Chris welcomes back Carrie Rosingana, CEO, Capital Area Michigan Works! Lansing, MI, serving Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Cos, in Mid-Michigan
Watch Carrie and Chris discuss CAMW! and their strategy of going back to the basics on the YouTube video below.
For this month Chris and Carrie topic of discussion is “Going Back to Basics with Strategy”
QUESTION: What does “going back to basics” mean?
ANSWER: As a business leader, I can’t help but think about the goals and innovative tactics that move a business and the community we serve forward. But I was recently reminded by my team at Capital Area Michigan Works! that one of the best things we can do for ourselves, as business leaders, is ground ourselves. One way we identified how we can ground ourselves is by going back to the basics to evaluate why our goals are what they are, and how the past few years have shifted our programs and services.
QUESTION: How has CAMW! gone back to basics?
ANSWER: So many things in the world have changed at an accelerated pace in the past few years, which has created a need for organizations to adapt – such as developing digital hiring strategies and providing remote work options and services. At CAMW!, we’ve pivoted the way we deliver services, but our charge has stayed the same: serving employers and job seekers. Though our programs have shifted – including offering more virtual services – and expanded or contracted, at the end of the day, we serve job seekers and employers. We feel this overarching sentiment and driving force gives us clear direction forward. With massive worker and talent shortages and the shifts in how people engage within and move around a community, we’re going to focus on the basics of driving customer traffic as well as innovating services and communications vehicles to serve more people in a way that’s convenient to them. As an organization, CAMW! has always been forward-thinking, empathetic, and deeply connected in its approach to workforce development. And for us, going back to the basics is exactly how we will continue doing just that. And it puts our focus squarely on what matters most – serving job seekers and employers.
QUESTION: Why is it important for organizations to go back to basics?
ANSWER: Oftentimes, when businesses create strategic plans for the quarter or year, buzzwords and phrases like return on investment, visibility, increased bandwidth, and quick wins are thrown around. But without intention and thoughtfulness about who is behind such strategies and wins, your ideas are just that – buzzwords and empty phrases. Business strategy cannot succeed without the people behind it who wholeheartedly believe in what you’re doing and trust you as an employer. As we look ahead and plan for the final quarter of 2022, your people – and their needs, wants and retention – have to be top-of-mind. Going back to basics and strategizing needs to include a focus on your people.
QUESTION: How can CAMW! support employers who are looking to get back to basics within their own organizations?
ANSWER: One resource to support businesses and employees is the Business Resource Network at Capital Area Michigan Works!. The BRN team works daily with member employers to address their employees’ needs and provide resources to develop solutions geared toward employee retention. The BRN is here to help you retain and keep your employees happy, so they can produce their best work and be their best selves because your employees are more than just your employees – they’re also parents, older siblings, spouses, homeowners, and most importantly, people. People with real-life struggles that impact their lives. The BRN is a novel retention strategy that focuses on preventing employees from leaving and upskilling current employees. BRN employer benefits include:
● Increased job retention.
● Increased productivity.
● Reduced recruiting/training costs.
● Keep talent in-house.
● One-on-one support for employees through case management.
● Increased Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) and benefits usage.
● Customized strategic plans to meet employer goals.
The long-term goal of the BRN initiative is to improve employee retention for BRN member employers, which will boost productivity along with growth opportunities within an organization. You can connect with the BRN by emailing BRN@camw.net
