An Interview with Justin Lowe, Senior Manager, Verifications with HMS by Tabitha Woods

Tabitha: Justin, if I were a stranger on the street and had never heard of HMS before, how would you describe what the company does?

Justin: Well, I would start with HMS’s mission, which is to help improve the effectiveness of the country’s healthcare system. A lot of folks might scratch their heads and say, “What does that mean?” Well, we provide a range of services that help government -sponsored healthcare programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, to save dollars. As a result of our services, these programs can make healthcare coverage available to more people. So we have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Tabitha: So, tell me a little bit about your department.

Justin: The Verification Department at HMS authenticates commercial insurance policy information that is believed to exist (in overlap) with Medicaid coverage. In an average month, the department will verify in excess of half a million commercial insurance policies.

Tabitha: Your department is huge. How do you keep your employees motivated in their daily tasks?

Justin: To begin with, I think it’s important to share the company’s mission with them. I believe everyone has to find purpose in what they are doing. It’s very hard to come to work when you don’t understand where the organization is headed, and how you fit in. I have folks who work 12 hour shifts, three days a week. When people work that intensely, it’s important for them to know where and how they fit into the big picture.

I’ve always believed that you can lead somebody with a dollar only so far. If there’s nothing else, at some point they’re going to say, “You know, I don’t want to do this anymore.” So the carrot and stick aspect of motivation only goes so far. If I don’t also make someone feel like they’re an important part of why we are succeeding, they will walk away. Even people who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year will walk away from a job if they’re miserable. So money, we know, isn’t the only answer.

I’ve always believed—in work and in life—that you have to grasp your purpose, whatever that is for you. It makes it a whole lot easier to understand what you are doing and why you’re doing it. And it gives you a reason to do it. The book The Purpose Driven Life has been an influence on me in that respect.

If you communicate the mission of what you’re doing—and HMS has a powerful mission—people will feel a lot better about their jobs. I want my teams to know that what they do every day is key to HMS’s success. In a down economy, and with healthcare reform on the scene, what they do is integral to the government programs that provide healthcare coverage to those who need it most. But then you have to continue to keep your teams engaged.

Tabitha: That was my next question…you’re brilliant!

As your employees come in day to day—to a high volume of telephone business—how do you keep them engaged throughout the day? How do they deal with intense calls?

Justin: We are in a very unique situation as a service center. Even though we are an outbound service center, we are not calling individuals and cold calling, or trying to sell. We are very much a “polling” type of organization. We are calling other businesses—insurance companies to be specific—and gathering information from them. It’s a business-to-business transaction. So, we don’t run into a lot of difficult telephone calls because it’s usually one professional talking to another.

The nature of the work we do in my department can be very challenging, since there is a fair amount of repetition. But we have so many folks who are self-motivated and have the drive to do their best, and that makes all the difference to them and to HMS.

I talk to my folks a lot about servant leadership and knowing the importance of their jobs as team leaders, supervisors, or managers. If you have people working for you, but don’t lead them, then you don’t really have a team.

Tabitha: Tell me about the support systems you have set up here. What’s the best way to build support in such a large group?

Justin: Because of the size of the department, I rely on team leaders and the individual units for that cohesiveness.

Tabitha: So you think that it filters from the top down?

Justin: Yes, but I would tell you that it’s an inverted pyramid. It filters from the top down, but the top level is that frontline staff. As a leader, I look at the fact that I have a job because I have 200 people first, I have 20 team leads second, I have 7 supervisors third. And then there’s me. I’ve got to always be thinking about those frontline folks. I am always thinking about those team leaders and supervisors, and try to be employee-centric. My philosophy is, whenever you can, err on the side of the employee. Do the thing that is right by the employee. There are always boundaries and limits within which you have to work. It’s not like we have a blank check to do whatever we want. But where you don’t have limits counts more—caring about staff, being visible to them, and going out of your way to recognize good performance.

Tabitha: Let’s talk about that. When they get feedback, do they get it directly from their team leads, or their supervisors…or you? How does that feedback come, and is it pretty specific?

