Now or Later - Supervisors Make All the Difference

A Vacant Position: : 

A Vacant Position: It’s something every supervisor dreads. Having a vacancy means having to distribute the workload among the remaining staff. It probably means needing to “fill shifts.” It means having to recruit, hire, and train a new employee. And it most likely means the supervisor will be working additional hours until the position is filled.

Quality Care : 

Quality Care As a supervisor in the human services field, you know your work doesn’t stop just because there’s a vacancy. The people you support depend on you to provide them with quality care and services, regardless of your staffing issues. It’s not a simple process to find and keep good direct support professionals. Let’s face it - being a direct support professional is not an easy job. Rewarding, yes. Fulfilling, yes. But easy? Definitely not.

Importance of Orientation & Training : 

Importance of Orientation & Training Many new direct support professionals leave within the first three months of employment. There are a number of reasons this happens. Some are reasons an agency can’t control, like child care or transportation issues. But sometimes new employees leave because their orientation and training was lacking critical components to help them feel successful in their (very difficult) new job. And that’s something your agency and you, as a supervisor, absolutely can control.

In This Training : 

In This Training We’ll discuss the critical role you, as a supervisor, play to help improve employee retention. We’ll talk about the difference between orientation and training, and how you can make sure you’re doing both. We’ll also review some basic (but often overlooked) safety topics that you’ll want to make sure to teach new staff.

As A Supervisor : 

As A Supervisor It’s your responsibility to make sure new staff are prepared and trained to do their jobs. It’s a safety issue - for the new employee, for other staff, and for the people you support. But it’s also a retention issue. How you prepare and train them, and the methods you use, are critically important. And that’s where many of us miss the boat.

Acclimation : 

Acclimation Generally, we jump right in to start training a new employee on their first day of work. It does make some sense - after all, you need to get the new employee up to speed as soon as possible. They need to count on the schedule right away! You have shifts to fill, and you need people to fill them! Sound familiar? But here’s the harsh reality: Employees who are not given an opportunity to acclimate to their new employment environment will most likely not stay. Even more concerning is this: Employees who receive inadequate instruction are much more likely to become injured while working.

Orientation : 

Orientation That’s where orientation comes in. Consider this: New employees are not ready to be trained. New employees have basic needs, and they can’t learn how to do their jobs if their basic needs aren’t being met. So it’s your job to fulfill those needs… BEFORE you try to provide training.

What Are New Employee “Basic Needs?” : 

What Are New Employee “Basic Needs?” Where do I hang up my coat or put my purse/bag/cell phone? When do I get paid? What’s the agency’s phone number? When do I get a break or lunch, and when can I take it? Where do I park my car and what entrance should I use? What should I wear? How do I find out my work schedule? What should I expect to do during my orientation and training? What’s my job title? How do I fill out this confusing tax form? Where’s the bathroom? They’re things that have less to do with the employer and more to do with the new employee. Here are some examples:

If I’m A New Employee : 

If I’m A New Employee Think about it: If I’m a new employee and I’m still trying to figure out where the bathroom is, and you’re giving me instructions about a task you need me to learn how to do, I’m not going to hear what you’re saying. If I’m a new employee and I’m still carrying my purse on my shoulder because you haven’t told me where to put it yet, how much of your instruction am I going to absorb?

If I’m A New Employee : 

If I’m A New Employee If I’m a new employee, and I’m spending time worrying about when payday is, how am I going to learn what you’re trying to teach me? It can be easy to forget that the words “orientation” and “training” are not synonyms. Many people use the words interchangeably. Does your agency call your program “New Employee Orientation,” or something similar? Most likely, a lot of that orientation program is, in fact, training.

Orientation vs. Training : 

Orientation vs. Training Orientation means “introducing a new situation or environment.” Training means “bringing a person to an agreed standard of proficiency through practice and instruction.” In simple terms, Orientation is something you do NOW. Training is something you do LATER. Hint: Check out the classes in your “New Employee Orientation.” Are classes like CPR and First Aid, for example, part of the orientation? If so, you might have a problem. CPR and First Aid are training classes!

New Employee Orientation : 

New Employee Orientation New employee orientation should be just like its definition - introducing the new employee to their new environment. Try not to look at the new employee as someone who’s filling a vacancy. Take the time to meet their needs as a person, and as a new employee, and you’ll find that they will be much more receptive to learning how to do their job. “I’m your new employee. Meet my needs first, and then I’ll do what you need me to do.”

New Employee Orientation : 

New Employee Orientation If you don’t take the time to provide good orientation and comprehensive training to your new employees, they won’t stay. Or, if they do, they could be more of a liability than an asset to your organization. If people are not prepared to do the job you’re asking them to do, they have a higher chance of getting hurt. Same goes for people who don’t know how to do the job you’re asking them to do.

Time To Train : 

Time To Train So you’ve satisfied your new employee’s basic needs. Now, you need to train them. Training can be done in a variety of ways. Usually, a blended approach of online, classroom, and one-on-one training is most successful.

Difference Between Orientation & Training : 

Difference Between Orientation & Training As a supervisor, you’re probably going to do quite a bit of one-on-one training with your new employees. Here are some tips to make training successful and effective. Remember the difference between “orientation” and “training.” Don’t try to teach job-related skills until you’re sure the employee’s basic needs are met. Don’t plan on having the employee “count” on the schedule until their training period is completely over.

