2009 Participant Feedback Survey

ASHHRA Leader Institute

Program Feedback Survey Report

Prepared by:

Sharon C. Allen

Marketing & Membership Manager

ASHHRA

Presented to:

ASHHRA Board of Directors

Date Presented:

October 19, 2009


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

October 19, 2009

Dear Board Members,

The ASHHRA Management Team decided to conduct research to fully understand why only four applicationswere submitted to the ASHHRA Leadership Institute. Because of low participation from prospective participants, the ASHHRA Leader Institute was postponed until 2010. An e-mail was distributed to the sample group informing them of the change. In addition, they were asked to complete a survey to help us assess the overall value of the program.

The sample group consisted of vice presidents, presidents, CHROs, and CEOs of hospitals and health care facilities outside of hospitals. They were asked to complete an online questionnaire about their thoughts on the program.

The following research report shows the findings from the online questionnaire. The survey was administered to 385 participants. We received a total of 42 responses, which yielded a response rate of 11 percent.

Summary of Survey Results:

  • 74% of respondents said the price was the reason they did notapply and an average of 38% said it was the date, location and two-year commitment
  • Less than 12% of respondents said program content was an issue
  • 40% said one full day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. was the best time to hold the Leader Institute
  • Sat., Sept. 24 or Tues, Sept. 28 are the preferred days for respondents to attend in 2010
  • Most respondents felt the date of the program and participation of other industries were the most important components of the program
  • 67% of respondents said CEO approval was not needed.

Sincerely,

Sharon C. Allen, MBA

Marketing & Membership Manager

Stephanie Drake, MBA

Associate Executive Director

SURVEY REPORT ELEMENTS

Problem Definition

Background

In early 2009, ASHHRA and Towers Perrin formed an alliance to develop the ASHHRA Leader Institute. The foundation of the program, rooted in the five competencies of the HR Leader Model, had already been developed by ASHHRA in 2008. The program scope, format, content, timeline, price, and deliverables were identified and packaged into a presentation and formal invitation. The program was to be introduced at this year’s ASHHRA conference in Chicago. The invitations were distributed to the sample group in August. Very few people responded to the invitation and in total, seven people showed a strong interest in participating.

The Problem

ASHHRA and Towers Perrin wanted to understand whyso few people showed an interest in participating in the ASHHRA Leader Institute.

Research Objectives

  • Determine whether the program content was valuable to participants
  • Find out why people did not apply to the program
  • Uncover whether time, location, and cost were factors for the lack of application submissions
  • Learn what participants are looking for in an executive leadership program.

Survey Participants (Sample Group)

Health care HR leaders who are vice presidents and above and work in a hospital or health care facility wereasked to participate. The sample group was drawn from the population of ASHHRA members from the vice presidents to CEOs. Participants were also selected from a population of Towers Perrin clients at the same executive level.

Research Method

The primary data research method used was a survey. The survey instrument used was an online questionnaire. ASHHRA designed the questions based upon feedback from the team of Towers Perrin and ASHHRA. The electronic questionnaire consisted of nine dichotomous, ranking, ordinal, and short answer questions. It was administered to 385 people and yielded a response rate of 11 percent. The desired response rate is 15 percent, which is the industry standard for online surveys.

SURVEY RESULTS

Question 1:

If you did not submit an application to attend the ASHHRA Leader Institute, what prevented you from doing so? (Please check all that apply)

Comments just as written:

  1. Faculty was not identified
  2. I did submit an application
  3. The ASHHRA Annual Conference is not a forum I have found to be of high value and does not attract key decision makers as it once did
  4. Application process too cumbersome; fee too high
  5. I just hadn't gotten around to it
  6. Participant selection process & participant make-up
  7. One size fits all
  8. Working through leadership program with ACHE
  9. Restricted to top HR leader even though much of the work that aligned with the program might impact second tier HR leaders
  10. Too many other priorities
  1. I think the lead-time for the announcement was insufficient
  2. Plus airfare, hotel etc
  3. Retiring in 21 months
  4. Economic times which reflect decreased dollars for programs
  5. I did submit an application
  6. Application process; challenging to fit in an "essay" amidst the everyday responsibilities.

Take Aways:

  • The price of the program appears is too high
  • The date, location, and length of commitment to the program are important to participants
  • Participants need a lot of advance notice so they can plan accordingly.

Question 2:

Please indicate which program format is most appealing to you.

Comments just as written:

  1. Distance learning
  2. At least 1-1/2 days to justify travel expense
  3. Half day
  4. No preference
  5. No real preference

Take Aways:

  • A full day program seems to work best for many participants
  • A one or two day program is possible.

Question 3:

ASHHRA will hold the 2010 Leader Institute in conjunction with the 46th Annual Conference & Exposition in Tampa, Fla. Which day would work best for you to attend the Leader Institute?

Take Aways:

  • Participants will attend a program on Saturday or Tuesday
  • A Friday program is not very appealing
  • Participants are more likely to attend the program if it aligns with the exact days of the conference.

Question 4:

The investment in the Two-Year Program was $5,000. Do you think this was affordable?

Take Aways:

  • The price was too high
  • ASHHRA needs to set a good value price that maintains a high perceive value and encourages participation.

Question 5:

In order of importance to you, please rank the components of the ASHHRA Leader Institute.

