Supervisors and Managers as Partners in Workforce Development

Kansas Workforce Initiative Kickoff Symposium September 23, 2009 Nancy S. Dickinson, MSSW, PhD [email protected]

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Conclusion

    There are serious workforce challenges facing child welfare.

Solutions involve both recruiting and selecting the best candidates and managing organizations such that we can keep them.

This is not an easy journey, but it is an essential one.

There are effective strategies and useful partners that can help.

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Demographics of Social Services

  More jobs…fewer workers overall  Growing need for human services workers (BLS projects 36% growth) Salaries – Not competitive and not keeping up   Increasing vacancy and turnover rates Emergent workers – value work fulfillment & work/life balance www.ncwwi.org

Financial Costs of Turnover

  Weary and costly cycle of recruitment, employment, training, production, resignation According to authors of

Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em

, 70% of the vacant position’s annual salary is the cost of that vacancy (Kaye, & Jordan Evans, 2005) www.ncwwi.org

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Human Costs of Turnover

Impact on Staff    High stress, low morale, grief Increased workload for those who stay Insufficient time to do the work www.ncwwi.org

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Impact on Families and Children

 Delay in timely investigations which can be detrimental to the child at risk (US GAO, 2003)    Significantly longer stays in foster care (Flower, McDonald, & Sumski, 2005; Ryan et al., 2006) Higher rates of foster care re-entry (Hess, Folaran, & Jefferson, 1992) Relationship between turnover and recurrence of child maltreatment (NCCD, 2006) www.ncwwi.org

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A Child’s View

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University of Southern Maine Video

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Child Welfare Work is Not for Everyone

  Recruit broadly….select purposefully Don’t spend your time training a turkey to climb a tree….hire a squirrel  Do what it takes to keep the competent and the committed 

Impact is a 3 legged-stool: Recruitment, Selection and Retention

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Children’s Bureau: Recruitment & Retention Grantees    

University at Albany University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Michigan State University University of Iowa

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   

University of Michigan University of Southern Maine Fordham University University of Denver

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Recruitment: Finding the Best

Jordan Institute for Families, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Develop a Recruiting Message and a Plan – Professional Materials (posters, fliers, public service announcements (PSA), paid advertisements) – Use diverse methods to reach potential employees (job fairs, community events, regional cable, print media, internet job sites, agency website, press releases, etc.) – Involve supervisors!

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Recruitment Strategies

  Link to mission and public image   Expand outreach – Students, older workers, racial diversity, international  Expand strategies – print, TV, internet Agency staff as recruiters Streamline the process www.ncwwi.org

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Public Service Announcements

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Selection: Hiring the Best

 Job analyses leading to • Structured interviews and Work Sample Tests • Consistent, well trained selection teams • Strong selection processes! HR is our friend…  Realistic Job Previews – Video introduction to the job – Balanced view of opportunities and challenges – Client and worker perspectives www.ncwwi.org

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Partners for Retention

Visionary Leadership Supervision: Quantity and Quality

Role of Leadership

      Inspire with a vision Align agency values, mission and practice Provide resources to do the job Create a learning organization Communicate Celebrate performance www.ncwwi.org

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Retention: Keeping the Best

  Supervisors are the key to success! Almost every aspect of the worker’s experience with clients and the agency is mediated by the supervisor.

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•Practice Support •Learning Support •Emotional Support

Supervision: Quality and Quantity

            Accessible & regular contact Good communication skills Regular feedback on performance Effective work team Balance productivity and exploration of alternative service delivery approaches Has direct practice experience, knowledge, and skills Understands requirements and best practice Has ability to navigate bureaucratic and judicial hurdles Is concerned with welfare of staff Shows approval Is supportive and mentors staff Appropriately uses newly educated workers

Building a Retention Focused Organization

 Supervisors and managers are the architects of organizational climate for their staff

Organizational Climate

 The collective perception that employees have of their work environment  Workers who perceive a positive organization climate report higher job satisfaction and a greater commitment to their agency (Glisson & Durick, 1988; Glisson, 2000). www.ncwwi.org

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Organizational Climate and Retention

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Mission Driven

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Performance Based

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Affirming

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Organizational Climate



Staff who stay

– Understand the agency’s mission and feel valued as contributors to that mission Carolina, 2008) (Keefe, 2003; Rycraft, 1994; Michigan State, 2008; University of North – Feel part of a learning organization (Fordham University, 2008 – Experience clear expectations and measurable performance objectives (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2003) www.ncwwi.org

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Organizational Climate

– Perceive opportunities for advancement (Denver University; University of Southern Maine, 2008) – Perceive recognition and rewards for performance (Child Welfare Training Institute, 1997; University of North Carolina, 2008) – Feel respected as individual staff members (Landsman, 2001) www.ncwwi.org

