Challenge
When talking with child care providers and afterschool program managers, the topic of turnover can often dominate the conversation. This revolving door of staff has become one of the biggest pain points in the industry. Instead of spending money on improving program quality for children and their families, it is spent on a seemingly endless cycle of recruitment, orientation, and training. The industry is left scrambling for solutions. How can organizations attract talented workers to part-time positions? Is there a way to increase training efficiency? What can be done to increase staff retention?
The Brevard Afterschool Program was no stranger to this struggle. As the 48th largest school district in the US, with staff serving programs across 55 elementary schools, finding a way to increase staff retention and lighten the training burden was imperative. Brevard’s search for a solution led them to us here at CypherWorx.
Solution
Throughout the partnership, CypherWorx’s Learning Management System, CollaborNation, has helped Brevard Afterschool to simplify training and tackle turnover. The afterschool programs continue to find great success in three major areas:
- A customized site to unify and centralize where training takes place.
- Increased employee satisfaction.
- Investing in employee growth and attracting talent.
Benefits
Unification and Centralization
Brevard Afterschool has been able to combat the time- and money-consuming effects of turnover by centralizing their training efforts. Though learners are spread across 55 locations, they all complete training on a single online platform. Managers use their customized CollaborNation website to access a complete list of learners and easily monitor their progress, all with a single log-in.
By consolidating training efforts onto a single platform, Brevard Afterschool has been able to reduce time spent tracking certification completions and granting training approvals. Managers no longer have to leaf through stacks of event brochures and respond to staff questions like, ‘Will this event count towards my training requirement?’ In CollaborNation, Brevard Afterschool is able to consistently assign and track training with just a few clicks.
Staff Appreciation & Consideration
Brevard Afterschool knows one of the ingredients to employee retention is demonstrating appreciation. By investing in a system that allows employees to train at their convenience, management communicates their understanding that staff time is valuable. Employees are no longer expected to drive long distances to training sessions or give up a Saturday to sit through a lecture. Courses are accessible at a time and place that is convenient for them. CollaborNation helps Brevard Afterschool to reinforce the idea that staff convenience and time are respected and that management cares.
Fostering Professional Development
Brevard Afterschool saw an opportunity to enhance program quality by creating a purposeful professional development program for its employees utilizing the afterschool and early childcare courses offered by CypherWorx. The plan stemmed from a desire to incentivize employee growth and attract talented workers to part-time positions. Because their afterschool program is publicly funded, traditional monetary incentives weren’t in the budget.
As a result, Brevard turned to professional growth and development as a source of incentive. As part of their program, Brevard developed new job descriptions and opportunities for advancement. Staff move up this career ladder as they complete courses from our catalog. Though relatively new, this program appears to be encouraging professional growth and effectively rewarding employees for their ongoing learning.
In addition, the part-time child care positions have garnered greater interest. Brevard Afterschool is able to demonstrate that these positions allow for professional growth and serve as stepping stones into sought-after positions in Brevard’s public school system.
Conclusion
Training is an integral part of out-of-school time and childcare operations. The methods used to provide and track training and professional development often determine how effectively organizations manage turnover. Brevard’s investment in CollaborNation has allowed for a positive change in training efficiencies. This afterschool program has mitigated the negative side effects of turnover by centralizing training and demonstrating appreciation for staff. They have created appeal for part-time positions with opportunities for advancement. The use of CollaborNation continues to inspire and facilitate positive changes for Brevard Afterschool Program.