BACKGROUND

This manual is designed to be used as a resource for educators/trainers facilitating the training, “Enhancing Supervisor Skills to Support Worker Retention”. While this manual provides an example of half-day training, the material lends itself to use in a variety of formats such as a series of “lunch and learn” sessions or in one-on-one coaching and training. Of note is the option to apply this curriculum to the needs of new or seasoned supervisors. This can be achieved by integrating a choice of either the “basic” video vignette series or the “advanced” video vignette series. It is expected that trainers/facilitators will tailor the curriculum information to the experience level of the participants.

This training can be facilitated with or without the use of a PowerPoint presentation. Reference is made in trainer notes to both the PowerPoint slide(s) and location of information in handouts. Brief discussion regarding alternative formats is included at the end of this manual.

Materials

Materials include:

  • an annotated trainer outline
  • copies of handouts and exercises
  • a PowerPoint presentation (trainer may want to print slide note pages)
  • links to two online videos – one that demonstratesuse of basic supervisory skills and one portrayingadvanced supervisoryskills (link information is embedded in the trainer notes)

Purpose of Course

Introduce new and experienced supervisors to three research-based skills linked to workforce outcomes: task assistance, social and emotional support, and interpersonal interaction.

Increase knowledge regarding the value of implementing these skills in working with

child welfare staff.

Provide the opportunity to discuss and practice each of the skills during training.

Increase competence in use of the skills through transfer of learning activities.

Description

This supervisor skills curriculum is designed to provide participants with knowledge and skills they can easily implement in their day-to-day supervisory activities with staff. Participants will discuss and practice the skills during training and will have an opportunity to develop an individual plan for implementing skills in the work setting.

INTRODUCING THE DAY

Trainer’s Notes:

During the housekeeping/welcome section, briefly provide background information, explain the purpose of the course, the learning objectives and review the agenda for the day.

Refer participants to Agenda on page 2 of their handouts

(Sample half-day agenda – revise as needed)

ENHANCING SUPERVISOR SKILLS TO SUPPORT WORKER RETENTION

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

1:00Welcome & Introductions

1:15Overview – Supervisor Skills that Support Worker Retention

1:45Video: Task Assistance

Discussion/Application of Skills – Task Assistance

2:30Break

2:45Video: Social and Emotional Support

Discussion/Application of Skills – Social and Emotional Support

3:30Video: Interpersonal Interaction

Discussion/Application of Skills – Interpersonal Interaction

4:00Implementation Planning for Use of Skills

Wrap-up

Evaluation

4:30Adjourn

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  1. List supervisory skills linked to workforce outcomes – task assistance, social and emotional support, and interpersonal interaction.
  2. List two or more situations in which each skill may be used.
  3. Demonstrate use of the skills.
  4. List two or more situations in which the skills might be used in supervision of staff.

Trainer:

Setting the Stage for this Training:

Conscious-Unconscious Competence

Trainer Notes:

This a good time to briefly explain that this course may contain information familiar to some participants and the desire of the trainer for participants to contribute to the training based on their own professional experiences.

Display Slide 2: “Conscious-Unconscious Competence” or post on flip chart.

Note that some supervisors participating in this training may be aware of the concepts and skills that will be presented. The purpose of discussing the idea of Conscious-Unconscious Competence is to help motivate participants to engage in training even though they may have experience or some level of expertise related to the training topic.

One way for the trainer to approach it is by introducing the idea of “conscious-unconscious competence”: When we learn a new skill, we are often unaware of what it is we don’t know. Using the example of a new worker on the job, ask participants if they recall what that time felt like. For example, did they need to have the answer when asked a question? Usually it is a fairly comfortable time where one can simply say, “I don’t know”. But there soon comes a time when we become aware of all that we don’t know and that time can be uncomfortable in the learning process. As we become more knowledgeable and skillful, we often notice when and how we are employing a concept – that “conscious competence” level of learning. Finally, we may operate on automatic pilot, or “unconscious competence” in relation to the skill or knowledge and don’t give it a second thought.

Trainer acknowledges that participants may have knowledge of the information and skills being discussed in this training. Participants are encouraged to move back to the level of “conscious competence” for today’s training by reflecting on how they use concepts with which they may be familiar.

BACKGROUND – EFFECTIVE SUPERVISORS

Trainer Notes:

Display Slide 3: “Supervisors”.

Discuss concepts on slide briefly.

WHY WORKERS REMAIN IN THE CHILD WELFARE PROFESSION

Trainer Notes:

Display Slides 4 & 5: “Workers who remain in Child Welfare”.

Note that the research shows that the supervisor’s role with child welfare workers has a critical impact on the whether workers remain in the field of child welfare.

SUPERVISOR DIMENSIONS THAT INFLUENCERETENTION

Trainer Notes:

Display Slide 6: “What Supervisor Dimensions Influence Retention?”

There are three primary supervisor skills/behaviors that influence staff retention: Task Assistance, Social and Emotional Support, and Interpersonal Interaction. These three dimensions are the basis of this training regarding the critical role of supervisors in child welfare.

