Achieving an Agency-Free Workforce in 90 Days Through Leadership Stabilization and Strategic Recruitment
The Challenge: Chronic Agency Dependence and Workforce Instability
A skilled nursing facility in Western Pennsylvania had relied on agency staffing for years. What began as a temporary staffing solution had become the operational norm, creating significant labor cost exposure, inconsistent care delivery, and ongoing workforce instability.
At the time of Everest Management Solutions’ engagement, the census stood at 62 residents. Leadership recognized that long-term growth and operational stability would not be possible without fundamentally changing the organization’s workforce strategy and culture.
The facility required more than short-term staffing support. It needed sustainable systems, stronger leadership alignment, and a workforce model capable of supporting long-term operational success.
Our Approach: Leadership Alignment and Sustainable Workforce Strategy
Everest Management Solutions implemented a comprehensive workforce transformation strategy to stabilize operations, eliminate dependence on agencies, and rebuild employee engagement from the ground up.
Key actions included:
- Evaluating the existing leadership structure and implementing targeted leadership changes, including the placement of a new Administrator and Director of Nursing to create stronger operational alignment and accountability.
- Conducting a comprehensive wage and market analysis while working directly with the union through a structured negotiation process to establish competitive and sustainable compensation for nurses and certified nursing assistants.
- Eliminating rigid block scheduling and introducing flexible scheduling models designed to better support employee work-life balance while improving staffing coverage.
- Hiring PRN staff strategically to fill scheduling gaps without relying on agency personnel.
- Revamping the employee referral bonus structure with a distributed payout schedule across multiple payroll cycles, increasing employee participation while reducing large one-time payroll impacts.
- Implementing an AI-supported recruitment technology platform to optimize job postings, improve applicant targeting, and strengthen recruitment performance.
- Generating 70 interviews through the recruitment campaign and successfully hiring 35 employees within 45 days.
- Rebuilding the onboarding process to improve employee engagement from day one while introducing longevity recognition initiatives and employee satisfaction surveys focused on retention and culture development.
Rather than implementing temporary staffing fixes, Everest focused on rebuilding the workforce infrastructure through leadership stabilization, competitive compensation strategies, operational flexibility, and long-term employee engagement initiatives.
Results: Agency-Free Operations and Workforce Stabilization
Everest’s workforce transformation strategy produced rapid and measurable operational improvement:
- Full elimination of agency staffing within 90 days.
- Significant reduction in labor cost exposure associated with long-term agency dependence.
- Improved workforce stability and continuity of care through a fully staffed internal team.
- Census growth is supported by stronger operational consistency and improved staff engagement.
- Increased employee participation in referral and retention initiatives.
- Stronger workplace culture built around leadership accountability, flexibility, and employee recognition.
By the conclusion of the engagement, the facility had transitioned from chronic dependence on agency staffing to a self-sustaining staffing model supported by stable leadership, structured workforce systems, and improved employee morale. Rather than replacing the existing workforce, Everest focused on building the operational structure, alignment, and processes necessary for the team to succeed independently.
Key Takeaway
Agency dependence is not inevitable. Sustainable workforce transformation requires the right combination of leadership stability, competitive compensation, operational flexibility, and creative recruitment and retention strategies.
This engagement demonstrates that organizations can successfully eliminate agency staffing while simultaneously improving workforce culture, operational stability, and census growth when workforce strategy and operational execution are aligned.
Everest Management Solutions Engagement Model
Assess → Stabilize → Build Systems → Sustain Performance
Everest Management Solutions helps skilled nursing operators eliminate agency dependence, stabilize leadership teams, and build sustainable workforce models that support long-term operational success.