One of the most commonly asked questions we hear from prospective clients at OMNI Human Resource Management is some variation of, “Why does my company need an executive search firm? I can just have my HR person post the job opening on Indeed and gather resumes.”
The reality is that your organization is most likely spending a lot of unnecessary time – and money – by electing not to use an executive search firm. Chances are that your organization does not have the time, resources, or expertise to find the best fit for the open role or your company culture. And making a bad hire is costly when you consider the lost resources dedicated to hiring, onboarding, and training. An executive search firm like OMNI can ensure your investment pays off, taking the time-consuming burden off your overworked HR department – if your organization even has one.
OMNI offers a full cycle executive search service. This means we’re with you every step of the way, from the very first interaction through to your new hire’s onboarding process. Above all else, OMNI’s expert Search Consultants serve as your brand ambassador in the search process. Whatever the role and its seniority, our job is to communicate your organization’s identity and strengths to potential candidates and to ensure they fully appreciate your organizational culture. This process starts even before the client engages us for a search, as we discuss specific needs for the role and develop a proposal.
Once the project scope has been finalized, the first step is the project launch meeting, which offers us the opportunity to help the client align expectations with the realities of the market. Search committee members, along with other appropriate stakeholders, share valuable information and perspectives about necessary attributes and experience to complement your organization’s mission, vision, and values.
We explore the elements of your organization’s culture that you view as most significant, such as leadership style, team dynamics, opportunities for long-term professional growth, flexible work options, and much more. The information we gain during this crucial early interaction grants us an understanding of what sets your organization apart from your competitors, and what differentiates your role from like roles in other industries or sectors. In short, this in-depth relationship-building grants us the ability to present your organization as an employer of choice in the hiring market.
Our executive search practice is integrated within the entire HR function of our business, offering expertise in strategic planning, job alignment, performance management, compensation modeling and planning, and organizational development. Through proprietary access to Salary.com, supplemented by other compensation survey data, we can support the search process by helping to explore and analyze a vast data set that wouldn’t otherwise be available to our clients. This knowledge and access to vital data, combined with our senior search consultants’ extensive experience working with clients in multiple industries, has given us keen insight into what is realistic with respect to compensation and benefits. When a client’s targeted compensation doesn’t align with the market, OMNI can help make adjustments to the scope of the role and desired qualifications.
Our process saves you time and money. In today’s ultra-competitive market, employers can’t afford to waste time searching for the right talent. And wading through hundreds of resumes, many of which may be from unqualified candidates, is a timewaster for small to medium sized organizations that may only have one dedicated HR role – or none at all – and whose staff often can’t afford to take time away from their normal duties. Without sacrificing quality, our team can expedite the hiring process. Our Talent Acquisition Team has a combined network, gained through decades of cumulative experience in Executive Search, that allows us to cast our nets beyond the local area and even the Midwest. These networks allow us to reach out to so-called “passive” candidates that aren’t currently searching for a new role and would be highly unlikely to even see or respond to a traditional job listing. OMNI has successfully identified candidates for numerous C-suite and other leadership roles using this approach, allowing us to meet our clients’ needs more quickly and often at a savings.
As a client, you also benefit from OMNI’s paid access to top technologies that support the executive search process and allow us to perform complex searches using a variety of filters to develop a strong candidate pool for your organization. At any time in the process, our clients can elect to hire a candidate, incurring only the hourly costs that have been billed up to that point. With a five-year retention rate of 90% for our completed searches, OMNI’s Executive Search Team has a proven record. Given that the average cost of a new hire in the United States is up to 40% of an employee’s base salary, our clients consider this benefit to be well worth the initial investment in our services.
Today’s employers, now more than ever, place a great deal of importance on a diverse workforce, not only because they are under increasing scrutiny in this area, but also because they know that their organizations benefit. Diverse groups of employees, with their ability to draw from a broad range of perspectives, insights, and experiences, are more creative in their problem solving and make more informed decisions. The organizations they work for are more profitable and have better employee retention rates. OMNI excels at helping your organization deliver on its commitment to developing a diverse workforce, whatever that means in your organizational culture. Our consultants understand the complexities of this issue in today’s world, and in the past three years, our work has resulted in over 45% of completed searches being filled by women and people of color.
Historically, the job search process has had a balance of power that assumes the potential employer holds most of the cards. These days, candidates are also interviewing you for culture and fit. With our help, you can maximize the interview process to ensure that you communicate your mission and values effectively and authentically to your candidates. Chances are you’re competing with other organizations for the same high-quality talent, and it’s imperative to establish a strong connection from the outset. This is what distinguishes an employer of choice from all others.
