Organizational success is dependent on selecting and developing great employees and teams. It is even more difficult in today’s highly competitive labor market. Mike has effectively created opportunities for employees to passionately align with a mission, work in partnership with great colleagues in beautiful spaces, and receive great pay and benefits. The outcome is highly engaged employees exceeding performance goals including the highest quality of care in the country.
Mike’s Accomplishments
- Expanded staff from 150 FTE to more than 500 FTE
- Developed a industry leading benefits package including significantly lower health care costs, greater PTO, new maternity and paternity leave, new transgender benefits, and the creation of a Champion holiday – a day off to celebrate the work of staff
- In partnership with staff and leaders enterprise-wide co-created an engaging culture, an A-list of our very own
- Achieved comprehensive DEIB successes
- Sustained all staff positions during the Great Recession including compensation, benefits and full-time status
- Sustained all staff positions during the Covid-19 pandemic including compensation, benefits and full-time status
- Achieved 65% of staff representing the African American, Hispanic/Lantino, or LGBT community
- Established employee resource/affinity groups for African American, Latino, parental, LGBT staff
- Created an Organizational Development Department that provided comprehensive training and education to develop and promote staff
- Achieved 100% retention of executive staff throughout CEO tenure
Support from Mike’s Staff
“In the almost 10 years we worked together, Mike supported, challenged, and inspired me in a way that not only nurtured my own growth as a leader, but which allowed us to achieve national expansion of an integrated model of care.”
– Executive Vice President
“I am so grateful … to know that you recognized me and acknowledged me speaks to your leadership. It not only inspires me to be better, but also shows me I have a seat within the organization filled with opportunity and growth.”
– African American HIV Prevention Supervisor
“Vivent Health is a great place to work, and I am very proud to be a part of the Vivent family! Thank-You Mike for your leadership and your commitment to our staff and the people that we serve on a daily basis”.
– Bilingual Case Manager
“So, from the absolute foundations of my being, I must tell you thank you. Thank you for your leadership and for setting the bar where you have in terms of the ways to treat LGBTQIA+ people. It may seem like a no-brainer to you, but having worked in different capacities for a myriad of different agencies, I assure you, this is not a common practice. This is one of many factors that makes Vivent Health extraordinary.“
– Psychotherapist
I want to express my deep appreciation for this email, and for the sexual harassment training that we had earlier this year. I am so proud that ARCW takes sexual harassment seriously, and offers support to staff in this way…I feel safer and more comfortable coming to work each day knowing that my employer not only has an harassment-free policy, but also names the reality of sexual harassment and the detrimental impact it can have.
– Case Manager
“I know that you know this, but this is quite an organization. We all have you to thank for many aspects of its success. I thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this family and to have had the honor of serving so many incredible people.”
– Case Manager Supervisor
Mike Gifford 