Description

The New Workforce Playbook: Sustainable. Equitable. Data-Informed. 

Healthcare organizations are navigating a period of sustained transformation shaped by evolving workforce dynamics, increasing care complexity, and heightened expectations for quality and stewardship. In this environment, nurse leaders are uniquely positioned to lead integrated workforce strategies that align patient needs, workforce experience, and financial performance.

This session will share how the Mayo Clinic Enterprise Nursing Workforce Optimization team is advancing a connected, data-informed approach to workforce management. Grounded in the principle that workforce decisions begin with patient needs, the presentation will explore five integrated workforce capabilities: workload measurement, budget forecasting, workforce analytics, staffing, and scheduling. Attendees will gain insight into how proactive, integrated strategies can strengthen decision-making, enhance alignment across nursing and finance, and create more adaptive and resilient workforce models.

Using real-world examples, participants will explore practical approaches to building trusted data foundations, aligning workforce plans to patient demand, and intentionally designing internal flexibility strategies that reduce reliance on premium labor. Emphasis will be placed on how these interconnected capabilities support safer patient care, elevate the workforce experience, and advance long-term organizational sustainability.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the five core workforce management capabilities and how they function as an integrated strategy
• Identify practical approaches to strengthen workforce planning through data-informed decision-making
• Explore opportunities to enhance workforce flexibility, employee experience, and financial stewardship within their own organizations

Mayo Clinic Enterprise Nursing Workforce Optimization Team

The Mayo Clinic Enterprise Nursing Workforce Optimization Team is a nurse-led, enterprise function dedicated to advancing workforce strategy, governance, and operational alignment across a complex, multi-site health system. Under the executive leadership of Alissa R. Zimmerman, MSN, NE-BC, RN-BC, Vice Chair of Nursing, the team drives a coordinated, enterprise approach to workforce planning and optimization. This work is grounded in elevating the nursing voice, strengthening shared decision-making, and ensuring consistency in workforce practices to support high-quality, equitable patient care. Zimmerman provides strategic direction for enterprise workforce transformation, advancing innovative care delivery models and operational excellence through interdisciplinary collaboration and forward-looking workforce strategies.

The team includes experienced nurse administrators with deep expertise across workforce management, scheduling optimization, and operational transformation. Lindsey Worden, M.A.N., R.N. brings over 20 years of leadership experience and specializes in strategic staffing solutions, workforce forecasting, and resource optimization, with a strong focus on aligning staffing models to organizational priorities and financial stewardship. Jamie E. Mancl, M.S.N., R.N. focuses on translating workforce strategy into practice through data-informed approaches, advancing scope of practice, skill mix optimization, and sustainable financial and operational outcomes. Nicky E. Heise, M.S.N., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C. leads enterprise scheduling optimization initiatives, ensuring that nurse-led decision-making remains central to workforce strategies while advancing scalable solutions that reduce administrative friction and improve operational efficiency.

Together, the Enterprise Nursing Workforce Optimization Team partners closely with nurse leaders, operational teams, and technical stakeholders to design and implement workforce solutions that are practical, scalable, and aligned across the enterprise. Their work emphasizes transparent governance, cross-market collaboration, and data-informed decisions that support both frontline teams and long-term organizational sustainability. Through this integrated approach, the team advances innovative workforce models that give time back to nursing teams, strengthen the practice environment, and ensure staffing aligns with the evolving needs of patients and care delivery.

Registration Deadline: September 13, 2026 at 12Noon