives that are not $ draining Be flexible when designing Target diverse areas Stage implementation of initiatives Simple is often the best

Here we are.... The impact on staff turn-over rate: 45% in 2000 to 36% in 2001 to 19% in Emerging Leader graduates, (85% retained) 1,998 hours of training since July 2001 Over 200 staff have experienced formal/informal leadership opportunities on work teams Legislators retain on-going contact with staff 100% of new staff report an understanding of mission during entry interviews. Staff report feeling more connected and empowered

“the best job you can find is the one that you feel passionate about, because then it will not really seem like work at all” -Dale Carnegie