david dodd, psap liaison nc 911 board staffing, hiring, and retention in the 911 center
TRANSCRIPT
DAVID DODD, PSAP LIAISONNC 911 BOARD
Staffing, Hiring, and Retention in the 911 Center
Goals & Objectives
Discuss ways and resources to determine appropriate staffing levels.
Discuss best practices in hiring quality employees
Discuss ways to retain the good employees you have on your team.
The Ever-Present Disclaimer
Information presented here not necessarily the view or opinion of the 911 Board.
Anything you take away from here should be fully discussed and approved by your local governing authority.
Today’s Subject: A Continuous Cycle
Determining Adequate StaffingHiring TrainingRetainingLosing EmployeesStart the process over
Staffing: Some General Questions for Discussion
How many employees do you need?How do you determine that need?Are the employees you have performing at
acceptable proficiency levels? Does your scheduling match staffing to busy
times?Do your employees routinely work mandatory
overtime? Is it difficult for you to approve vacation and
other time off requests because of inadequate staffing?
Determining Staffing Needs
Quality Assurance Investigating concerns from public & field responders
Statistical Analysis of PSAP Performance Telephone: In-House MIS programs/ECaTS
Call Volume, ASA times, Busy hours, Abandoned Call % CAD: Average Processing & Dispatch Times
Staffing Formulas Erlang Formulas NENA Communications Center Staffing
Workshop/Tool APCO Project RETAINS
From APCO’s Staffing and Retention Textbook
On average, how many hours of overtime do your employees work per month?
8 hours or more on a consistent basis may indicate the need to look at staffing and/or leave policies.
Number of staff depends on; size of center, number of client agencies, nature of services provided, and how the work is assigned.
Fully and adequately staffed centers = higher retention and employee satisfaction.
A Question to Ponder
Is employee burnout more likely due to scheduling and excessive overtime or the stresses and emotional challenges of the job?
Staffing Assessment Demonstration
APCO Project RETAINS
Requesting Additional Staff
People (salary & benefits) biggest expense in local government.
Extensive documentation of need is a must.Show that mandated standards cannot be met.Staffing should allow for some degree of excess
capacity.Support from client agencies/field responders.Compare your agency with similar agencies in
size, population, call volume and staffing. Human Resources Dept. can assist with
identifying comparison agencies.
Now Let’s Hire Someone
What are the attributes you are looking for in an employee?
What type hiring process do you use?
Does it work? If not, what needs to change to improve the process?
Job Descriptions
Applicants should have a clear understanding of what they are applying for.
Job description can weed out those not interested.
Review and update if needed. Have duties or technologies changed? Will new skill sets or additional training be required? Are working conditions and requirements clearly
stated?
Advertise the Position
High school and community college job fairs.Promote center at any public speaking
opportunity.Advertise in local papers, trade publications,
and employment offices.Encourage word of mouth advertising from
employees and field responders.Create a recruitment package to give to
prospective applicants.
Online Applications
We have become a paperless society. Strongly consider posting vacancies and receiving applications online.
Consider a procedure where interested parties can post contact information to your department, so they can be contacted when applications are being taken.
Strive to ensure your center has an excellent reputation in the public safety community, so it will be seen as a desirable and sought after place to work.
Another Word on Your H.R. Department
If your H.R. Department is involved in your hiring process, develop a good working relationship with the people who can help you.
Make sure they understand the uniqueness of
the position you are trying to fill. Don’t forget to show/express your
appreciation for their help.
Selection Process-Screening Applications
What process do you use to screen the applications? Are they applying for the correct position? Is application filled out completely? Does applicant meet any minimum education and/or
work history requirements? What does the work history look like?
Frequent changes in employment, history of staying less than 2 years on many job.
Unexplained gaps in work history. Job history does not indicate a clear career path.
Does applicant have prior experience or experience in a related field?
Screening Applications: More Thoughts
Has applicant followed up application with a phone call or anything else to sell themselves and make them stand out?
Has the candidate provided references? Are they ok with you contacting them? Your thoughts on references? References available on request?
Does the candidate have required licenses or certifications?
Is applicant willing to work the days/hours the job requires?
Does the applicant have a criminal record? What else can you possibly learn from the application?
The “3 Pile” Approach
Sort applications into 3 piles Yes- definitely interested in these people.
Maybe- these applicants have possible potential, but more investigation is needed.
No- these applicants have been eliminated from consideration for whatever reason.
Don’t second guess your “No” stack. You put them there for a reason. Human nature to give the benefit of the doubt. Hence the “Maybe” stack.
Let’s Talk About Interviews
Describe your interview process?Is it valid, reliable, and court defensible?
Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures is a free resource from Biddle Consulting.
www.uniformguidelines.com
(From Biddle presentation: “Interviews, The Best Tool You Can Mess Up. “)
What Should be Measured During an Interview?
Based on findings from job analysisLimit to key areas determined as critical by
analysisJob knowledge, job experience, and ability to
perform job related behaviors might be examples.
Measure appropriate observable behavior, not traits or characteristics that appear over time, such as creativity, dependability, and honesty.
Skills should not be measured during interviews; test for them.
Types of Interview Questions
Experienced Based QuestionsFocuses on reactions to actual situations from
the applicant’s past, that are relevant to the target position.
“Tell me about a time…….”“Describe a time …………”
Types of Interview Questions
Situational QuestionsFocuses on reactions to hypothetical job
related situations.
“……. What would you do in this situation?”“List the steps you would take …….?”
Don’t ask about knowledge, skills, and abilities they would learn on the job.
Which Type is Better?
Experience based questions may not be appropriate for entry level jobs.
Use questions that are most appropriate considering the job and the applicant pool.
For supervisory/management positions, consider an assessment center with scenario type evaluations.
Sticky Questions
What are some examples of sticky questions? How do you word them so they are less
sticky?Do you even ask them?
Not… How many sick days did you use last year?
Yes… Describe your attendance requirements then ask can you meet them?
Or…. How many days were you absent from the job last year?
Interview Question Danger Zones
Marital Status and CircumstancesAgeDisabilitiesGender and physical appearanceCitizenship and national origin
Be careful of small talk. Consider a script for informal questions & discussion.
Length of small talk similar among all applicants.
Interviews Need Structure
Ask the same questions in the same way every time!
Reliability is a pre-condition of validity.
Standardizing interviews increases their reliability.
Pre-Employment Testing: DO IT !!
Helps make the hiring process standardized and court defensible.
Timed testing can show how the applicant deals with stress
Test for knowledge, skills, and abilities that are pertinent to the job.
Establish minimum scoring standards and stick to them.
The Semi-Finalists: Preliminary Interviews
Informal, get acquainted format, but still structured!
Make sure the candidate knows what they are applying for.
Explain the selection processThe Good, The Bad, and The Ugly documentRequire observation time in Comm CenterAnswer any questionsInstruct applicant to decide if they want to
continue and if so, call to schedule observation time.
Last Step: Formal Panel Interview
Who should be on the panel? Consider a line T/C. Why?Consider a mixed race/gender panel. Why?Explain process. Applicant has first & last
word.Consider letting the panel members take
turns asking the interview questions. Why? Use standardized questions and scoring
sheets.
Train Your Interview Panel
Provide questions/materials to panel members prior to interviews for familiarity.
Questions should have a purpose and panel members should know the intent of the questions.
Listen. Don’t talk too much.Take notes! Document everything.
Video or audiotape interviews. Yes or No?
Potential Interview Rating Pitfalls
First impressions. Is a subconscious opinion formed after the first 4 minutes?
Self-fulfilling prophecy. What pre-interview info do you give the panel about the applicant?
Halo-Pitchfork TendencyContrasting Effect- comparing candidates to
each other rather than a standardSterotyping
Summarizing the Interviews
Require panel members to complete scoring sheets.Combine the scores mechanically, either summing
or averaging them. Conduct a general discussion regarding applicant’s
strengths and weaknesses. Rank candidates based on test and interview
scores, then select the final candidate and offer the position.
Be sure and follow up with the candidates not selected, thanking them for applying.
Is Your Interview Process Fair & Court Defensible?
Three primary factors:
Is interview objective and related to the job being applied for?
Is there a standardized administration of the interview process?
Is the process conducted by multiple interviewers?
Remember the applicant is evaluating you and your agency.
Third Leg of the Stool: Retention
Retention starts the minute you hire someone.
Is today’s work force different that previous generations?
What does it take to retain good employees? How do you accomplish that?
Retention: Training is First Step
Your (agency’s) responsibility to provide the knowledge and tools a new employee needs to be successful.
Standardized new hire training program consisting of academic and on the job training.
OJT requires daily documentation and feedback.
Continuing education is critical to professional development.
CDE should address high risk-low frequency events.
What Other Things Affect Retention?
Compensation: direct relationship between base pay and retention rates.
Comparable compensation to other community jobs is important, but comparable compensation to other public safety positions is even more important.
Benefits can add $ 4-7K to a compensation package. Most local government benefits packages are competitive with private industry. Promote that!
Conduct pay studies to confirm you salary scale is competitive with the profession and community.
Overtime vs Retention
Minimize the need for overtimeOvertime can supplement base salary but
everyone has their breaking point. Employees who feel they are losing control of
personal life will take steps to regain control. They will take time off if not given time off.