Justin: There are a number of different ways that we provide feedback here. Team leaders and supervisors provide feedback and coaching during the training phase and during the formal evaluation process. We also produce written reports that are used to counsel and review performance with staff. I am a very strong believer in the importance of delivering both positive and constructive feedback. The positive feedback is very important because I believe that everybody is doing something right. It’s our job as leaders to serve employees by correcting any issues in their business practices, but also to serve them by building up their esteem, and praising them for what they are doing well. And that is extremely important to me.

What are employers looking for in their employees? How can you make sure that you are indispensable to your employer?

I work with CFOs and Presidents of companies to help them hire and retain top talent. In my recent conversations with my clients, one theme prevails. Employers are streamlining their processes, making dollars stretch further, and focusing on higher levels of productivity. In this economy, they have to do more with less. Hiring decisions are crucial as positions that were eliminated are now being replaced. They expect current employees not just to do their jobs and crank out work product, but also to be invested in the goals and mission of the company.

They aim to do 2 things: 1) retain their top performers and 2) hire key players in new positions. In this post recession economy, there is no shortage of top talent. The market is full of highly educated, talented people who are looking for work. What is harder to find are people who “make it happen”. In 2010, top grading will be a focus for employers — replacing B and C players with A players who are creative, resourceful and committed to making an impact.

As Seth Godin conveys in his book, Linchpin, the economy has changed corporate America. We have moved from an industrial age to the digital age. We are in a “contribution economy” where the people behind the business are its equity. There are trends that will mark this digital age. One is businesses built on interchangeable parts and people. The other is businesses searching for those who generate value. They are looking for “Linchpins”. Linchpins are people who are on a quest to find the best that can be done, people who create order from chaos.

In 2010 and for the coming years, it is no longer enough to show up every day, do your job and collect a paycheck. If you are not adding value on a daily basis, then you are on your way to becoming dispensable. Employers are looking for people who will contribute valuable insight and opinions and produce quality work.

For example, a CFO does not look to the Accounting Manager to simply manage the accounting team, handle month end close and prepare financial statements. Today’s CFO needs an Accounting Manager who will do all of those things while looking at the big picture. The Accounting Manager will need to assess systems and processes, implement improvements, motivate the team, and get the work done more quickly and efficiently.

These expectations will be felt at all levels within organizations. Employers are not looking for people who simply do what they are asked and what is dictated by their job description. Executives are encouraging managers and team leaders to produce more and be more efficient. This gives every employee within the organization the chance to shine.

We all have the chance to take on an extra project, give our opinions on how processes can be refined, or come up with a better way to accomplish daily tasks. We should all resist the urge to check Facebook during the day, tweet about every daily occurrence, and other things that take us away from the task at hand. Instead, we should focus on ways to contribute and produce quality work on time. We should take a true interest in the mission of our company. When you focus on these things as an employee in this economy, you can be sure of one thing. Your efforts will not go unnoticed, but will likely be rewarded. It is crucial that our Employers view us as indispensable.

How can you be indispensable?

1. Sharpen your skills (ex. read, take continuing education courses)
2. Focus on professional development (learn new skill-sets, take on new projects)
3. Be invested in your company’s mission
4. Strive to work more efficiently
5. Encourage others. Build morale. Be a team player who contributes quality work and meets deadlines

In summary, employers want you to be invested and give more of who you are. They want you to do your daily job with a focus on excellence. Employees should find creative ways to do things better, more efficiently. In other words, be the “Linchpin” or the glue that holds it all together.

Andra Zwick is an Executive Recruiter for the Delta Dallas Accounting Team. You can reach her at 972-788-2300 or azwick@deltadallas.com.

You and I are living in a new corporate environment. This is a new year; we have begun a new decade; and we are definitely living in a new economy. We have changed.

Whenever there is rampant economic or political change, the requirements for staying relevant as an employee or employer shift. As we look forward, what will employers look for in new employees? The answer is simple. Employers will want employees that will bring value to their organizations. This is always the answer, but what defines that value has changed. Mere technical skill is no longer enough in this economy.

