Preparing for 2026: Strategic Workforce Planning with Briason Associates
- Sonji Phillips
- Oct 16
- 8 min read
Setting workforce goals and building capacity for mission impact
As we approach 2026, human service organizations face unparalleled complexity. Demographic trends, evolving funding environments, staff burnout, policy shifts, and technological changes all converge to challenge mission delivery. In that context, strategic workforce planning is not optional — it’s essential.
At Briason Associates, we believe that intentional workforce planning is the bridge from reactive staffing to proactive capacity-building. It ensures that your organization is not only ready to respond — but ready to grow, adapt, and lead. This blog offers a roadmap for setting your 2026 workforce goals, with guidance on analysis, goal setting, implementation, monitoring, and course correction — woven with Briason’s philosophy and proven practices.
Why Workforce Planning Matters in Human Services
Strategic workforce planning is the practice of aligning human resources with future organizational needs: anticipating skill requirements, headcount, training, deployment, and retention strategies. In human services, its importance is magnified:
Complex service demands. As client needs evolve (e.g., behavioral health, trauma-responsive services, cross-system service integration), staff need new skills and flexibility.
Tight labor markets. Recruiting qualified people is harder; turnover is costly—both financially and in continuity of care.
Budget uncertainty. Funding models and contracts shift; staffing flexibility can buffer program risk.
Mission continuity. In human services, staff are the direct interface to vulnerable populations; gaps in staffing are more than costly — they can damage trust, consistency, and outcomes.
Without planning, organizations drift into crisis mode— scrambling to hire, overloading staff, or losing quality control. With planning, you become anticipatory, resilient, and sustainable.
Core Principles from Briason Associates
Before diving in, here are key principles we adopt:
Data-driven but human-centered. Analytics should guide decisions, but lived experience, staff voice, and qualitative insights are essential.
Flexibility over rigidity. Plans should be modular and adaptive—not overly prescriptive.
Alignment with mission and values. Workforce goals must tie directly to service priorities and organizational culture.
Capacity-building over Band-Aids. Focus on long-term development (training, pipelines, leadership) rather than temporary staffing fixes.
Iterative learning. Workforce planning is an ongoing cycle of planning, implementing, evaluating, adjusting.
With those in mind, here’s how to approach 2026.
Step 1: Foundation — Conduct a Workforce Audit (late 2025)
Before you set goals for 2026, you need to understand your starting point. This is the audit or diagnostic phase. Key areas to examine:
A. Staffing Composition & Trends
Break down by program area (IDD, youth, family, etc.), role (direct support, supervisory, clinical, administrative).
Track turnover rates by program, role, and cohort (new hires vs. tenured).
Analyze vacancy trends: which positions are hardest to fill or retain?
Project demographic attrition (retirements, known exits) for 2026.
B. Skill Gaps & Future Needs
Survey supervisors, staff, and program leads on perceived skill gaps (e.g., trauma-informed practice, cross-system advocacy, tele-services, data analytics).
Review external trends (best practices, regulatory changes, funder priorities) to anticipate new skill demands.
Map out which skills will be mission-critical in 2026.
C. Capacity & Load Analysis
Evaluate caseload size, staff-to-client ratios, workload distribution, overtime trends.
Assess staff burnout and engagement signals (pulse surveys, exit interviews, sick leave).
Understand peak load times and seasonal fluctuations.
D. Pipeline & Leadership Readiness
Who are your emerging leaders? What is the distribution of internal promotion potential?
Do you have succession plans or training pathways?
How many staff hold leadership or certification credentials?
E. Financial & Contractual Constraints
Understand your budget envelope for staffing (salary pools, benefits, wage increases).
Examine contract constraints (staffing mandates, service ratios).
Forecast funding shifts, grant cycles, or possible cuts for 2026.
Once the audit is complete, you should produce a workforce audit report for 2026 preplanning: strengths, gaps, risks, and opportunities. Briason Associates often helps clients turn audits into strategic dashboards.
Step 2: Goal-Setting — Define Workforce Objectives for 2026
Based on your audit, you can now set workforce goals. Here are categories and sample goals to consider (mix and match based on your context):
A. Retention & Turnover Goals
Reduce direct support turnover by X percentage points (e.g. from 25% to 18%)
Decrease supervisor turnover by Y percent
Increase average employee tenure for key roles (e.g. clinical, treatment coordinators)
B. Hiring & Recruitment Goals
Fill positions in difficult-to-recruit roles (e.g. behavior specialists, youth counselors) with a targeted success rate (e.g. 90% filled within 60 days)
Increase diversity in hiring (racial, cultural, lived experience) by X%
Build a pool of applicants via partnerships with educational institutions
C. Skill & Competency Goals
Certify X staff in trauma-informed approaches or positive behavior supports
Launch internal microcredential tracks (e.g. family advocacy, mental health first aid)
Cross-train X percent of staff in multiple domains (IDD + youth, etc.)
