Workshops

Management

To counter the talent shortage—which reaches to the management ranks—you need a succession strategy to ensure continuity. Put one together with the assistance of Vince Eugenio, Ph.D., CSP, of Randstad North America.

Identifying and developing future leaders is a critical strategy for the success of your staffing company. Succession management and coaching for success are aspects of this strategy, but the strategy as a whole requires a well-thought-out plan and solid approach. Without a plan, growth and turnover foster disruption. With a strong plan in place, you will know who your future leaders are, be able to develop them for expanded responsibilities, and increase your chances of retaining them. You will then be poised for growth and prepared to handle unexpected challenges.

Eugenio has spent the past five years as the chief learning officer for Randstad North America. He is responsible for the firm's corporate university, leadership development, performance management, and operations training-all focused on building employee capabilities. He holds a doctorate in instructional technology.

Compliance as a Competitive Advantage: Drive Business and Protect Your Bottom Line
Thursday, 3:15-4:45 p.m.

As employers, staffing firms face growing and severe risks associated with employment and class-action litigation. Be alert and avoid the pitfalls, such as equal employment opportunity and wage and hour practices that are most susceptible to scrutiny from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and U.S. Department of Labor.

Attorney Joanna Monroe will help staffing firm managers understand the key rules and provide the tools to turn your firm's compliance into a marketing message that resonates with customers.

Monroe is vice president for legal and government affairs at Labor Ready Inc. A cum laude graduate of the University of Puget Sound, she was admitted to the Washington state bar in 1994. Monroe began her career as a domestic violence prosecutor for the state of Washington. She is currently responsible for the day-to-day management of Labor Ready's law department.

Risky Business: Reduce Workers' Comp Expenses and Increase Margins
Thursday, 3:15-4:45 p.m.

As insurance costs continue to rise, staffing firms find their workers' compensation insurance to be one of their greatest expenses. And the few available carriers are using stringent underwriting requirements and insuring only companies that effectively manage risk.

To address this growing concern, ASA and Risk Control Services, a risk management consulting firm, have worked with underwriters, brokers, and others to develop a workers' compensation safety and risk management certification program for the staffing industry. The purpose of the certification program is to formally recognize a standard of operational excellence in the area of risk management, to reduce company operating costs, and to accelerate the potential development of voluntary workers' compensation markets for the staffing industry.

In this workshop, learn about the standards of the certification program, and get expert insight on the insurance market and how to secure coverage, control costs, and increase margins.

Temporary Nurses and Patient Outcomes—An Interim Report
Friday, 1-2:30 p.m.

Critics say that temporary nurses compromise patient safety. Such assertions have created negative perceptions of health care staffing. To address this issue, ASA contracted the University of Pennsylvania to examine the use of temporary nursing staff and patient outcomes. This landmark study is being conducted under the direction of Linda Aiken, Ph.D., professor of nursing and director of the university’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research. In this workshop, Aiken will give Staffing World participants an exclusive early look at what her research is showing and what it means for the industry.

Aiken is the Claire M. Fagin leadership professor of nursing and professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2003, she received the individual Ernest A. Codman Award from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations for leadership in using performance measures to demonstrate relationships between nursing care and results in patients. In 2004, she was named among the top 10 most powerful people in health care by Modern Healthcare. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and a former president of the American Academy of Nursing.

Are you frustrated by managers in your staffing firm who drive good workers away, then turn to you to find new ones? Learn what new research from more than 350 organizations and 40,000 workers shows about why people join, stay, and leave companies, as well as the critical role frontline leaders play in creating or controlling unwanted turnover.

Retention expert Richard Finnegan will show you how to coach your managers to develop retention skills, such as creating trust and exhibiting flexibility. You'll review case studies and discover research-based solutions that you can put into practice immediately to make sure your core staff don't become temporary staff.

Finnegan is co-founder of TalentKeepers, a consulting firm that assists organizations with employee retention. He manages client relationships world-wide, serving as coach and counsel to senior executives on strategic issues associated with retention. He has more than 20 years of experience in the human resources industry as an entrepreneur, employee retention expert, and Fortune 500 executive.

Best Business Practices: Assume Nothing, Assess Everything
Friday, 1:30-3 p.m.

To get the best return on your business investment, assess all aspects of your staffing firm at least every three years. As the business climate changes, so should your business practices. How you adapt may make the difference in whether your business is profitable.

Find out from business consultant John Thomas, CSP, how to evaluate your company's current practices and staffing levels, including identifying individual strengths and developmental needs of each staff member and manager in your company, as well as policy and procedural competencies. Thomas will also show you how to develop a plan for improvement.

Thomas, founder of the Thomas Consulting Group, is a business consultant with more than 20 years of experience using proven leadership and management skills to help companies reach their potential. He has conducted more than 100 training seminars on leadership, management development, recruiting, behavioral-based interviewing, hiring plans, sales, customer service, strategic planning, and more. Thomas is a former ASA board member and former chapter president of the Heart of America Staffing Services Association.

Follow-Through and Execution: Keys to Productivity and Profits
Friday, 4-5:30 p.m.

Imagine what would happen if each staff member in your firm demonstrated more consistent follow-through and productivity. How many more customers and candidates would you attract and retain? How many thousands of dollars would your firm earn in additional revenues as a result? Would your day be better, knowing that your staff is doing what they should be doing when they should be doing it? Learn from sales and management expert Scott Wintrip, PCC, strategies and practices to bring about improved results.

Wintrip has more than 15 years of experience in sales and management, including work on both the temporary and contract and the executive search sides of the staffing business. His career has included the roles of recruiter, account manager, recruiting manager, sales manager, trainer, branch manager, and regional manager. Wintrip is founder and president of StaffingU, a training, coaching, and consulting company for the staffing industry. StaffingU is an ASA Savings & Solutions Partner and an approved continuing education provider.

Workers' Compensation Coverage: Get Your Paperwork in Order
Friday, 4-5:30 p.m.

Guaranteed cost. Retrospectively rated. Dividend and deductible plans. Captives. These are just a few of the different types of workers' compensation insurance policies available in the commercial marketplace.

In this workshop, representatives from American International Group Inc. (AIG) will discuss the differences in these types of policies and tell you what carriers look for from staffing firms when applying for coverage. Hear firsthand about the single most important factor insurance carriers consider—the strength of your financials—and how that factor affects the type of insurance your company qualifies for.

Develop Your Brand: Attract Customers and Candidates Like a Magnet
Saturday, 2:30-4 p.m.

Customers are more demanding yet less loyal, and good candidates are a rarer find. Staffing companies are working harder than ever before, yet profits as a percentage of sales are steady or decreasing. Learn how to identify and use your unique brand to keep your customers and your increase profits. David Rich, CSP, will show you how to avoid commoditization and attract customers and candidates like a magnet.

Rich has been a professional speaker and trainer for 18 years and has spoken to groups ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to many ASA chapters. He holds the speaking industry's highest designation, certified speaking professional, and is a best-selling author. His books include How to Stay Motivated on a Daily Basis and How to Click With Everyone Every Time!

Winners and Losers in the Marketplace
Saturday, 2:30-4 p.m.

Winners focus on customers. Losers sell on price. This is one of five key characteristics that differentiate winners from losers in the very competitive staffing marketplace.

Management consultant Steve Mulvany will identify each of these characteristics and give examples of people and businesses that have used them for a competitive advantage. Learn how your staffing firm can improve, in what ways it is winning, and how it might be losing. You'll leave this workshop with a winner's action plan, as well as specific ideas to add to your repertoire of leadership practices—quality service, managing for performance, and long-range planning.