TASK ASSISTANCE / SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT / INTERPERSONAL INTEACTION

Trainer Notes:

Refer participants to page 3 of handouts and/or display Slides 7-9: “Task Assistance”, “Social and Emotional Support”, Interpersonal Interaction.

Briefly review the three supervisory dimensions: task assistance, social and emotional support, and interpersonal interaction noting that they contribute to beneficial outcomes for workers. Note that you will be covering each of the three dimensions in detail as the training progresses. Also note that there is a literature brief in their handouts (pages4-6)which describes in more detail how supervision relates to workforce outcomes(copy provided on next three pages for trainer reference).

1

Kansas Workforce Initiative Evidence Review

How Supervision Relates to Workforce Outcomes

Compiled March 2010

Level of Evidence: The effect of supervision on workforce outcomes has been the subject of research in numerous meta-analytic, multivariate, and correlational studies. There is correlational evidence that high quality supervision plays a role in the retention of child welfare workers. There are no studies that evaluate the impact of a supervisory intervention on workforce outcomes.

Current Best Evidence

  • What types of supervisory behavior influence retention?
  • The three supervisory dimensions: task assistance, social and emotional support, and interpersonal interaction contribute to beneficial outcomes for workers. Of these, task assistance had the greatest impact on positive worker outcomes.[1]
  • Task Assistance - Supervisors, who provide tangible, work-related advice and instruction, provide assistance in job-related tasks, support training and learning activities, coach employees, and offer solutions to work related problems contribute to workers having higher rates of retention.
  • Social and Emotional Support - Supervisor who listen to workers as they discuss job difficulties, provide supportive statements, and relate to the emotional needs of the workers when they feel overwhelmed, stressed, or confused by their work have workers with higher rates of retention.
  • Interpersonal Interaction - There is a positive link between a worker’s perception of the quality of the supervisory relationship and worker outcomes such as sense of competence, sense of personal accomplishment, organizational citizenship behavior, and job satisfaction.
  • Supervisors who interact with subordinates as professionals and encourage child welfare staff to share responsibilities for organizational vision and leadership and to continue personal and professional development increase the likelihood that a worker will remain employed in child welfare.[2]
  • Workers who remain employed in child welfare:
  • Have high quality supervision/leadership[3][4]
  • Have high supervisor and coworker supportiiiiv[5][6][7]xixiixiiixivxix
  • Have supervisors who facilitate their learning[8]
  • Have supervisors who support workers practice[9]
  • Report more guidance from their supervisor x
  • Have a strong sense of security and emotional closeness with their supervisor[10]
  • Feel assured that they can rely on their supervisor for tangible supportx
  • Feel more positive about the role of their supervisor and have a more favorable view of their supervisor[11]
  • Have supervisors who are more competent in doing their job, are more concerned with the worker’s welfare, acknowledge the worker when they have a done a good job, help the worker complete difficult tasks, and are warm and friendly when the worker is having problems[12]
  • What job-related factors work with supervision to influence retention?
  • The following factors increase the likelihood of retention:
  • Role clarity ixxiii
  • High organizational commitmentix[13]
  • High professional commitmentiiiiv[14]
  • High levels of job satisfaction xiixiiixivxv
  • High job autonomy vxiii
  • Better working conditionsxiii
  • Satisfaction with extrinsic rewards iii
  • Higher salaries xiixvi
  • Spend less time on court related tasks xii
  • Less emotional exhaustionxii
  • Less stress xiv
  • Less job tension xvi
  • How do personal characteristics interact with supervision to influence retention?
  • Supervisory support is especially important for retaining workers who have a low perception of self-efficacy.[15]
  • Workers who use control coping (positive thinking, help seeking, and direct action) are more likely to remain employed in child welfare.iv
  • Low supervisory support has a larger effect on intention to leave for men than women.[16]
  • Women are more likely to receive supervisor support than men.[17]
  • More experienced workers are more likely to perceive less supervisory support. xvii[18]
  • More experienced workers who have high levels of supervisor support are more likely to remain employed in child welfare.xvixviii
  • Supervisory support is more important for retaining less experienced workers. ii[19]Levels of human caring, self-efficacy, motivation, and persistence play a more important role in the intent to remain employed than elements of organizational culture.ii

Practice Implications

The findings regarding supervision and worker retention imply that certain supervisor behaviors should be increased or maintained through setting clear job expectations, training, coaching, monitoring and rewarding desired behaviors. These behaviors can be categorized as task assistance, social and emotional support and interpersonal interactions.

