London & Middlesex Branch

Canadian Mental Health Association -London was preparing for significant growth (up to tripling in size).  This growth while a significant opportunity for the organization would bring with it operational challenges.  With advanced planning, the growth challenge would be successfully met with a clear vision for the future, clarity of service offerings, and focus in specific job assignments all supported by refreshed personnel programs, policies, and compensation plans.  Specifically, Meridian Edge was engaged to consult and facilitate in the following areas:

Chatham-Kent Branch

This initiative came in response to the Board and Senior Management refreshing of the organization-wide Strategic Plan.  Once the plan was articulated it was clear that the way the organization was designed required strategic revision in order to build capacity to achieve new strategic goals while more efficiently and effectively delivering ongoing service.

The Meridian Edge assignment included a complete organizational assessment of key business processes (with specific emphasis on case management), organizational design, and all position descriptions.  A needs and gap analysis was completed with a detailed action plan to redesign the organizational structure and to rebuild three critical service delivery processes.  The staffing structure was dramatically altered to better align structure with key functions.  Lines of communication and authority were clarified.  Some new leaders were appointed at the leadership team level.  Finally a plan to build required capacities was completed.  All of the action plans were tied directly to the new Strategic Plan.

Chatham-Kent Branch(Governance Assessment and Redesign)

This project involved evaluation, consultation, and facilitation to a governance evaluation and development process with the Board of Directors and Executive Director.   An analysis was conducted regarding the governance model/approach, the Board structures and processes, the Board’s role in thought-leadership and future thinking, the role of Board Committees and Task Forces, and the role of management.   The process also evaluated the Board’s monitoring mechanism and capacity to evaluate organization achievement.   This analysis involved Board self evaluation as well as consultant comparison to best practices in the sector.

Following the detailed analysis, a governance development process was tailored to the needs of the organization, its stakeholders, its ownership, and its clients.   This governance development process resulting in significant positive change, including:

The overall organization bottom line also significantly improved based on these and related strategies.

London Branch – Organizational Structure Design

CMHA-London was preparing for significant growth (up to tripling in size). This growth while a significant opportunity for the organization would bring with it operational challenges. With advanced planning, the growth challenge would be successfully met with a clear vision for the future, clarity of service offerings, and focus in specific job assignments all supported by refreshed personnel programs, policies, and compensation plans. Specifically, Meridian Edge was engaged to consult and facilitate in the following areas: · Organizational Structure Design · Job assignment clarity with clear, focused, job descriptions · Strategies to recognize current staff within the new structure (recognizing individual needs and situations) · Refreshed comprehensive personnel policies · A salary structure which is benchmarked with related organizations, is competitive and affordable · Identification of and launching process improvement strategies for key service delivery and business processes to enhance workflow and service delivery results.