Listening tends to be undervalued in the interview process. A skilled interviewer can identify undertones in a candidate’s responses that can lead to a more in-depth conversation about more complex issues. We ensure that the interview process goes well beyond rehashing the candidate’s resume, which helps us gather critically important information about the candidate’s ability to help your organization to achieve strategic goals. Technical expertise, degrees, and years of experience should not be prioritized over so-called “soft skills” such as collaboration, the ability to multitask, empathy, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and more.
We believe that successful searches are built on strong relationships – with our clients and with the candidates we present. Your consultant is, first and foremost, your trusted advisor in the search for the ideal candidate, but we also have a commitment to developing a level of trust with each of the candidates we identify on your behalf. We become something of a liaison, seeking to ensure that each of the candidates we bring to the table has a full understanding of, and is a good match for, the specific needs of the role and your organization’s culture. We maintain continual contact with them throughout the search process, ensuring that they remain engaged and interested, and don’t fall through the cracks before you’re ready to make a final selection. Though our candidates know that we’re working for a client, they feel valued and supported by OMNI’s consultants.
When it comes time to make an offer, we also make sure that you’re in a position to craft the best possible offer, balancing your financial realities with the market and the candidate’s needs and preferences. And the process doesn’t end there. Many of our successful candidates result from national searches, and in those cases, we stand ready to assist with the relocation process. We are also involved in the onboarding process and are available to offer support during the initial 90 days of employment.
At OMNI, we believe that all organizations succeed when they have the right people doing the right things for the right reasons. Since we opened our doors in 1998, this philosophy has guided our interactions with each of our clients as we have helped them to acquire and develop their most valuable asset – their people. We are successful because we understand that each of our client organizations has a unique culture, identity, and needs. As a full-service human resource management and executive search firm, OMNI offers a holistic, personalized approach – unmatched by any other firm in the region – to serving our executive search clients, building trusted relationships that bring them back to us again and again.
Anna Robinson, Senior Search Consultant and Healthcare Practice Leader, came to OMNI with more than 17 years of executive search and recruitment experience, most recently including 10 years as the head of clinical recruitment with American Dental Partners and affiliated dental group practices throughout the U.S. Her extensive industry knowledge helps guide clients through the search and selection process to ensure the best fit is selected for organizational needs. Anna received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Kansas and acquired her SHRM-Senior Certified Professional in 2019.
Jennifer Gross-Statler, Marketing & Communications Manager, comes to us with over 20 years’ experience as a nonprofit professional. Her background includes four years as Executive Director of a Connecticut nonprofit with a state mandate to evaluate state-funded mental health programs, assess strengths and unmet needs, and make recommendations for improvements. She brings valuable expertise to OMNI in community and media relations, marketing and branding, project management, and strategic planning. Jennifer is a graduate of The College of William & Mary.
JONNA BRANDEL
HR Consultant
Jonna comes to OMNI with 10 years of human resources experience and 15 years of risk management consulting experience. As an HR Consultant, she will provide strategic support to clients in recruiting, workplace safety, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and performance management. Prior to joining OMNI, Jonna was Partner and Senior Director of Client Services for The Brandel Group, a boutique consultancy specializing in providing independent, objective reviews of organizational and risk management challenges and needs. Other previous roles include Business Development and Project Manager at The Lion Partnership, as well as Insurance Analyst and Regional Director at Expense Reduction Analysts.
LAUREN TRACY
Recruitment Operations Manager
As OMNI’s Recruitment Operations Manager, Lauren serves as the operational hub for OMNI’s Talent Acquisition Team, including coordination of proposal development and administration; project tracking, monitoring, and reporting; and general oversight of departmental systems, processes, and quality control. Lauren comes to OMNI from Payne & Jones, Chartered, where she served as a Legal Assistant for almost seven years, and Front Desk Receptionist for just over a year. Her comprehensive experience in client relations and project management make her an excellent fit for her new role. When she is not at work, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters.
Karen serves as Senior Consultant to select outsourcing clients, bringing with her more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership. Karen provides HR guidance, coaching, and counseling for her clients, with an emphasis on start-ups and fast growth companies. Her background includes 13 years as Executive Director, HR Services, at Applebee’s International and Director of Training & Organizational Development at Gentiva Health Services. Karen attended the Executive Leadership Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In addition to her talents in HR, she is passionate about helping women achieve their full potential and has expertise in strategic business meetings and conferences, serving as President & CEO of her event management company.
MOLLY ADAMS
Human Resource Specialist & Membership Concierge
Molly has been with OMNI since March of 2020 and has strong experience in customer service and human resources. Molly serves in two roles for our clients. As HR Specialist, she works with our clients’ hiring managers to ensure that the new hire process is efficient for all new employees. As Membership Concierge, Molly serves as a key liaison with OMNI Membership clients, helping responding to their questions and helping them to access tools and resources. Molly graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Business Administration and gained a certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts during her college years. Though she no longer bakes on a professional level, she does still enjoy indulging in fun desserts and pastries. In her spare time, Molly enjoys spending time with friends, family, husband and two young children, and enjoying all things Kansas City. She looks forward to communicating with clients and to assisting them with all aspects of the hiring process.
