Panel Perspective
Judy Whitcomb discusses the role of engaged employees in her organization.
October 1, 2017
Vi offers beautiful environments, engaging programs intended to support our “living well” philosophy, exceptional service, and quality care, but at the end of the day, Vi recognizes that high-tenured and engaged employees are what differentiates Vi versus other senior living companies and deliver on our Company’s brand promise.
Data supports Vi in a wide-range of human resources decisions that have an impact on organizational performance. Examples include:
Data from Vi’s career site has not only helped us around decisions related to site design, content/messaging, where the Company directs spending, and social media for recruitment purposes, leveraging data from Vi’s career site and new hire surveys also gives us insight on what resonates with candidates when selecting Vi as an employer. For instance, our deliberate focus on marketing Vi’s commitment to employee development has yielded “the Company’s reputation for training and development” as #2 (ahead of pay and benefits) for why candidates select Vi as an employer.
Vi measures many factors to evaluate the Company’s benefit programs-including costs, utilization, etc. Vi has leveraged this information to create educational and communications programs to drive behavioral changes-such as participation in Vi’s 401(k) program.
Vi invests heavily in evaluating the Company’s training and development programs. Not only does the data we gather help us understand the impact learning has on employee performance, it also helps us refine our methods of training delivery and ultimately, improve outcomes. For instance, Vi invests heavily in data assessments to measure every aspect of the Company’s year-long Breakthrough Leadership Program. Numerous measures were taken to determine the extent to which participants acquired the intended knowledge, skills, and behaviors.
Below are the results:
Given the magnitude of observed performance increases, it is estimated that Vi will realize a standardized return on investment resulting in a total value of an employee’s performance of $124k based on an average participant salary of $105,000 and an upper total cost of training estimated at $5,000/participant (Cascio & Bodruea, 2010). The data presented in this response paints a clear picture about the effectiveness of Vi’s Breakthrough Leadership Program and the impact of learnings from Vi’s first cohort. In particular, the results indicate that substantial learning has occurred among Vi participants.
Vi partnered with Dr. Bob Rubin from DePaul University to conduct this research. Given Vi recognizes the importance of employee retention in delivering exceptional customer service and quality care to our residents, Human Resources metrics are a part of Vi’s strategic goals. Vi has stated goals related to retention, employee development, and other initiatives and objectives contributing to attracting and retaining talent and improving organizational performance. These goals are tied to compensation decisions.
Vi’s executive team and functional leaders are highly invested in Vi’s strategic human resources initiatives. Since Vi’s Learning and Development Programs are part of the Company’s value proposition for new hires, Vi’s senior leadership is deeply engaged in employee development and as teachers. At Vi, learning and teaching is part of every leader’s responsibility. Leader engagement in employee development starts with not only having employee development as a core leadership competency, but inclusion of employee development initiatives in Vi’s corporate goals.
Executive commitment to learning and development programs is reflected in our Company’s employee engagement survey results as well as individual development program results. Vi’s Learning and Development team engages senior leaders in delivering new leader business orientation.
Throughout the year, Vi’s senior executives lead business orientation virtual sessions for leaders across the Company. For instance, Vi’s Chief Financial Officer personally develops and delivers “Financial Engine” model to new and emerging leaders. Vi’s senior marketing, sales, nursing, operations, human resources, and legal team members are also all engaged in developing and delivering virtual business orientation sessions as well as classroom training.
Likewise, Vi’s senior leaders are actively involved in Vi’s one-year Breakthrough Leadership Program. For instance, Vi’s President not only kicks off each cohort group, but once classroom training ends and Vi’s virtual sessions and study groups begins, he is actively involved in virtual check-in points.
As another example, Vi’s SVP of Operations, Sales and Marketing and Vice President of Operations deliver a session on importance of emotional intelligence and personal leadership lessons learned to program participants. In addition, during the 8 month virtual portion of Breakthrough Leadership, each session is kicked off and hosted by a senior officer at Vi.
Besides supporting new and developing leaders, Vi’s senior leaders also provide significant support for Vi’s frontline Management Development Program (MDP) in the form of in-person meetings with participants, leading Management Development Program webinars, and leading a virtual discussion on an aspect of the MDP Program.
Senior leaders also celebrate successful completion of learning programs within the Company. For instance, not only do participants receive a personal invitation from Vi’s President to participate in Vi’s Breakthrough Leadership Program, and a half-day in-person leadership lesson session from him, upon successful completion of the program, individuals are formally recognized with a personalized letter from Vi’s President, recognition in the Company’s newsletter, and in-person recognition from the location’s Executive Director and/or Executive Management Team member.