Comments just as written:

  1. Cannot rank -- Content, date of conf., and cost are equally very important
  2. Quality of instructors & other participants
  3. The cost is a bit high; would do it, but think presents a barrier to some and would prefer to see below 5,000.

Take Aways:

  • The date of the conference can easily drive participation
  • It is important to invite industry experts outside of health care to participate in the program
  • The price is an important factor for participation
  • The content, while significant, is not the top reason for low interest in the program
  • In the final analysis, all four components of the program are important to participants and all are taken into consideration when deciding whether to participate.

Question 6:

Do you think it is necessary to obtain approval from your CEO, via signature on the application, to participate in the ASHHRA Leader Institute?

Comments just as written:

  1. This isn't grade school
  2. I get approval or not for the budget not participation
  3. Cost when budgets are tight, census low, margins down
  4. What is the goal
  5. The Institute would be paid from either my operating budget or through Tuition Reimbursement program. In either case, the decision to attend or not will be left up to me
  6. I require my CEO's approval to attend any conferences due to tight budgets
  7. As Chief HR Officer I can make these decisions, but would discuss with him informally
  8. My budget, my responsibility. At this level, approval is not necessary (it's like a note from my mom!)
  9. We're Executives, no need for permission at the c-suite
  10. Ensure support and development needs are being met
  11. I have an overall professional development plan approved
  12. He pays the bills
  1. For a short duration program, I can't fathom a reason my boss would need to approve. Even a 2 day x 2 doesn't approach that level of approval.
  2. All travel requires CEO approval at this point due to financial challenges
  3. A verbal conversation with my CEO would suffice
  4. I would think this is something that HR professionals reporting to CEO's would be communicating already.
  5. It would not be typical to gain such approval; would facilitate to not burden CEOs with approval
  6. Personal development with travel requires approval of my superior, the CEO.
  7. Approval of the travel and cost indicates willingness of CEO

Take Aways:

  • Some participants are the key decision makers on their learning and development and don’t need CEO approval
  • Many participants need approval from their boss
  • Organizational budgets are tight and participation approval is more challenging now than it would have been.

Question 7:

Please provide us with learning session topics and/or strategies that you would like the ASHHRA Leader Institute to offer.

Responses just as written:

  1. Leadership; Finance; Employment Law; Compensation; Benefits
  2. Talent Management Best Practices; Issues affecting future HR business strategy
  3. Some hospice-specific workshop
  4. Moving from Accountability to Ownership in our healthcare organizations; Organizational Development Strategies
  5. Best practices and ROI
  6. Leadership Development culture / talent management / succession planning/ Physician engagement / physician leader development / organizational alignment
  7. labor issues
  8. Cost of retirement and benefits, developing and driving culture, Recruiting the right staff and retaining them
  9. Addressing market consolidations; optimizing administrative overhead; Taking HR to the Next Strategic Level
  10. Talent Management, Executive Compensation, Healthcare Reform
  11. Content was good.
  12. business plans, ROI's & metrics, wellness/healthcare costs
  13. Long range strategic Planning, adding value to organizations, succession planning, executive compensation strategies
  14. Talent management, with emphasis on best practices in succession planning, development plans, career pathing in tight economic environment
  15. retirement--an area evolving rapidly and we all have aging workforces
  16. Organizational Development in a changing world of healthcare; true pay for performance vs. market driven increases; Perception vs. reality in a total rewards pay practice environment

Take Aways:

The most highly demanded topics are:

  • Talent management
  • Cost containment and ROI
  • Leadership development
  • Succession planning.

Question 8:

Please provide us with a list of learning session speakers, universities, or organizations that you would like to have present content at the ASHHRA Leader Institute.

Responses just as written:

  1. Joseph Grenny; Jack Welch; David Ulrich; John Kotter
  2. Joe Tye
  3. SHRM, AHA, NLRB, Marcus Buckingham
  4. Harvard
  5. Regarding Culture maybe someone from the Great Places to Work Institute in conjunction with someone from a company that has won this title. It might be interesting for AASHHRA to conduct a survey of employees at organizations to determine what is important to them relative to a working environment; benefits etc. and present the findings to the attendees.
  6. David Ulrich; (predictable, I know, but I'm drawing a blank!)
  7. Invite a CEO, Social Media expert, Jim Collins,
  8. most important is to get "toolkits"/real information besides just academics
  9. UPenn, UMich, Harvard, Columbia
  10. David Finegold, RutgersUniversity

Take Aways:

  • Participants recognize the value in having presenters from top universities across the country
  • Participants want renowned industry speakers.

Question 9:

Please provide your contact information below if you would like to be contacted for the 2010 ASHHRA Leader Institute.

The list is available upon request.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. Hold the 2010 LI in conjunction with the ASHHRA 46th Annual Conference & Exposition on Saturday running concurrently with the Pre-Conference
  2. Review the content and incorporate the topics outlined in question seven.
  3. Reduce the price of the LI to build product acceptance and adoption.
  4. Complete program redesign by year-end 2009 to begin marketing it at the start of the new-year.
  5. Identify other industries to participate in the program.
  6. Partner with Towers Perrin to deliver the program but ASHHRA must drive the content. A draft agenda has already been prepared.
  7. Maintain the same LI branding as it has become familiar to prospective participants.

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