ROGER DUSING, PHD
Senior Consultant & Higher Education Practice Leader
Roger comes to OMNI from Park University, where he served as Chief Human Resource Officer for eleven years. With over 40 years of HR experience, including 30 years in C-suite level roles, he looks forward to reflecting his passion for higher education in his work to bring affordable, high-quality HR services to small- to medium-sized colleges and universities.
Roger holds a PhD in Business Management, with a concentration in Human Resources from Northcentral University, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University. He also authored the book “I’m Fired?!? A Business Fable About the Challenges of Losing One Job and Finding Another.”
Roger enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, and four grandchildren. He and his wife are addicted to pickleball.
Debi joins the OMNI team with over twelve years of prior Human Resource experience in benefits, payroll, and associate relations. In her role at OMNI, she serves clients and their employees with all payroll and benefits related inquiries. Previously, Debi worked at the Kansas City Zoo in the Finance and Human Resources departments. In her spare time, she enjoys working out, watching movies, doing crafts and spending time outdoors – especially at her favorite place, Powell Gardens.
TERESA WESTHOFF
Employee Services Consultant
Teresa joins the OMNI staff with experience in payroll and other related human resource knowledge. She will be helping our clients by facilitating payroll, benefits and onboarding. She has a master’s degree in human resource management and enjoys the new challenges every day brings. When Teresa isn’t working, she enjoys working out, traveling, watching Netflix, and hanging out with family and friends.
ANN CRIPE
Senior Consultant
Ann is a strategic business partner and HR leader across multiple disciplines of human resources. With a passion for building strong partnerships with her clients, she enjoys understanding the business and providing solutions in the areas of employee relations, compliance, leadership development, talent management, recruiting, training, and compensation. She has over 25 years of human resources experience in a variety of industries including PEO, legal, technology, energy, insurance, and nonprofit. Ann has a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology with minors in Management and English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In her spare time, Ann enjoys wellness, interior design, hiking and spending time with her husband and daughter.
MEREDITH HAUCK
Senior Consultant
Meredith brings more than 15 years of multi-disciplinary executive-level leadership to her work with OMNI as a Senior Consultant. She is skilled in organizational structure and management, strategic communications, employee relations, and leadership development. Meredith also utilizes her training as a certified executive coach to guide and counsel individuals and teams. Meredith has a Bachelors’ degree in Journalism and a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration, both from the University of Kansas. Outside of work, Meredith enjoys traveling, volunteering, attending concerts, and spending time with family and friends.
STACEY COWAN
Senior Consultant
Stacey Cowan brings nearly seven years’ experience as Membership Director for the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce to her work with OMNI as a Senior Consultant. While at the Chamber, she led membership recruitment and retention efforts and represented the Chamber in the community, building an extensive network of relationships to strengthen local businesses. Prior to that, she held several leadership roles in the hospitality industry. Ms. Cowan’s wealth of community involvement and business development experience will be an enormous asset to OMNI’s steadily growing Executive Search practice.
Kelly’s past roles include Director of Human Resources at Woodside, where she was the first to serve in such a role. While at Woodside, she implemented a new payroll system and was instrumental in streamlining operations and efficiencies through the development of new policies and procedures. She also optimized hiring and onboarding functions, restructured the performance review process, and assisted in staring up a new property management company. Kelly has a long history of working with payroll and benefits and has held leadership positions at Hyvee, Home Depot, and Westar Foods. She is the proud mother of three adult children and grandmother of two young grandsons.
KELI TUSCHMAN
Senior Consultant
With 20 years’ experience working in HR, Keli views herself as a businessperson, as well as an HR professional. Her background in accounting has also been a plus for her understanding of the business environment that HR supports. Keli has worked in the energy sector for Koch Industries and Merrill Lynch, in Higher Ed and K-12 education, and has served on several non-profit boards. She is a strategic partner who can provide services in all areas of human resources to support your business needs. Keli and her husband have two high school age children and love all that the Kansas City area has to offer families.
Prior to joining OMNI Human Resource Management talent acquisition team in 2020, Ms. Hoffman led the talent acquisition teams at Kansas City Southern Railway and Sprint world headquarters. She has over 30 years’ experience in HR management and talent acquisition and is recognized for partnering with senior leaders to identify needs, translating them into initiatives that attract, develop, and retain top talent. Ms. Hoffman holds a graduate MSM degree from Baker University and a BS degree from Pittsburg State University. Outside of work Karen enjoys traveling both domestically and overseas.