Structuring the growth of a national network
Challenge
national group of retirement homes entered a strategic phase of restructuring aimed at supporting its growth while maintaining a high level of service quality for residents.
With the expansion of the network, several structural challenges have emerged:
- Fragmented operations across the different residences, generating inefficiencies and sometimes inconsistent quality of service
- Overburdened leadership teams, with regional managers struggling to oversee expanding teams and infrastructure
- Limited collaboration between key functions (healthcare, operations, HR, finance), slowing down decision-making and innovation initiatives
- Need Develop a more scalable and resident-centred model to support growth without compromising service excellence
In this context, the organisation needed to transform its operating model to support its growth while preserving its DNA of quality and care for residents.
A strategic consulting program was implemented with the leadership team to help structure this transformation.
About
When a service organisation grows quickly, growth can reveal structural limitations:
- unclear governance
- decisions that are too centralised
- lack of alignment between teams
- cross-site heterogeneous processes
In a sector as sensitive as supporting the elderly, these challenges have a direct impact on service quality and resident experience.
The core question: how to restructure the organisation to support growth while ensuring a consistent, resident-centric quality of service?
A structured six-month strategic consulting program was implemented to support the leadership team through the transformation.
The main objectives were to:
- Align the leadership team around a common vision of sustainable growth and resident-centred service
- Clarify governance and identify leadership gaps
- Effectively leading change and manage internal resistances
- Identify organisational inefficiencies and growth opportunities
- Standardise best practices across residences
- Implement a new regional management model, decentralising certain decisions
Develop an internal communication plan to engage teams and encourage a culture of continuous improvement
The program was structured into three key phases.
Phase 1 – Diagnostic and strategic alignment
- completion of’interviews with key stakeholders
- analysis of organisational and operational dynamics
- facilitation ofStrategic workshops with the management team
Objective: to establish a shared vision and identify transformation priorities.
Phase 2 – Definition of the restructuring strategy
- design of a new regional management model
- strengthening the autonomy of local managers while ensuring alignment with the group's strategy
- identification of leadership gaps
- setting up a clearer and more structured governance
Phase 3 – Implementation and Change Management
- management team training principles of change management
- introduction to new processes and best practice sharing initiatives
- development of internal communication plans
The initiatives included:
- team discussion groups
- sessions Lunch and Learn
- spaces for dialogue to support employees through transformation.
✔ Enhanced operational efficiency, with fewer administrative hurdles and quicker decisions
✔ Increased leadership and accountability at the level of the residences
✔ Enhanced autonomy for local officials, allowing for better responsiveness to the needs of residents and teams
✔ Improved cross-functional collaboration between care, operations, HR and finance
✔ Best resource allocation and development of innovative initiatives for residents
✔ Progressive standardisation of best practices across residences
✔ Scalable organisational model, allowing growth to be supported without compromising service quality
Are you facing a similar situation?
In high-growth organisations, The structuring of the governance and management model is a key lever for maintaining service quality and supporting expansion.
Strategic support allows for:
- Aligning leadership teams
- Clarify responsibilities and processes
- Secure the transformation phases.
Are you supporting an organisation that is in a phase of growth or restructuring? Let's discuss how to structure this transformation.