Certificate Program in Workforce Leadership and Retention

Program Dates

All via Zoom

• September 23; 10 - 11AM
• October 14; 1 - 2PM
• October 28; 10 - 11AM
• November 19; 12 - 1PM

The Certificate Program in Workforce Leadership and Retention is a four-part virtual program that equips home care middle managers and HR professionals with the coaching, mentoring, and communication skills that drive staff retention. Over four one-hour sessions, participants learn to hold the kinds of conversations that build trust, clarify individual motivation, and create the culture of care that keeps employees engaged and in place.

The program is offered by HCANYS through a partnership with the Leadership Development Group (LDG). The curriculum is grounded in practical leadership frameworks developed by LDG and each module is delivered by an expert leadership coach. Participants complete homework assignments between sessions, bring real workplace situations into each module, and leave with a defined set of tools they can use immediately with the people they supervise.

Why This Program, Why Now

Home care is among the tightest labor markets in New York's health system — projected shortages run into the tens of thousands of unfilled positions. Wages matter, but decades of retention research consistently point to the supervisor relationship as one of the most powerful factors in whether a home health aide, nurse, coordinator, or office professional stays with an agency. Middle managers, supervisors, and HR staff are the people closest to that relationship, and yet they are often the least supported with leadership development tools of their own.

This program is designed to help close that gap. It is not a theory course. It is a skill-building program focused on what managers do every day — one-on-one conversations, recognition, feedback, stress management, and conflict resolution — and how to do those things in ways that strengthen retention.

Who Should Attend

• Middle managers and front-line supervisors in home care agencies — including clinical managers, scheduling coordinators, clinical supervisors, and intake leads
• HR professionals, recruiters, and workforce development staff
• Directors who supervise middle managers and want a shared leadership vocabulary across their team
• Emerging leaders identified for supervisory promotion

What Participants Will Learn

Module 1 — Foundations

Participants establish the foundation for coaching-based leadership. Topics include the difference between coaching and therapy or counseling; transactional versus transformational leadership; how to create safety within a team; getting to the heart of what you and your team truly need using LDG's When Dealing With Me™ framework; and defining what drives behavior and motivation using the GPS Transformational Framework™.

Module 2 — Running the Conversation

Participants learn to prepare for and lead a GPS Transformational Framework™ conversation with a direct report. The session covers listening skills and motivational interviewing; techniques for "putting people into the future" through mindset shifts; tools for helping concrete thinkers think more abstractly; and includes sample questions participants can use immediately for Goals, Passions, and Struggles.

Module 3 — Recognition and Appreciation

Participants build on the foundations of GPS™ and When Dealing With Me™ and are introduced to The Values Clarifier™ — a conversational framework for creating individualized appreciation for each team member. The module focuses on identifying what inspires and encourages each person on a team, and on beginning to practically and consistently "speak the language" that effectively engages each individual.

Module 4 — Expanding Your Window of Tolerance

The final module addresses leader self-management. Topics include why Narrow-Window Leadership erodes trust, engagement, and focus; how to quickly recognize when you have drifted outside your optimal zone and get back on track; using The Stress Converter™ to manage stress in real time and prevent burnout; and building a culture that supports emotional health, retention, and sustainable performance.

Each module includes a leadership framework, homework to apply the material on the job, and an accountability check-in at the start of the next session. The final module includes a synthesis discussion and planning for continued application.

What Participants Receive

• Four live, interactive one-hour virtual sessions with an expert leadership coach
• Session materials and worksheets for each of the four leadership frameworks
• Homework assignments designed for immediate workplace application
• Built-in accountability and coaching support across the series
• A Certificate from HCANYS and the Leadership Development Group, upon completion of all four sessions

Meet the Coaches from Leadership Development Group

Dennis McIntee

• Eliminating Team Drama

• High-Trust Leadership

• Emotional Intelligence

Steve Miller

• Company Culture Building

• Resilience Through Failure

• Confident Leadership

Bill Perry

• Organizational Health

• Accountability Systems

• Executive Team Operations

For more information contact Billi Wilson, Associate Director for Education, bwilson@hcanys.org