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Organizational Climate and Turnover

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Those leaving child welfare

: – Significantly greater levels of role conflict and role overload (Denver University, 2008; University of North Carolina, 2008) – Higher levels of depersonalization (UNC, 2008) – Lower job satisfaction (Fordham University; University of Southern Maine, 2008) – Lack supervisory/organizational support Maine, 2008) (Denver University, 2008; Fordham University, 2008; University of Michigan, 2008; University of North Carolina, 2008; University of Southern www.ncwwi.org

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Retention Strategies

   Employee orientation and socialization Supporting employee development Resilience and recognition www.ncwwi.org

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Organizational Entry

 Getting new staff in the door –

Recruitment and Selection

 Helping new staff engage and thrive –

Orientation and Socialization

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Newcomer Welcome

 Version 1 – This is our philosophy.

– This is what we expect from you.

– These are our policies & procedures.

– This is a great place to work.

 Version 2 – We were expecting you.

– We like you and that is why we hired you.

– We know you are nervous, it’s only natural.

– We expect you to have lots of questions.

– We’re here to answer those questions.

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Orientation: The Feelings

    Is this a good match for me? How do I fit in? Will I be able to do the work?

Are my expectations realistic? Do they have realistic expectations of me?

 What if I make a mistake?

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Newcomer Interview

   Discuss strengths & expectations for the new position  Tailor work expectations and begin to plan for success Clarify expectations Set the stage for future stay interviews www.ncwwi.org

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Newcomer Interview Questions

 How are things the same or different than you thought they would be?

 Of all the things you have done so far, what has been most challenging?

 What talents or skills would you most like to use in your new position?

 What appeals most to you about the job so far? What concerns you most?

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Supervisory Practice Support

     Developmentally appropriate (

Salus, M.K., 2004)

Performance coaching Peer mentoring Case conferencing Evidence-based practice www.ncwwi.org

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Rewards and Recognition

     Individualized – “You are special.” From someone held in high esteem Timely Contingent Sustainable www.ncwwi.org

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What Do Employees Want Most?

     Managerial support & involvement Flexible working hours Learning & development opportunities Manager availability & time Basic Praise – Personal – Written – Public – Electronic www.ncwwi.org

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Retention Partners

   Positive speech that conveys empathy Seek to understand before giving advice Share “expert knowledge” as a consultant & partner  Create a safe environment to explore successes & defeats  Promote peer learning www.ncwwi.org

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NCWWI Partners

University at Albany

Mary McCarthy and Katharine Briar-Lawson, Co-Principal Investigators

University of Iowa

Miriam Landsman

University of Denver

Cathryn Potter

University of Southern Maine

Freda Bernotavicz

Michigan State University

Gary Anderson

University of Michigan

Kathleen Faller

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Fordham University

Virginia Strand

National Indian Child Welfare Association

Terry Cross

University of North Carolina

Gary Nelson Nancy S. Dickinson, NCWWI Project Director

Children’s Bureau/ACF/DHHS

Donna Hornsby, Federal Project Officer

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NCWWI Vision

A committed, qualified and stable public, private and tribal child welfare workforce that is  Strengthened by professional education  Sustained through leadership development  Supported by organizational practices that mirror systems of care principles  Skilled at delivering promising practices that improve outcomes for children and families www.ncwwi.org

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NCWWI Goals

      Derive promising practices in workforce development Identify and facilitate child welfare leadership training for middle managers and supervisors Administer BSW and MSW traineeships Engage national peer networks Support strategic dissemination of effective and promising workforce practices Advance knowledge through collaboration and evaluation.

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Leadership Academy for Mid Managers (LAMM)

   Increase the effectiveness of cw agencies through culturally competent mid-manager training, using and adapting existing curricula  Provide middle managers with professional development through online, residential and peer networking experiences 15 LAMM training experiences in paired regions Regions 6 & 7 in Dallas, TX in March 2009 www.ncwwi.org

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Leadership Academy for Supervisors (LAS)

  Free Online Training  Orientation and Introductory modules  5 core courses in 30 hours Supplementary training Webinars and peer networking www.ncwwi.org

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BSW & MSW Social Work Traineeships

  Increase knowledge and skills of individuals receiving stipends  Build the capacity of 9 university social work programs to prepare students for careers in child welfare Address specific leadership needs and workforce challenges of child welfare systems www.ncwwi.org

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NCWWI Core Philosophy

 Effective child welfare systems require a committed, competent and stable workforce and supportive organizational policies and practices that mirror Systems of Care principles.

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Thank You

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