News Whitepapers Newsletter Case Studies Upcoming Events

Newsletter

Help is on the Way

06/30/2009

Chairman's Message

I continue to be impressed by the sheer number of healthcare staff who donate enormous amounts of time, energy, and know-how to their various professional associations. Recent attendance at human resource and HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association) events showed a commitment to addressing cutting-edge topics with first-rate speakers ... a gratifying sight in these difficult times and a clear signal of preparing for the future.

Help is on the Way

When your organization "freezes" hiring, an interim executive just may be an option.

Has your organization instituted a hiring freeze in response to the economic downturn? If so, you are not alone. In a February 2009 survey by HR consulting firm Watson Wyatt, 56 percent of all polled companies had already implemented a hiring freeze, with another 10 percent planning to do so in the coming months. Hiring freezes, wage freezes, pension contribution rollbacks and decreases in executive compensation may reign in salary costs, but there is a price to pay. How can organizations avoid the leadership vacuum and burnout that occurs when too much is required of too few? The solution: Tap into the expertise of interim managers and executives. It's a strategy that many health care organizations rely upon to meet their institutional goals until the hiring freeze "thaws," making it possible to appoint permanent employees.

The use of interims gained momentum in the 1990s, rising from 990,000 placements in 1990, to 2.96 million in 2007. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these assignments are shifting toward roles that require ever-higher levels of skill and education.

Growth in the use of interim managers makes sense. Not only do employees want increased job flexibility, businesses need it. Interim executive candidates proceed through a detailed vetting process, ensuring high quality placements that are a good match to each organization's specific needs. It includes confirmation of the interims' education, experience and licensure as well as a review of their health records, a criminal background check and a full set of direct report references. Before beginning their assignments, interims are bound by a contractual set of measurable goals and objectives that clarify expectations and guide job performance

Jo Ann Rapoza, MSN, RN, a former Vice President of Patient Care Services with Southcoast Hospitals Group, has managed interims and now shares her expertise as an interim executive. She believes that with their depth of experience and exposure to a broad range of health care facilities, interims are valuable resources. "When you bring in an interim manager or executive, that person can look at your processes as an outsider," says Ms. Rapoza. "They aren't hampered by preconceived notions or political concerns. They'll ask questions that others might be afraid to ask, such as 'Why are you considering that person for that role?' This give and take can provide a very helpful, fresh perspective when you're building a team."

How can you best work with an interim to tap into their knowledge base? Here are a few tips to help you derive the very best from your interim team members:

Be clear and specific. Interim executives are guided by goals and objectives that are crafted with the contracting organization. However, it's helpful to expand upon these deliverables with specifics about the role you'd like the interim to adopt. Will they be functioning as change agents, role models, experts or as "placeholders" with a focus on the basics such as patient safety?

Listen. Interims can help you to view things differently, so ask lots of open ended questions and note their feedback. As a result, you may change your priorities, or place their concerns on the "back burner" for action when the permanent person arrives.

Manage staff expectations. It's not uncommon for staff, physicians and other managers to greet an interim with a lengthy "to do list" of their own. Remind staff that this person is on board for a brief period of time and is focused on short-range goals. Also, managers who have covered an additional unit may grieve the loss of that responsibility when the interim comes on board. If this occurs, you'll need to help them refocus on helping the interim in his or her new role.

Meet and communicate often. Yes, you meet with all of your managers regularly, but try to meet with interim managers weekly. "You must build a relationship with them quickly, and that demands communication," says Ms. Rapoza. "Make rounds on the unit to get feedback from the interim and their staff. Make yourself visible with the interim so that employees know that he or she has your full support."

Provide resources. Interims must learn quickly and slide as effortlessly as possible into their new roles. Arm them for success with the information and tools they'll need, whether it's technical training, equipment, computer resources or advice. "Give them the information they need to problem solve," says Ms. Rapoza. "Also, know when it's best to take a more active approach and coach the interim step-by-step."

Let your interim bridge the transition when the new hire arrives. If possible, keep your interim on board when the new manager is hired so that there is management overlap. "The interim can take the new person through the basics and you won't lose any ground," says Ms. Rapoza.

When you find yourself in a hiring freeze, consider bringing on interim managers. Used as equal partners, interims keep your initiatives moving forward with new insights that can breathe new life into your organization. At Leaders for Today, we're working diligently to assemble a cadre of interim managers and executives who are prepared to assist you during a hiring freeze, or at any time you need to fill a gap in your management team.  

Management Quote

"Minor surgery is what other people have."
~ Bill Watson  

SIGN UP to receive future newsletters

>> Return to the main newsletters page