The Benefits of Hiring an Interim Leader

A healthcare organization that loses a CEO, executive director, executive vice president, or managing director faces an anxiety-producing situation. Losing an executive without a succession plan in place – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – only adds to it.

In many cases, identifying and hiring a senior executive could take several months or longer. In such a situation, a hospital’s board or remaining senior management may feel forced to begin an immediate search for a new executive without thinking about the best way to fill the short-term gap.

Today, one of the emerging trends in healthcare H.R. is the use of Interim consultants to bridge this operational gap. This approach provides much needed executive leadership for the open position, while affording organizations the time to find and hire the right candidate for the senior role.

Interim consultants are highly experienced professionals who have chosen interim management as their careers, preferring to help organizations bridge gaps rather than gunning for the long-term top job. These consultants offer an attractive alternative to rushing a hiring process or turning to other executive personnel to “hold down the fort.”

As a result, they can provide the organization’s remaining leadership with time to choose the best person for the future. Healthcare companies can find numerous potential benefits from Interim leadership – here are six of them:

1. Provide Independent Assessments
   Professional interim executives don’t have a stake in the organization and can assess it objectively, reassuring stakeholders and senior management that results won't be subject to internal or external political influences.
   
2. Offer a Wide Range of Experience
   Many healthcare organizations often look for interim leaders who bring specific expertise and/or a rich set of experiences from working with multiple organizations. These consultants' long careers as corporate executives let them be leaders on day one and often come with specific skills to solve organizational challenges. 
    
3. Help Determine Need
   An interim executive gives a hospital board or health organization’s senior members time to determine what type of long term executive will help achieve its goals. Pausing long enough to strategize the leadership hire will help ensure that its new executive doesn’t become an unintentional interim.
    
4. Deliver a Calming Factor
   When a senior leader leaves, there can be a loss of morale throughout the organization. The remaining leadership may feel abandoned, disappointed, relieved, or even angry. An interim executive can provide much-needed relief during the transition and quell the organizational turbulence.
    
5. Illustrate a New Style
   Every leader has a particular style that becomes woven into a health organization’s culture, especially if the executive has had a long tenure. An interim leader can allow the board or senior staff to try on a new executive style before hiring a full-time successor.
    
6. Save Money
   An interim executive only charges for the days worked with no additional employee tax, holidays, or pension payments applicable. An individual can be recruited to work part-time or on a project basis, usually for three, six, or nine months, which can be vital in helping manage costs.

Conclusion

 In many ways, interim leadership can provide much-needed support when an executive leaves unexpectedly. The interim leader can apply their talents to preparing the organization for regular long-term leadership. And because they shouldn’t be a candidate for the full-time position, they can objectively offer an honest assessment of the organization and its potential to reach short- and long-term goals.

At GHR Search, we specialize in matching a wide range of healthcare professionals with highly rated fulltime and temporary positions. From staff level clinicians to executive leadership, our focus is finding the most qualified professionals to meet your needs.

For more information, visit our website today!