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Building Your Bench. Overview. Assessment Benchmarking Making a Case for Resources Training Reorganizing Trust with Engagement Succession Planning Red Flags Firing Are we having fun yet?. Caveats .
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Overview • Assessment • Benchmarking • Making a Case for Resources • Training • Reorganizing • Trust with Engagement • Succession Planning • Red Flags • Firing • Are we having fun yet?
Caveats • The ease of implementing these suggestions will depend on your particular institution or organization • Unions, budget cuts, lack of upper management support can make things much more difficult • Consider how you might translate this information to professional organizational leadership as well – same concepts; different environment • This is HARD work, but vital to the success of your team
Assessment - Structure • Structure: • Is the current structure working well? • Are there clear reporting lines? • Does everyone know what they are responsible for? Are you sure? • Are there enough people to do the work? (NASFAA Staffing model)
Assessment - People • People: • Do you have the right people? • Are the right people doing the right job? • Who are the stars, plodders, and deadweight? • What is the depth of knowledge and where? • Are you tapping into the strengths of each team member? Can they do more?
Assessment – Teamwork • Are teams working well with each other and across teams? • Is one area stronger than another? (If yes, start there) • Is there ‘back-up’ for each task? • Ask the people doing the work • Consider length of service and generational differences
Assessment – Do the Math • Quantify as much as possible: • How long does a process take in man hours? • Translate that into bodies needed: • Say it takes 15 minutes to review one Agg Max file and you have 150 files to review this week. • 15 x150/60 = 37.5 hours to review Agg Max file; or approximately one FTE for one week, • Use data in determining appropriate staff size and requesting resources
Benchmarking • Resources: • NASFAA Staffing model • Peers at similar institutions (regional, sector) • Staff size: • Work load and service expectations • Compensation: • Pay and benefits • Environment • Location
Making a Case for Resources • Benchmarks and Assessments (data) • Audit findings; possible compliance risks • Student complaints; cash flow delays • PPA – administrative capability • Consider technological solutions when possible –use data to make business case. • May have to think short term, cheaper • Temporary help (outside, or internal) • Grad FWS students
Training • Develop a plan that works for your team • Monthly, quarterly, JIT • Benefits of cross-training • Back-up • Staff engagement • Improved processes • Document training – esp. with larger staff • Engage staff experts (and other campus resources) as trainers
Reorganizing • Do your homework (assessment, benchmarking) • Only if it will improve processes and/or morale • Share plans with staff – input and buy in (remember that change is hard for many) • May be done in stages • Reassess regularly
Trust with Engagement • Once you have the right players in place – get out of the way! • But…. • Set expectations and deadlines • Be available • Schedule regular check-ins • Step in as needed
Succession Planning, or -- Who will do your job when you hit the lottery? • Part of building a bench is having a good second string – for your position as well as others • Look for opportunities to bring your stars to the next level – professional organizations may fill this role • Help others be visible; share information – more as trust builds
Red Flags • Revolving door • Complaints by staff to HR • Too many ‘work improvement plans’ • Over use of sick time • Lack of overall productivity • Excessive student complaints
Firing • Last resort; but necessary at times • You owe it to staff who are performing well to let go of staff who are not • Document, document, document • Performance evaluations and improvement plans • Code of conduct • OFA or Employee Handbook • Confidentiality agreements, etc. • It is part of the job, but it never gets easier
Are we having fun yet? • Healthy teams have FUN! • Humor goes a long way toward creating a healthy environment • Good working environments attract and retain quality people • Resist the urge to micro-manage
Contact Information: Paula Luff MASFAA Past-President Associate Vice President for Financial Aid DePaul University 312-362-8520 pluff@depaul.edu