Dedicated Nursing Associates (DNA)

Rank: 4
Headquarters: Pittsburgh
Top staffing segment(s) served: Healthcare
2016 US staffing revenue ($M): $27.2
Five-year CAGR for revenue: 89.7%

This is the second year in a row among the top 10 fastest-growing staffing firms for Dedicated Nursing Associates.And one of the keys to its growth in the past year has been its focus on “competitive balance.”

This entails several things. Internal employees are encouraged to be productive, not just busy. In addition, they are encouraged to be problem-solvers — creating their own solutions rather than relying solely on others. And there is work life balance.

“Employees that are competitive and balanced are productive employees,” says President and CEO Craig Fusting.“It’s a matter of ‘what do I need to get done to get to this goal,’” he says. “What can I do to be productive and balance my time throughout the day?”

The problem-solving piece is important as well. Instead of relying on a couple of individuals or a manager to solve a problem, workers who become creative problem-solvers themselves can help things run more smoothly — and more quickly.

Staffing is “a tough racket, it’s 24 hours a day, it’s a competitive business, so you’ve got to find people who are going to be able to solve those problems,” says COO Aaron Ziraks. They need to make good decisions and not get flustered when something is hard. One person may be great at one thing, but together they are great at everything.

Work-life balance is a component as well — as is getting out of the office. The company has taken workers whitewater rafting, dodgeball, laser tag and more. It also had an “Amazing Race” themed competition where managers traveled across three different states following clues to find the CEO and COO. Most recently, DNA had an event based on the board game “Clue,” where managers were broken down into three teams and had to solve a puzzle without the use of cell phones.

Also this year, DNA began a travel nurse business. The company began with zero travelers and has since growth to 135 travelers. It’s now one of the core segments the company serves along with per diem nursing.

“I think it was really the next logical step,” Ziraks says, adding that it comes down to how the company can best serve its customers and adding travel nursing made sense as the next step forward.

For the future, growth remains on the menu for DNA. They are getting ready to move into a new corporate office in Delmont, Pa., and it’s planning new offices in Dayton, Ohio; Cincinnati; Indianapolis; Charlotte, NC; Allentown, Pa.; Florida; and Columbia, SC.

Ziraks says he would also like to see the company continue to build its culture, working toward continuous improvement.

“Our company’s goal every day: Let’s be better today than we were yesterday,” he says.

2017 FASTEST-GROWING US STAFFING FIRMS

Dedicated Nursing Associates (DNA)

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