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• 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 workConsider 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

Questions and Discussion

Contact Information:

Paula LuffMASFAA Past-PresidentAssociate Vice President for Financial AidDePaul University312-362-8520pluff@depaul.edu