Title: Employee Selection Protocol to Improve Child Welfare Retention and Practice
1Employee Selection Protocol to Improve Child
Welfare Retention and Practice
- Alberta J. Ellett, Ph. D.
- UGA School of Social Work
- aellett_at_uga.edu
- Chad D. Ellett, Ph.D.
- CDE Research Associates, Inc.
- cderesearch_at_att.net
- Betsy Lerner, MS
- DFCS Education Training Services Section
- cblerner_at_dhr.state.ga.us
- Scaling the Summit, Denver
- August 6, 2008
2Workshop Overview
- Need for Employee Selection Protocol
- Overview of Employee Selection Protocol
- View Realistic Job Preview Video
- Take Self-Assessment
- Pilot Next Steps
- Importance of recruitment selection Recent GA
IV-E findings
3Need for Project
- National turnover rates are high, 20 (APHSA)
- Georgia turnover rate in 2000, 44 (DHR)
- Georgia turnover rate in 2004, 66 (DHR)
- As high as 100 in some counties
- Title IV-E Agency/University Partnerships only
retention program in 2000
4Problems Created by Turnover
- Interferes with continuity and quality of
services to children/families loss of federal
dollars - Lost human and financial investments in
education, training, and expertise (1/3 of
employees salary) - Weakens professional organizational culture and
morale
5Problems Created by Turnover cont.
- Places additional burden on remaining staff
- High turnover breeds more turnover
- 2 year lag time for new employees to dev.
essential knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) - Delays in replacing staff send negative messages
to the clients, courts, public and staff
6Why Employee Retention Matters
- Leads to a stable and competent workforce
- Leads to continuity in planning and quality of
services - Leads to better client outcomes for safety,
permanence and well-being - Lowers caseloads
- More cost effective
- for in-service training for experienced staff
7(No Transcript)
8General Purpose of the ESP Project
- The purpose of the project was to develop a
standardized, research-based employee selection
process (ESP) to select applicants for employment
with the requisite knowledge, skills, abilities
and values for a career in child welfare, rather
than hire and train large numbers of employees
who are not suited for this work and leave within
one year.
9Research Base
- The Georgia 2003 Retention/Turnover Study
- Review of CW literature
- Review of literature on realistic job preview
videos - Review of core CW knowledge, skills, abilities
and values
10Synthesis of GA 2003 Survey Findings
- The most important predictor of intent to remain
in CW was professional commitment of the human
caring measure - The second most important predictor of intent to
remain, was supportive supervision - Those with social work degrees and IV-E were more
inclined to remain employed in CW than those with
other degrees
112003 GA CW Committed Survivors Study
- Organizational Reminiscence
- Public image
- Competitive Salary
- Job security
- Lower caseloads
- Were valued
- Mentored by supervisor
- Clinical supervision vs compliance or task
supervision - Caseworker discretion
122003 GA CW Committed Survivors Study
- Societal Reminiscence
- gtguns, drugs, violence, STDs, single parents,
etc. - gtemployee turnover, far fewer employment to
retirement - More litigious
- Personal Characteristics
- Committed to clients and profession
- Non-judgmental
- Compassionate with firmness
- Strong self-efficacy beliefs
- Problem solving skills
- Time management organizational skills
- Life outside of CW
- Sense of humor
132003 GA CW Committed Survivors StudyCore Themes
- Personal
- Movement w/i and beyond CW agency
- Goodness of fit with work assignment w/i work
unit - Organizational
- Supportive administration (knowledgeable and
leadership) - Quality supervision (teaches practice knowledge,
professional development, caring) - Need to mentor new CW employees
- Societal
- Administrators buffer bet. staff, state office,
community
14Increases in the number of worker changes
correlated with decreasing achievement of
permanency
Data reported represents 679 children who entered
care in calendar year 2003 through September 2004
and exited within the same time period. Data
reported to review staff by the Bureau of
Milwaukee Child Welfare. (Flower, McDonald,
Sumski, 2005)
15Research Realistic Job Previews (RJP)
- Employees feeling misled by recruiting strategies
do not feel committed to accept a job and are
more likely to leave - RJPs may influence satisfaction and employees
abilities to cope because they have information
before employment
16Organizational/HR Research Realistic Job
Previews (RJP)
- Applicants decisions to become employees are
based upon the degree to which the job meets
their needs - RJPs are most effective in situations that have
the highest employee turnover and the lowest pay
17Organizational/HR Research, continued
- The energy expended to apply for a job increases
commitment - RJP lowers turnover rates
- Increases selecting out by job candidates
ill-suited for CW - Increases job satisfaction (expectations aligned
with actual job demands)
18ESP targets early turnover to decrease the number
of new-hires leaving during the training period
before certification
GA DFCS Metro Centralized Hiring data as of
10/31/06, reflects first year of project Total
Hired between 03/16/05 through 3/31/06 524
19Job-Related Validity, Frequency and Criticality
Study
- Developed 33 core KSAV items
- Maintain a commitment to protect children
preserve families - Demonstrate evidence of CW knowledge /or
experience - 98 supervisors administrators rated criticality
to client safety (do no harm) and frequency - All deemed critical and frequently used in CW
work - Used these 33 KSAVs to frame the ESP
- Established job-related validity of the ESP
20Employee Selection Protocol Step 1
- Applicant On-line orientation self-selection
- Read overview of agency child welfare work
- View job preview videotape
- Complete receive feedback on job-related self
assessment - Verify completion of all tasks
21Overview of Agency Child Welfare Work Task 1
- DFCS and the roles of child welfare professionals
- CW employee qualifications pre-service training
- Challenges personal rewards of child welfare
work - A typical day as a social services case
- Frequently asked job benefits questions
- Characteristics of successful CW employees
- Organizational Supports
- Piloted with IV-E applicants, SW students, new
hires
22Realistic Job Preview Task 2
- Solicited respected/competent workers and
supervisors - Interviewed over phone
- Selected based on demeanor, proportionality,
stories - Video-taped 10 workers 2 supervisors
- Edited for personal rewards and challenges of
work - Piloted with IV-E applicants, SW students, new
hires - Identified background for interest
- Prepared captions of sections and credits
23Self-Assessment Task 3
- Items from IRE, Professional Commitment work
realities piloted with IV-E applicants new
hires - I cant imagine enjoying any profession as much
as public CW - I intend to remain in child welfare as my
long-term professional career. - Even though many DFCS clients live in
disadvantaged and/or dangerous neighborhoods, I
am willing to make home visits using my own
automobile. - I am willing to be on call for work during
evenings and on weekends if necessary, even
though overtime pay is generally not allowed.