What To Expect : 

What To Expect Tell the new employee what to expect Provide a plan for orientation and for training. Give the employees a general idea of where they will be each day and what they can expect to learn over the course of their training.

Be Organized : 

Be Organized When you’re training a new employee, training should be your top priority. You should be prepared to cover the planned material. If you scramble around to find training materials, your new employee may get the impression that their training isn’t important to you. TIP: Arrange for another supervisor to cover any pressing issues that may come up while you’re training. Return the favor when that supervisor has a new employee to train.

Layer Your Training : 

Layer Your Training Teach Step One. Then review Step One, and teach Step Two. Each item you teach should build on the last item you taught. Gradually staggering your training will help ensure you don’t overwhelm the new employee. It will also help you measure the progress made each session.

Tell, Show, And Do : 

Tell, Show, And Do Give Instruction. Demonstrate the task. Then, have the new employee demonstrate the task with you there. This is a good way to cover several different types of learning styles (auditory, visual, and hands-on). It also allows you to observe the new employee’s (hopefully increasing) proficiency.

Ease and Evaluate : 

Ease and Evaluate Ease them into it. Explain what they should expect to see, hear, and experience. Present things in a positive manner. No new employee needs to be told horror stories about the behavioral challenges of the individuals receiving supports. Make sure your training message is understood. Periodically through training, administer post-tests. This will allow you to gauge how much of your instruction the new employee has retained and what areas need to be reviewed.

Safety : 

Safety Use every training as an opportunity to emphasize safety. Everything a new employee learns has at least one basic safety component. Make sure you emphasize the need to work safely with every topic you teach. For example, if you’re teaching a new employee where supplies are kept in the kitchen, make sure to mention that stepstools should be used to reach items at higher levels (i.e. employees should not climb on chairs or counters).

Don’t Overlook The Basics : 

Don’t Overlook The Basics Just because you know how to do something doesn’t mean a new employee will. Begin at the beginning, giving basic background explanation about the topic you’re teaching. Tailor your training style to meet the needs of the adult learner you’re teaching. Speed up your pace if the employee learns quickly. Slow down and repeat items if the new employee needs repetition.

Be Available and Encourage Questions : 

Be Available and Encourage Questions It’s easy for new employees to feel like they’re floundering. As a supervisor, your role is to be supportive and available to your staff. Make an extra effort to check in with new employees to see how they’re doing. Emphasize that all questions are important and that you’re available to answer their questions. Then practice what you preach—be available!

Where Do I Find a Manual? : 

Where Do I Find a Manual? Direct support professional is not a job that comes with a manual. And that’s okay, because you can’t teach someone to do this job just by giving them a book to read. That’s not training. If you do need a new employee to spend time reading books (i.e. individual support plan books), make sure you’ve given a thorough training into the use and purpose of those books first. Don’t just plop a new employee down at a table with a book and expect them to read it and learn something.

Learning and Retaining : 

Learning and Retaining Instead, go through several books section by section with the new employee and explain the purpose of each document. Not only will this help the new employee learn about your documentation requirements, but it will help them begin to get to know the individuals they will support. Good orientation and training leads to retention. And while retention is very important, so is working safely. The things you do up front to prepare a new employee for doing his or her job will also help make sure the employee can work more safely.

Basic Safety Topics : 

Basic Safety Topics Here are some basic safety topics you’ll want to be sure to review with all new employees: 1.Personal protective equipment. This includes the proper use of gloves, masks, safety glasses (if applicable) and footwear. 2.Proper lifting procedures. While you will need to provide more comprehensive lifting training later in the training process, you should cover the basics right up front. Tasks as simple as lifting a box can be tremendously dangerous if not completed properly. 3.Use and care of equipment. In a residential setting, this includes all appliances. Do you currently teach a new employee how to use the electric can opener? What about the washing machine? You probably should. Don’t assume that someone knows how to do something. Provide instruction (tell, show, and do).

Basic Safety Topics : 

Basic Safety Topics 4. Hazard communication. This includes what types of chemicals and cleaning products are used at the work site, rules for container labeling, and the location of the material safety data sheets. 5. Location of first aid kits and emergency supplies. Don’t forget to provide instruction about where extra items can be found if replacements are needed. 6. Fire and emergency exits. While you will need to provide more formal evacuation training at a later date, new employees need to know right away how and where to exit a building in the event of an emergency.

Basic Safety Topics : 

Basic Safety Topics 7. What they can and can’t do as a new employee. For example, if a new employee isn’t supposed to drive an agency vehicle until they receive clearance to do so, make sure they know that. If a new employee isn’t supposed to participate in the personal care of an individual you support without receiving background check clearance, make sure they know that. It’s your responsibility to make sure new employees know the rules.

All The Difference : 

All The Difference The things you do (or don’t do) at the beginning of an employment experience can make all the difference in terms of employee retention, satisfaction, and safety. Providing new employees with comprehensive, quality orientation and training will help decrease turnover, increase morale, and protect your agency from risks. Remember - put the time in now… Or you might not have a chance to do it later.