With an aging workforce and looming executive retirements, building leadership pipelines early is more important than ever, Jason Gilbert, PhD, RN, chief nurse executive at Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, told Becker’s.
It is especially important given Generation Z’s strong interest in early career development.
“Gen Z is actively seeking development, and if you do not provide them that opportunity, they are going to look for someone who is,” he said. While their ambitions may not be entirely different from those of earlier generations, their expectations of employers are, he added.
Developing leaders at every stage is also a key priority at Annapolis, Md.-based Luminis Health, Crystal Beckford, BSN, chief nursing officer of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham, Md., told Becker’s.
Luminis supports talent development across three pathways: current leaders, high-potential leaders and aspiring leaders. For front-line employees who show influence and aspire to leadership, the organization provides coaching and mentorship. Understanding what younger workers value is essential, Ms. Beckford said.
“Feedback is very important to Gen Z employees,” she said. “They’re interested in personalized coaching and mentoring, and they want to be a part of the solution and have an expectation around communication and frequent, actionable feedback.”
In response, nursing leaders meet with their teams regularly to provide structured feedback.
“We are working with multiple generations, and we’re very sensitive to that,” Ms. Beckford said. “We’re ensuring we have actionable strategies and that team members know how to get involved or make recommendations if they feel like those strategies no longer support them in their success in the organization.”
Building leadership pipelines
Dr. Gilbert joined IU Health 13 years ago as a hospital nursing director, drawn to the role in part by the system’s investment in leadership development. Now, IU Health is building a strategy to start even earlier.
Under the leadership of Chief Human Resources Officer Adrienne Sims, PsyD, the system is bringing career architecture to front-line roles, starting with nursing, food and nutrition, and environmental services.
“Through front-line listening and engagement surveys, we’ve learned that more and more people want to know that their employer is going to invest in their growth and development, and they want to know what that pathway is,” Dr. Gilbert said.
Launching later in 2025, IU Health’s career pathways initiative will allow early-career employees to explore advancement in areas such as policy advocacy, clinical specialization or leadership development.
From personal coaches to stretch assignments
Luminis is also focused on supporting a multigenerational workforce and ensuring access to growth opportunities. Its leadership programs emphasize skills that promote Luminis’ values of respect, inclusion, service and excellence.
IU Health, for its part, offers several internal and external leadership development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement, involvement in external organizations and access to a professional coach for job transitions.
“It’s turning upside down the old notion of getting a coach when the performance wasn’t quite what was expected,” Dr. Gilbert said. “Stepping into the system executive role from chief nurse role, that coaching was invaluable to help accelerate and be a force multiplier in my development.”
At IU Health, professional development starts at the top. CEO Dennis Murphy prioritizes giving leaders stretch assignments to ensure they are not limited to their subject matter expertise.
“People assume that I only have leadership of nursing, and that really is 40% of my job,” Dr. Gilbert said.
Over the past year, his responsibilities have expanded to include public safety, supply chain, laboratory services and contracted services such as food and nutrition, dialysis and language services.
“It’s not enough to be the subject matter expert,” he said. “Developing people as leaders or mentors is just as important as having the technical expertise.”