24Employee Selection Protocol Step 2Employee
Application
- Submits application letter with
- motivation and career goals re public child
welfare - personal characteristics and/or experiences that
particularly merit selection (writing sample) - Submits resume with education and work experience
pertinent to CW 3 professional references - Submits Georgia Merit Application
- Makes transcript request
25Employee Selection Protocol Step 3Agency
Decision to Interview
- Screen application
- Phone interview
- Web-based activities completed?
- Collect additional information re communication
skills - Answer questions about position, give
county-specific information - Applicant wants to move forward with on-site
interview?
26Employee Selection Protocol Step 4On-Site
Assessment
- Applicant complete in-basket task to assess
analytical, organizational time management skills - Respond to written question
- Panel preparation (2 demonstration interviews)
- Review application packet
- Assess response to written question
- Assess in-basket assignment follow-up questions?
- Trained team of 3 experienced DHR/DFCS
professionals conduct semi-structured interview - Include behaviorally anchored questions
- Consider KSAV assessment framework
27Employee Selection Protocol Step 5Employment
Decision
- Weigh all information gathered in Steps 1 through
4 - professional judgment and decision-making
- holistic assessment
- objectivity
- weighing evidence
- independent assessments
28Employee Selection Protocol Step 5Employment
Decision
- Collective assessments
- juried process
- fatal flaws
- reaching consensus
- personal (or collective) subjectivity and/or bias
- employment decisions and consequences
- Check references
- Panel consensus and decision (goal is 100
agreement, but 67 OK with rationale)
29ESP Flow Chart
- STEP 1. Attract/Recruit
- IV-E stipends
- Job fairs, employee referrals, posted ads,
newspaper ads - Direct applicants to www.dhrjobs.com
- STEP 2. Inform for self-selection
- Applicant reviews Web Text, Overview of Social
Services Child Welfare Positions - Applicant views Realistic Job Preview Video
- Applicant takes Self-Assessment
Yes
Applicant decision Is this the right job for me?
30ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 3. Submit electronic application
- Professional resume
- educational background
- work experiences
- personal contact information
- three professional references
- Cover letter of application
- motivation and career goals re public child
welfare - personal characteristics and/or experiences that
particularly merits selection - Georgia Merit Application
- Transcript request
31ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 4. Screen application packet
- STEP 5. Phone interview
- Web-based activities completed?
- Collect additional information re communication
skills - Answer questions about position, give
county-specific information - Applicant wants to move forward with on-site
interview?
Hiring Authority decision Appropriate education
and experience?
Yes
32ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 6. On-site interview, Phase I
- Applicant
- Respond to written question
- Complete in-basket assignment
33ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 6. On-site interview, Phase I
- Panel preparation
- Review application packet
- Assess response to written question
- Assess in-basket assignment follow-up questions?
- Assign selected questions
- Include behaviorally anchored
- Consider KSAV assessment framework
34ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 6. On-site interview, Phase II
- Semi-structured interview
- Establishing and communicating procedures
- Interview questioning and demeanor
- Terminating the interview
- Legal guidelines
35ESP Flow Chart, cont.
- STEP 7. Employment Decision
- Weigh all information gathered in Steps 4 through
6 - professional judgment and decision-making
- holistic scoring
- objectivity
- weighing evidence
- independent assessments
- Collective assessments
- juried process
- fatal flaws
- reaching consensus
- personal (or collective) subjectivity and/or bias
- employment decisions and consequences
- Check references
- Panel consensus and decision
Hiring Authority decision Good match for SSCM?
36Pilot Next Steps
- Statewide advisory group from beginning
- Piloted with supervisors, county directors and
regional administrators in 3 regions - Pilot evaluation most positive
- Used to screen and select all IV-E applicants
- ESP not mandatory practice
- Some elements used in pilot areas
- Self-selection elements available on line
- Estimate that 40 applicants view RJP video
37IV-E Turnover Stats
- ESP now used to screen and select all IV-E
applicants - IV-E Graduates YTD Turnover
- Class of 2005 1st year 2.2 and 2nd year 8.0
- Class of 2006 1st year 1.2 and 2nd year 16
- (year after commitment fulfilled)
- Class of 2005 12.5
- Class of 2006 10.3
- Overall SSCM YTD Turnover 33