D. Leadership & Succession Goals
Promote or groom at least X internal candidates into supervisory roles
Enroll at least Y leaders in an advanced leadership development track
Establish a mentor-mentee ratio (e.g. 1 mentor to 4 emerging leaders)
E. Engagement & Culture Goals
Reach staff engagement or satisfaction score target (e.g. 85% positive)
Reduce staff absenteeism or sick leave by X%
Launch staff voice forums/pulse surveys quarterly
F. Operational & Efficiency Goals
Decrease overtime costs by X%
Optimize staff schedules to match peak service hours (e.g. 95% coverage of peak hours)
Reduce vacancy days (time positions are unfilled) by X days annually
Each goal should follow SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Also, cascade them: from organizational-level into program-level goals.
At Briason, we co-create these goals in leadership retreats, ensuring buy-in and alignment with strategic plans.
Step 3: Strategy & Action Planning
Once goals are agreed, design the strategies and actions that will drive toward them. Below is a framework with examples.
Strategy Area 1: Retention & Engagement
Enhanced onboarding & buddy systems: Pair new staff with experienced mentors during the first 90 days.
Ongoing coaching and supervision: Train supervisors in reflective supervision and structured coaching cycles.
Recognition programs: Quarterly or monthly recognition ceremonies; peer-nominated awards.
Staff feedback loops: Pulse surveys, skip-level meetings, staff forums.
Wellness and resilience supports: Provide mental health days, access to counseling, resilience workshops.
Strategy Area 2: Recruitment & Attraction
Partnerships with training institutions: Build pipelines with local colleges, universities, and vocational schools.
Internship / field placement programs: Host interns who may convert to full staff.
Employee referral incentives: Rewards for staff who refer hires.
Branding as employer of choice: Develop value proposition (mission, culture, growth) and showcase in recruiting materials.
Recruitment “fast lane” process: Accelerate hiring for critical roles, reduce bottlenecks.
Strategy Area 3: Skill Development & Training
Competency-based credentialing tracks: E.g. DSP I, DSP II, Specialist, Senior.
Microlearning and blended models: Short, digestible modules + in-person workshops + coaching.
Cross-domain training: Build staff flexibility across IDD, youth, family domains.
Train-the-trainer models: Develop internal trainers who replicate content.
Continuous learning culture: Learning circles, brown-bag sessions, peer-to-peer practice labs.
Strategy Area 4: Leadership Pipeline & Succession
Emerging leader identification: Nominate high-potential staff for leadership track.
Leadership development cohorts: Training in systems thinking, finance, change management.
Rotational assignments: Rotate leaders through programs to broaden perspective.
Performance-based promotion pathways: Transparent criteria tied to leadership credentials.
Mentor-sponsorship programming: Senior leaders sponsor and mentor juniors.
Strategy Area 5: Operational Efficiency & Staffing Models
Flexible staffing / float teams: Pool cross-trained staff who can cover across programs.
Shift scheduling optimization: Use demand forecasting to align staff.
Overtime reduction strategies: Implement caps, redistribute workloads, hire relief staff.
Contingent workforce strategies: Use per-diem or backup staff for peaks.
Vacancy management: Prioritize filling critical roles, shortening time-to-hire.
For each strategy, develop action plans: who owns it, timeline, resources needed, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Step 4: Implementation & Change Management
Even the best plan fails without strong execution and change leadership.
Leadership & Culture Supports
Engage leaders early. Use leadership retreats or planning sessions to embed workforce goals into strategic leadership.
Communicate broadly. Share the strategic workforce plan with staff: “why we’re doing this, how it affects you, what the future looks like.”
Create ownership. Assign “owners” or champions to each strategic area (retention, recruitment, training, etc.).
Manage resistance. Hold forums to surface concerns, adapt plan where needed, provide rationale and transparency.
Support infrastructure. Ensure HR systems, learning management platforms, and data systems are ready to support tracking.
Phasing & Piloting
Pilot first. Try strategies in a single program or site before scaling.
Phase deployment. Stagger rollout (e.g. first retention initiatives, then recruitment, then leadership training).