As I read Tabitha’s Woods’ interview with Dr. Beverly Kaye last month, many points resonated with me; the main point, however, was the fact that what we looked for seven years ago (coming out of the last recession) is much different than what we are looking for now. Employers and employees alike are looking for flexibility, creativity and vision. What do these three qualities have in common? They are all traits of “right-brain” thinking.

In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink details the importance of using both sides of the brain to move ahead into the future. He believes that we have come out of the “Information Age” and are entering the “Conceptual Age.”

Pink asserts that three major factors have caused the Conceptual Age: abundance, Asia and automation:

In Light of Abundance
Today, we have more material goods and higher standards of living than any other generation in time. Most families have multiple big screen HD TV’s in their McMansions, and TiVo that they can program with their iPhones. Yes, we live in abundance, and this has forced companies to design new and more exciting ways to keep consumer-interest growing. As a result, companies have been forced to find and hire more creative employees to meet the demands of abundance.

The Asia Factor
Every day we hear about companies outsourcing their work overseas – accounting, technology and engineering are the fastest growing professions in Asia. An accountant in the Philippines earns less than 10% of what an accountant in the United States earns, yet that wage is still multiple times the average income in the Philippines. In the US, these primarily “left-brained” professionals will have to expand their abilities in order to stay relevant in the United States – they’ll have to add visionary thinking to their analytical abilities.

Automation Nation
Automation is truly creating a large portion of this push into the Conceptual Age. We have created such sophisticated computer systems that most analytical work can be done much faster and more accurately by machines. Do you remember the series of chess matches between Garry Kasparov (arguably the greatest chess player of all time) and a supercomputer created by IBM? This series of six games ended in a draw – one win each for Kasparov and the computer, and four draws. Kasparov himself has said that in the future, computers will win every match and that humans will struggle to win even one game. Keep in mind, though, that computers do not have the ability to show emotion, see the big picture, empathize, or think creatively. This dynamic will continue to open doors for people who can. People who can bring this kind of thinking pattern to their roles will become increasingly valuable in the new economy.

Throughout his book, Pink focuses on right brain attributes, but he is clear that they cannot be effective without the left side attributes enhancing them. People should be prepared to use their analytical thought patterns in tandem with their creative thinking patterns to express the “new mind” that will be in demand.

What six senses are necessary to create the “Whole New Mind?”

1. Design: Think of the last cell phone you bought. Is it just a phone? Would you buy it if it were your least favorite color or if it were bulky? Probably not. Design concepts can distinguish one (phone) product from another making them more desirable in this abundant age. Employers will search for employees that can conceptualize design and merge form with function.

2. Story: Stories are essential to the formation of an effective argument. There is always research that can be done to rebut an argument. What makes an effective argument is the use of persuasion, communication and self-understanding. You can read a book on weight loss, or you can talk to a coach that has lost 80 pounds and traveled the road before you. Which sounds more interesting? The story, of course! Story has the power of inspiration and motivation.

3. Symphony: A symphony is defined as “anything characterized by a harmonious combination of elements.” People are not just looking for black and white – they are looking for shades of grey; they are not just looking for facts and figures – they are looking for the big picture; they are looking for the ability to take the same information they’ve always had and create a new result.

4. Empathy: The main sense that sets us apart from software and automation is empathy – the ability to use reason and logic to understand the feelings of another. We can analyze information on a computer screen all day long, but what makes us human is the fact that we can use that information to find out what drives others to do what they do, or feel the way they feel.

5. Play: What is the easiest way to relieve stress? Laughter! We have so much stress and gravity at work every day that we need a way to relieve tension. Stress is one of the top contributors to illness, and fatigue. Today, some companies are beginning to urge employees to take time out of their days to play games, relax and laugh. Ultimately, they feel, a 30 minute break from the tension can create hours of productivity.

6. Meaning: Today, people want their work to amount to something – not necessarily just monetarily, but emotionally as well. They want to connect emotionally with their profession, and have their work “mean” something. Whether the work has spiritual meaning, or emotional meaning, employees want to connect with their work. They want employers to understand that and support it.

Ultimately, success in the Conceptual Age will boil down to your answers to these three questions:

• Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
• Can a computer do it faster?
• Am I offering something that satisfies the non-material, transcendent desires of an abundant age?

