Given this reality, Fraser says it is important to create projects that people can “sink their teeth into.”

“That’s what they want. Our people want to do new things, have new initiatives,” he says.

Fraser says while no official decision has been made yet, home office is leaning toward protocols that will determine where any project fits. For instance, if a project would clearly impact the entire organization immediately, it will be looked at to see if it fits realistically with other initiatives already going on at OMNI.

“If the project impacts the same people already engaged in an existing project, we’d probably hold off on the new one,” explains Fraser, so resources are not stretched.

Fraser says in other cases, an individual home may simply want to take something on that doesn’t necessarily have to fit company wide. “Then they would not have to come to home office through a projects committee, in that case,” says Fraser.

But, says the CEO, he would like to see a way for project ideas to get communicated to home office, so that everyone is aware of what each other is doing. “This is a great tie-in to communities of practice,” explains Fraser.

“We’ll share ideas and the people themselves are making the priorities. The projects will end up being owned by the people,” says Fraser.

Corrie Dunlop, from the eastern regional office, says the new emphasis and commitment OMNI is placing on special projects is the first such experience for the long-term care provider.

Corrie says she came from a projects background and so is excited about this new focus for OMNI. She cites OMNI’s Tena project and its emerging IT strategies as an example of a project that is happening now and a new one that might be on the horizon.

“To be involved in something unique and different is energizing for people,” says Corrie.