  • Task Assistance- Supervisors need to:
  • Provide work related advice and instruction
  • Offer assistance with job related tasks
  • Support training and learning activities
  • Coach workers
  • Provide task assistance more frequently with newer workers
  • Social and emotional support – Supervisors need to:
  • Listen to workers as they discuss job difficulties or problems
  • Make supportive statements
  • Recognize the emotional needs of workers feeling overwhelmed, stressed or confused
  • Acknowledge and reward workers for doing a good job
  • Be warm, friendly, and respectful with workers
  • Clarify the workers role and job responsibilities
  • Encourage job autonomy
  • Encourage workers positive thinking and help seeking to manage stress
  • Interpersonal interaction
  • Encourage coworkers to support each other
  • Encourage a sense of competence in workers
  • Interact with workers as professionals/encourage staff to share the organization’s vision
  • Project a sense of emotional closeness to workers
  • Support male and female workers equally
  • Provide support to workers regardless of how long they have been on the job

1

Overview – Effective Supervision

Trainer Notes: Refer participants to page 7 of handouts and/or display Slide 10: “Effective Supervision”

Workers who receive effective supervision reciprocate with positive feelings and behaviors toward their jobs and organizations. Three supervisory dimensions act as protective, proactive, or preventive factors in ensuring a positive work environment that can contribute to worker effectiveness and quality service delivery: task assistance; social and emotional support; and interpersonal interaction.

● Empowerment, organizational citizenship behavior, job satisfaction, and retention are realized when

supervisors provide tangible, work-related advice and instruction to workers.

● Workers’ well-being, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction improves when they receive

support of their emotional needs and job-related stressors from their supervisors.

● There is a link between a worker’s perception of the quality of the supervisory relationship and worker

outcomes such as sense of competence, sense of personal accomplishment, organizational citizenship

behavior, and job satisfaction.

The Impact of Supervision on Staff Retention

Trainer Notes: Refer participants to page 7 of handouts and/or display Slide 11:“The Impact of Supervision on Staff Retention”.

Of the three dimensions, the research shows that task assistance has the greatest impact on positive worker outcomes, while supportive supervision and quality supervisory relationships were associated with reduced worker anxiety, stress, depression, somatic complaints, burnout, intention to leave, and turnover. Supervisors who provide tangible, work-related advice and instruction, provide assistance in job-related tasks, support training and learning activities, coach employees and offer solutions to work-related problems contribute to workers having higher rates of retention.

REVIEWING AND APPLYING THE SUPERVISOR SKILLS

Trainer Notes:

Explain that participants will now have the opportunity to view a set of videos that depict use of the three supervisory skills. These videos were produced by the Kansas Workforce Initiative utilizing Kansas child welfare workers as actors who portray typical supervisory situations. After viewing each vignette, participants will have the opportunity to discuss and briefly practice the skill.

Display Slide 12: “Video Viewing Tips” or post on flip chart.

To set the stage for watching the videos, ask participants to focus on what the supervisor is saying/doing; reflect on the influence of these straightforward behaviors; and think about other ways the skills may be used

VIDEO: Task Assistance

Video links:

(Basic)

(Advanced)

Trainer Notes:

Refer participants to Handout page 3 and/or display Slide 7. Show the video.

Practice Segment (about 30 minutes): Dyads will practice skill with each other

Materials: Flip chart and markers

Preparation: Label chart paper “Typical Worker Tasks”; display slide “Task Assistance” if using Power Point presentation.

Instructions to Participants:

Ask the group to list several typical tasks for which their workers ask for assistance.Examples might include filling out forms, specific client-related issues, etc. Once a list isdeveloped, ask participants to select a partner and, using a topic from the list, practice the elements of “Task Assistance”. Note that they can refer to the slide on their handouts to refresh their memory about the elements of task assistance. Instruct participants that they will switch roles and select another topic from the list after 7-8 minutes.

Debriefing:

After activity, ask dyads to reconvene as a large group. Ask for their experience with the role plays – what they found easy to do and what they found challenging. Remind them that while this seems like a very simple, routine skill, task assistance can have a profound impact on workers’ sense of job satisfaction and on staff retention.

VIDEO: Social and Emotional Support

Video links:

(Basic)

(Advanced)

Trainer Notes:

Refer participants to Handout page 3 and/or display Slide 8. Show the video.

Practice Segment (about 30 minutes): This exercise can be done as a single group if there are 8 or fewer training participants. Otherwise, it can be done in multiple groups of up to 9 people. If done in one group, the trainer will play the role of a worker and participants will, as a group, play the role of a supervisor. If done in multiple small groups, one participant will take the role of the worker and the rest will play the role of a supervisor. There are 8 discreet social emotional support skills that will be delegated or chosen by group participants who play the role of the supervisor.

Materials: Small envelopes each containing a set of the Social /Emotional Support skills each listed separately on a slip of paper (template on next page). Flip chart and markers.

Preparation: Label chart paper “Social/Emotional Support”; display slide “Social and Emotional Support” if using PowerPoint. Decide if the exercise will be done in one group or multiple groups.

Instructions to Participants: If not doing the exercise in one group,instruct participants to break into small groups of up to 9 people.Explain that participants will be asked to take on the role of a supervisor interacting with a worker who needs their support. Ask the group to list a few situations where a worker is upset about a personal situation that impacts them in the workplace and may require a supervisor to provide social and emotional support for a worker. List the examples briefly on the chart paper.