The Associate Supervisor Development Program (ASDP) is a recruiting and hiring program that allows VSP Vision to identify and promote fresh talent from both inside and outside the organization. It aims to accelerate demonstrated leadership competencies specifically required for Customer Experience Center (Customer Service) supervisors in VSP’s Vision Care line of business, increasing member retention, reducing escalation incidents, and increasing employee engagement.
Program Details
The program itself is structured to last approximately 18 months, depending on the candidate’s experience. But the company tailors the coaching and curriculum to each candidate, picking up from their existing experience, which allows the candidates who learn and demonstrate the needed competencies at an accelerated rate to promote or “graduate” in as little as six months. Another benefit to this program is the stacked wins for both the candidate and business. The program starts each candidate with just a few direct reports. As they progress through the program, VSP gradually adds headcount to their team until they can demonstrate competency in managing what the organization deems to be a full team size. This gives the candidates hands-on training while not overwhelming them as they also complete leadership training courses and development programs. The program doesn’t just focus on being a supervisor; it works to ensure participants are well-rounded leaders and fully engaged and enabled employees.
This past year, VSP created a peer/mentor circle for participants. Led by a senior-level employee (senior director or above), ASDP learners engage in safe, open discussion about obstacles they’re facing, challenges with team behaviors, and technology nuances that might be overcome with a shift to a different leadership style. These circles provide follow-up, support, behavior shift techniques, and feedback loops for continuous learning.
Graduates of the program continue to maintain a group or peer/mentor circle. They meet twice each month after graduating, with the six-month check-in identifying any potential gaps. These gaps are indicated through a pulse-check review by peers and direct reports, and by leader observations. When those moments occur (less than 1 percent of the time), the situation typically is is the result of “recency,” meaning a skill was trained and tested, but the learner did not have cause to leverage it.
After six months, graduates are on a typical leader development cadence that is an enterprise-wide philosophy. Employees (leader or not) and their leader meet weekly to discuss goals, development opportunities, gaps, and successes.
Results
More than one-third of VSP’s current supervisor population are graduates of this program. There has been an accelerated graduation to 12 months for more than 50 percent of learners.
Graduates of the ASDP program are routinely tapped for added responsibilities or to lead initiatives. With more skilled leaders overseeing employees who manage calls from members and clients, VSP has increased Vision Care Customer Service readiness by 55 percent.