If you answered yes to either of the first two questions, or no to the third, then you are not ready to move forward into the Conceptual Age. The six essential senses are imperative if you are going to be able to change your answers and move into the future successfully.

This is an exciting age. We are all being challenged to move past the drone-like cubicle minds of the technological age and press forward into creativity. This kind of thought used to be reserved only for the greatest minds among us. The best-known minds of our time took part in this kind of thought, and it inevitably set them apart. Albert Einstein said that two keys to his problem solving ability were that he could concentrate on one problem for an extended period of time, and the fact that when he was thinking about a problem, he would reach a state in which he was almost day-dreaming. He was able to combine the concentrated efforts of his analytical mind and marry them to his creative mind. Today, we are being asked and encouraged to think like the best and brightest minds of our time. All of us have the ability and the opportunity to expand the breadth and agility of our minds and excel in this economy. So, be adaptable. Go beyond making decisions based on analytical findings, and call upon your creative mind to understand and interpret information. Be open to seeing the big picture, and changing the way you do things to change results.

Dana Lee, CPC, CTS, is an Executive Recruiter with Delta Dallas. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or dlee@deltadallas.com

It’s a new year. Budgets are being established. People are looking back on 2009, hoping for significant change in 2010. Employers are looking forward, assessing their human capital needs. Many are deciding that it is best to get ahead of the curve.

Delta Dallas has been in the business of staffing for over 26 years, and has seen a myriad of fluctuations in the economy. We have learned a few lessons along the way in the area of “recovery hiring.” We are beginning to see our clients re-hire for some of the positions they eliminated during 2008 and 2009.

Hiring strategies during recovery can be challenging. The approach you take now could define how quickly production teams can build momentum as your company acquires more business.

Team Temperature
This is a critical time for your remaining staff. It is important that you take the time to meet with and assess the temperature/attitude of your present employees. Let’s face it, the employees you have kept through this recession are the ones you value the most. They have put in extra hours to absorb the duties of their laid-off co-workers, and frankly, they are tired. There is a kind of unintentional resentment that can build between corporations and their employees during a downturn. While it is understood that most organizations are doing the best they can to survive, many remaining employees are planning to move when recovery begins. Employees that have been retained during this recession have taken on the production burden of lost workers. Their life-work balance has diminished, and after the recession is over . . . many will start to move.

You can avoid this dynamic by talking to them now. Be sure that remaining employees know that they are valued. Let them know that you empathize with and appreciate the amount of work they have been doing. Ask them what it would take to make them stay. The hard truth is that when the economy opens up, you will not be the only employer who is hiring. It would be unfortunate if resolvable dissatisfaction made your best, brightest, and most experienced people look for greener pastures.

Get Ahead of the Curve
Even if you do not plan to hire until 2nd or 3rd quarter, now is the time to plan. You can start now by pulling your HR team and/or managers together to discuss where your most effective placements can begin.

Tackle your critical positions first. Take a good look at your business strategy and align your hiring plan with the positions that are most integral to company goals. Which positions will be the most important spots to fill as your company (and the economy) begins to ramp up?

Build a plan that allows for recruiting, on-boarding and training time as you move through each position. Create a solid hiring strategy now, and you will be able to move into action when it is time to hire.

Make Them Want It
When order of priority and strategy has been established; take the time to create well-defined performance-based job descriptions that will attract top talent. Building a complete, dynamic job description will give your team a comprehensive picture of the position’s requirements. An inclusive job description will allow them to present your opportunity to A-players with a deeper picture of your company, your position, and the benefits associated with each.

Hire Forward
Get in front of your hiring needs so that when it is critical to have talent in place, you are not waiting for new hires to complete training, or develop depth of knowledge in their positions that will allow for production speed.

We are all ready for recovery. Top to bottom, most organizations are stacked with people that have been putting in long hours, and looking over their shoulders for the lay-off axe. The economic forecast for the New Year is encouraging. In order to run with the front of the pack, organizations will have to start re-hiring and implementing sound hiring strategies to bring their production up to recovery speed.