Learning loops. After initial rollout, gather data, staff feedback, and adjust before wider adoption.
Resource Allocation
Budget for staffing, training, and coaching. Include in 2026 budgets line items for leadership development, staff training, and technology.
Seek supplementary funding. Grant proposals and funder partnerships can help support workforce development costs.
Leverage internal talent. Use internal trainers, mentorship, and coaching to reduce external vendor costs.
Step 5: Monitoring, Evaluation & Course Correction
A good plan without feedback is like flying blind. You must continuously monitor, evaluate, and adjust.
Key Metrics to Track (with Examples)
Area | Metric | Frequency | Purpose |
Retention | Turnover rate (role, program) | Quarterly | Track improvement or decline |
Engagement | Staff satisfaction / “intent to stay” | Biannual / quarterly | Early indicator of risk |
Training | Ongoing | See pathways uptake | |
Supervisor effectiveness | Leadership competency ratings / 360 | Annually / semiannual | Verify behavior change |
Pipeline | Number of candidates in leadership track | Quarterly | Ensure stepping-stones exist |
Operational | Vacancy days, overtime spend, coverage gaps | Monthly | Detect staffing inefficiencies |
Client outcomes | Stability, service continuity, outcomes | Periodically | Connect workforce to mission impact |
Use dashboards to visualize trends and flag early warning signs. Briason Associates often co-develop dashboard tools with clients to democratize data access across leadership teams.
Course Correction & Iteration
Schedule regular check-ins (quarterly or semiannual) to review progress and identify pivots.
Use staff feedback (focus groups, surveys) to understand what’s working and where barriers lie.
Be flexible: if a strategy isn’t delivering, adjust or pivot.
Document lessons learned to inform future planning cycles.
Illustrative Example: A Hypothetical Organization
Here’s how a fictitious provider might plan its 2026 workforce goals with Briason’s approach:
Audit Findings (2025)
DSP turnover = 28%, supervisor turnover = 15%
Hardest-to-fill roles: behavioral coaches, youth counselors
Skill gaps cited: telehealth, trauma-informed approaches, multi-domain flexibility
High overtime costs in evenings/weekends
Only 10% of staff are credentialed beyond entry level
No formal leadership pipeline; many programs dependent on external hires
2026 Goals (Sample)
Reduce DSP turnover from 28% to 20%
Fill 90% of behavioral coach vacancies within 60 days
Certify 40% of staff in trauma-informed or behavior supports
Enroll 12 staff in leadership cohort; promote 4 to supervisory roles
Decrease overtime cost by 15%
Increase average staff tenure in specialist roles by 18 months
Sample Strategies & Actions
Retention & Engagement: Start “first 90-day mentor check-ins,” launch staff wellness workshops, quarterly recognition awards
Recruitment: Establish partnership with local university social work programs; fast-track behavioral coach hiring
Training: Offer microcredential tracks, train-the-trainer, monthly learning circles
Leadership Pipeline: Select emerging leaders, rotate them through programs, mentor sponsorship
Operational Efficiency: Create a float pool staffed by cross-trained personnel, refine shift scheduling
Monitoring & Adaptation
Use a dashboard to monitor turnover, training uptake, overtime costs monthly
Hold quarterly reviews with leadership to adjust underperforming strategies
Solicit staff feedback mid-year to validate perception of progress
By year-end, the provider may see a 7–10 percentage point reduction in turnover, solid pipeline candidates ready for leadership roles, better staff morale, and more efficient staffing operations — despite funding constraints.
Five Strategic Tips from Briason Associates
Start small, scale smart. Pilot first; don’t try everything at once.
Engage staff in planning. Their lived insight ensures practicality and buy-in.
Tie workforce goals to mission outcomes. Make the link explicit: “We invest in people so clients get more consistent, better care.”
Invest in predictive analytics. Use trend data (exit interviews, satisfaction scores) to anticipate staffing risks.
Celebrate small wins. Recognize progress (certifications earned, leadership promotions, turnover dips) to build momentum.
Conclusion: From Planning to Preparedness
2026 offers opportunity — but only if your organization enters it with intention, clarity, and agility. Strategic workforce planning shifts your posture from reaction to readiness. By auditing now, setting SMART goals, deploying thoughtful strategies, implementing with care, and monitoring with discipline, human service organizations can build stronger, more resilient teams.
At Briason Associates, we’re honored to walk this journey with our partners. Our role is to co-design, coach, and sustain workforce systems that align people, purpose, and outcomes. With the right planning, 2026 can be a year of growth, stability, and deepened mission impact — not survival.
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