Equals increased use of sick time, and lessens your ability to predict adequate staff coverage.
More About Overtime
Make overtime mandatory , if at all possible.Maximize flexibility in overtime.Can you offer compensatory time in place of
overtime? Consider the ramifications of repaying the compensatory time.
Employees should be given every opportunity to take earned compensatory time when they want to take it.
Does your agency allow shift swaps to give people time off when they need/want it?
Is Motivation a Part of Retention?
Intrinsic Motivation- What is it and what are some examples?
Extrinsic Motivation-What is it and what are some examples?
Which is more important to the employee? More long lasting?
Recognition & Rewards
Employees want to feel appreciated by management.
Praise is an appreciated form of recognition; means more when tied to a specific event.
Actions speak louder than words whenever possible
and appropriate.
Use National PSTC Week and other occasions to call positive attention to your employees.
How to Reward Employees
What do you do for National PSTC week and other occasions to recognize and reward your employees?
Are there non-monetary means of recognizing and rewarding your employees, such as reserved/special parking, and Employee of the Month perks and benefits?
Make sure anything you do for your employees conforms to any State/local rules or policies and ethical considerations regarding gifts.
Retention and Working/Facility Conditions
Working conditions have a direct connection to retention. Here are some things to consider:
Employees appreciate up to date furniture, chairs, and console equipment.
Want work areas that are ergonomically conducive to comfort and efficiency.
Want some control over temperature and lighting.
Want a work space with minimum noise levels.
More Facility Considerations
Promote cleanliness (from within) and provide housekeeping support.
Provide a place and time for employees to get away from the work area, both inside and outside. Outside can provide both fresh air and smoking area, depending on the employee.
Make sure provisions for employee’s safety are in place.
Relationships in the Communications Center
How do you allow employees to treat each other?
Do you demonstrate a genuine concern for your employees well being?
Do you treat your employees like you would want to be treated?
Do you practice “management by walking around” to get a feel for the pulse in your center? Do you get out of your office and spend time with your people, and do you pitch in and help them when they get busy?
More Relationship Considerations
Do you practice and encourage open communications both up and down the chain of command?
Do you hold productive staff meetings that are well planned, orchestrated, that stick to the agenda and time limit?
Do you promote team work? Employees want to feel a sense of belonging and being a part of a team.
Employee Expectations of You
Want to know the workload is distributed fairly among all stall members.
Want to know they will be treated fairly and equally with other employees. They want to know you aren’t playing favorites.
Want to know they can count on you when
times get tough, and you have their back, no matter what they need.
Professional Development & Growth
Employees want to succeed and grow, and want to work where they are provided that opportunity.
What are you looking for when you hire someone? A telecommunicator or your replacement?
Provide quality and frequent training opportunities for your staff.
Encourage and provide them the opportunity to participate in professional organizations.
Help them develop and cultivate a peer network.Encourage employees to seek new opportunities.
Management’s Part in Retention
You should focus on continuous improvement and professional growth. You are a role model for learning, and employees will emulate your leadership.
Avoid complacency. If you are standing still, you are backing up.
Regularly analyze data at your disposal and develop a high performing agency. Look at such data as:
Comparing staffing to the work loadAmount and cost of overtimeEmployee absenteeism and use of sick time.Percentage of abandoned calls.Average speed of answering and process times. Many of these performance reports can be
easily obtained from ECaTS and you can schedule monthly reports that will run automatically and emailed to you.
QA & Complaints
Complaints and errors are to be expected. QA process can and should include any complaints from clients and the public.
Respond to complaints and errors quickly, fairly , and constructively. Make mistakes a learning experience.
Know your customers (internal and external) and try to gauge their satisfaction.
Involve and listen to your employees . Give them some ownership in the center and how it performs.
When Retention Fails…..
Expect and prepare for predictable turnover.
You will lose employees to burnout.
You will lose employees to field responder agencies.
You will lose employees to what they see as career advancement. You can’t fault them for that. Hope you have gotten a decent ROI and wish them well.
Have you Evaluated Your PSAP?
Have you objectively evaluated your PSAP?What are you doing that retains employees
and what are you doing that is driving employees to look for work elsewhere?
Use this handout as an evaluation tool for your center.
In Conclusion:
“Researchers have repeatedly found that the “culture” established by leadership styles and strategies, rewards and recognition, and the communication that comes from supervisors and managers, is a major influence on employee satisfaction and turnover decisions.”
APCO PSCC Staffing and Employee Retention Textbook
8 Leadership Fundamentals
Be NiceExist to Build Up Your PeopleListen VigorouslyBe Interested in ThemConsider the Root CauseEmpower ThemDemonstrate the StandardProvide Purpose