We are definitely walking through a new landscape economically. We at Delta Dallas have been spending our time analyzing and assessing the changes and assisting our clients as they navigate the changes in the global, national, and local terrain. We are happy to assist you or anyone you know as we move forward into this new economy.

Help your High Volume Managers Succeed

Have you ever seen a great working sheepdog? They are amazing. They dart back and forth guiding the sheep away from danger, to the location the farmer points out. Check out this video about sheepdogs. I found it while I was pondering the ups and downs of managing a high volume of employees. When a sheepdog is a puppy, they begin their training with the farmer; then they are exposed to the sheep. In the video I laughed out loud when the 5 month old puppy was first introduced to the sheep. The pup just went wild, chasing the sheep back and forth….intense, but not very productive. It was a sharp contrast to the skilled dog at the end of the video. The dog at the end guided the sheep, set boundaries for them and with the slightest move could manipulate the herd like a conductor. That dog brought the farmer measured, daily results.

Managing a large number of people requires a similar high level of skill. It requires perspective, emotional intelligence, decision-making abilities, vision, and the ability to delegate. In high volume environments, like call centers – it can be challenging to try to bring the corporate vision to every employee during the course of a workday. These environments can present additional challenges when the managers of some departments are new to managing. Their experience in the company may have been great, but they need leadership training. Like the sheepdog, a lot of new managers enter the job with pure adrenaline. They enthusiastically try to chase success or intimidate employees into cooperation, when simply setting the boundaries and guiding trained, well-informed employees would bring a lot more success.

Tools of the Trade

Train your Managers
Invest in your managers and prepare them for a leadership role with sound leadership, and management training. They will be able to solve a higher level of departmental problems before they have to approach leadership about an issue, saving production time and money.

Train your Employees
Teach each manager how to fully train their team at the front end of their on-boarding process. Invest in thorough training, training materials, and daily operations guides for the employees in each department. If you don’t have designated training specialists, and your budget is limited…find a way to get complete information to your employees.

Clearly define, in your training, your employees’ scope of decision-making authority. They will be able to interface with your clients with confidence, and when fully armed with information, can handle a majority of situations on their own. They will only contact managers in extreme situations, saving the manager time, and saving the company money. What would it be like if your managers could spend a larger part of their time planning for the future – setting new departmental goals and developing vision?

Share Company, Leadership, and Departmental Vision

Get your Managers on Board
Managing a large number of people can be stressful. Your managers need to be tapped into company vision. Share your company’s big-picture goals with each of your managers, and let them know how their department plays a role in the process. Transparency with internal leadership could give your managerial team a deeper buy-in to company aspirations…it can also help them engage their constituents.

Engage the Masses
Get your employees on board through the influence of their managers. The manager of each department has a great influence over the way your company is viewed as a whole. Let your managers know that it is important to have their employees understand, value and align with company goals. Set specific standards for this through arranging a 5-10 minute meeting between managers and employees once a week. (If you are in a call center or time-sensitive environment, you can stagger this time.) This time can be designated to let the employees know what the goals of the company are, where their department and specific role fit in, and what progress has been made to date. Give clear rewards for specific markers in their goals. Employee engagement is probably one of the highest deciding factors in production level. A recent survey revealed that 70% of American workers are disengaged. Yes, 70%. Don’t let your managers, your employees or your production levels be a part of this statistic.

The Rewards of Progress
Let your management team know when they are doing a good job. They are responsible for a large number of people, and ideally, they are finding ways to recognize their team every day. Recognize progress and daily accomplishments made by your managers, and make it public. Managers, too, need to know that they are valued and should be recognized when they are making a difference at work.

Direct managers have one of the highest levels of employee influence in an organization. They are the face of your corporation to your employees on a daily basis. Invest in their success, listen to and consider their ideas for change, and you will build a reputation for being a great place to work. The beginning of this recovery has been a busy time for many high volume employers. Managers are responsible for an increased number of employees in growing departments. Make sure your managers are prepared to lead with vision, guide with wisdom and succeed with their teams.

Michelle Cook, CPC, CTS is Vice President with Delta Dallas. You can reach her at mcook@deltadallas.com or 972-788-2300.