As community health leaders, hiring the right talent to get the job done only scratches the surface of key responsibilities. The daily demands are endless − from developing and executing a strategic plan where patients receive high-quality care to managing Board expectations, establishing and maintaining strong community partnerships, increasing patient volume and more − where is the time for fostering the next wave of leadership?
The answer is simple: You have to make the time.
“I don’t have the resources or time to train staff.”
Almost every health center struggles with the same problem – a lack of resources. They don’t have the internal support, capacity, or time to train and nurture staff. Of course, new hires go through some form of orientation during onboarding. But does that training go beyond the job for which they were hired? For example, will a front desk associate be able to tell you what’s required by HRSA to maintain 330 grant funding? And what does an operational site visit entail? Future FQHC leaders must know these answers.
We all know FQHCs are unique and highly regulated. But not everyone who enters this industry comes with prior experience of working in it. This makes it even more crucial for ALL staff to understand the history of FQHCs – including how and why they started, and why certain actions and steps must be taken. A lack of staff knowledge can easily result in a risk for the health center. And no one wants that.
“I do want to invest in my staff – how do I start?”
If you’re a health center that already has talented staff, congratulations! Helping them grow into future leaders should be your next priority. Arming them with the industry knowledge necessary to succeed is step one.
The cost to replace and train new staff is high – not to mention, when someone chooses to leave their job, you just lost a body and institutional knowledge.
Investing in your staff can happen in a few different ways – and most of these will have little to no impact on your budget:
- Establish clear career development.
- Career Mapping − Every staff member should understand their own career map. It should be embedded within the HR hiring process. For example, if someone is hired as an Accountant, what does the path to becoming Senior Accountant look like? What about becoming Controller? And what does it look like to become a Chief Financial Officer over time? What additional training, degrees or skills are needed?
- Job Rotations − Not all careers are linear, so consider implementing a job rotation system to broaden the skills of your staff. Cross-training is an invaluable way for your staff to gain deeper experience. Maybe that front desk person is really a great billing representative and you just don’t know it.
- Build coaching and mentoring programs.
- Internal Mentoring − The leadership within your organization is in their role for a reason – they are leaders. Use their knowledge and expertise to benefit others. Create a formal or informal mentoring program for junior staff members to learn from those more experienced. This could take shape in monthly “lunch and learns” for a group of employees to learn more about a particular role – or it could be set up as 1:1 meetings (mentor : mentee).
- External Mentoring – Sometimes an individual with outside perspective and credibility can make the difference to an employee with potential. Think about the value an external mentor or coach can bring to your internal talent.
- Think outside the box.
- Formal Executive Development Training − Consider external support for training or other career development needs. For example, the team at 330Talent offers a series of classes and programs focused on retention. The “Keep Your People” class, which is offered at various times throughout the year, is one to consider. Another is 330Futures, designed specifically for FQHC Directors and Managers who aspire to be health center C-Suite executives in the future.
- Industry-Specific Training − Build leadership development programs or host a half-day session on “FQHC 101 – Everything You Should Know”. Covering how the industry started with profiles of Jack Geiger, Count Gibson, and John Hatch is always an inspiring option. When it comes to helping staff advance their careers, don’t be afraid to get creative – both in what you want to accomplish and how you accomplish it.
Success lies in commitment
The decision for an employee to stay within a health center goes beyond salary. It’s the company culture, the leadership, and the sense of value they receive from their work that truly matters. As health center leaders, you can’t control everything, but you can control the employee experience you build and foster within your center.
Start by establishing leadership buy-in and making a commitment to invest in your staff. Tying it back to the health center’s culture and mission demonstrates that your hiring practices and career development support the culture you’re building. This, in turn, will make your health center a more desirable place to work for employees and for candidates thinking about joining your organization.
The investment you make in your people will undoubtedly benefit the health center and the community of people it serves – today and into the future.