2013 Choice Employers, Human Resources Professional: Eric Maxwell

Some 10,000 workers rely on Eric Maxwell to cut them a paycheck.

As corporate director of compensation and human resources information systems for CoxHealth, Maxwell is charged with making sure the Springfield-based health system’s workers are paid accurately and fairly. For his team, this includes putting together a more than 300-page guide annually that analyzes area wage data through salary surveys, performance reports and internal metrics.

The information helps retain and recruit talent.

“The primary responsibility I have regarding staffing is to ensure our pay structure is competitive in order to recruit the candidates we need for employment,” Maxwell says.

“The compensation guide I designed gives us the ability to react quickly to market changes, recruit the best candidates and also ensure internal equity through market adjustments and career ladders.”

CoxHealth Vice President of Human Resources John Hursh says Maxwell’s work has helped the health care system save money in a field where every penny counts.

“Since the onset of the economic recession, we have been challenged to find ways to reduces expenses,” Hursh says. “Eric is keenly aware that every dollar we save protects our organizational viability and the jobs of his co-workers.

Cost-saving measures instituted by Maxwell and his team include utilizing internal staff to cover labor shortages; building retention and weekend bonuses to encourage staff members to fill areas of need; and instituting more efficient reporting processes.

“I have been very fortunate in the last year to be a part of some key initiatives that will continue to improve our organization and drive performance,” Maxwell says, pointing to efforts to increase transparency, build the hospital’s institutional knowledge of compensation and conduct financial education seminars.

Along with other hospital executives, Maxwell’s position moved to a corporate job in late 2012 when the Springfield-based health system forged a strategic financial partnership with Cox Medical Center Branson, formerly Skaggs Regional Medical Center.

Recently completing a fifth consecutive employee engagement study, Maxwell says he is working to identify trends within the system to “further improve morale and create engagement.”[[In-content Ad]]