Introduction: Wendy Davis-Bragg

I was the owner of a private for-profit child development center for fifteen years. When

thinking about topics for the paper, I began to research the industry wide problem of high

employee turnover rates. This training module was developed to fill a need I found for effective, relevant strategies to improve

employee retention by non-monetary means. This presentation presents the first unit of the

module.

Background:

The most challenging problem faced by child

care center owners nationwide is an employee

turnover rate of 40% per year.

The most common cause of turnover is low

wages.

The private for profit child care industry faces

challenges regarding shortages of revenues

leaving little money to pay living wages.

Research has shown that high turnover rates

negatively affect the quality of a program.

Analysis:

Child care center owners need training that is

flexible and conducive to their busy workday.

Desk time is rare during the day so a portable

workbook would encourage learning on the go.

Many centers do not have computers on site.

There is a lack of training in the area of non-

monetary strategies for employee retention.

Business owners are motivated to learn new

strategies to stay competitive.

About the Training Module:

A self-directed learning module in the form of a work

book, portable and designed to be easily learned in small bits.

Designed for owners and directors of private-for profit child development centers.

Teaches effective non-monetary strategies for retaining valuable and talented employees.

Includes tests and review questions to reinforce learning as well as follow up surveys to measure results.

About the Learner:

Directors, owners, or managers of private for profit child development centers.

Learners will have knowledge of basic business operations and management

Learners will meet minimum educational requirements as set by the State of South Carolina

Learners will be capable of making management decisions impacting their organization

IMPROVE EMPLOYEE

RETENTION TODAY:

STRATEGIES TO TRANSFORM

YOUR WORKFORCE

Self directed training for business owners

Module Outline:

Unit One: Start at the Top: It’s all about leadership

Objective: to teach owners about their impact on the organization

Unit Two: How does your business flow?

Objective: to teach effective organizational design

Unit Three: Non-monetary motivators

Objective: to guide owners in establishing rewards and recognitions

Unit Four: Think like your employees and teach them to

think like you

Objective: to teach owners to build employee centered workplaces

Unit Five: Prioritizing communication

Objective: to teach owners to open lines of communication

Unit One: It’s All About You!

Holistic Thinking

It is important to begin with thinking holistically. Your organization is one large entity, not just a sum of its parts. In other words, it is more than an infant care program, a preschool program, and an afterschool program. It is more than employees, parents, and children. Your organization is a living, breathing entity, capable of influence and change and growth and of creating good outcomes for your community. It is through holistic thinking like this that you can begin to develop a VISION for your organization.

Unit One

Developing a vision for your organization Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs

29:18

It is important to develop a Vision for your center. No one can believe in your vision if you don’t have one. No one will believe in your vision if you don’t believe in it yourself.

It has been said that it doesn’t matter how you get there if you don’t know where you are going. The same is true for Child Care organizations. Do you know what you want your organization to accomplish? What big picture goals do you want to achieve?

Unit One

Developing a vision statement

2.

the act or power of anticipating that which willor may come to be: prophetic vision;

the vision of an entrepreneur.

vi·sion[vizh-uh

Believe in and promote the vision yourself and others will follow. Having a mutual vision makes your employees feel like they belong to something worthwhile and increases loyalty to the organization, and it doesn’t cost a thing!

Unit One

Modeling Professionalism

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is

the only thing. Albert Schweitzer

What your professional image says about you

What your professional image says about your

work

Using professionalism to ignite pride in your

workforce

Unit one

A leader worth following

The effect of ethical leadership on motivation

Modeling ethical behavior

Servant leadership

"People do not care how much you know until

they know how much you care." ~ John C.

Maxwell

Conclusion

The remainder of the module has been excluded for the sake of time and space.

I learned several things during this project.

Self directed learning modules are incredibly complicated and the material must be covered thoroughly.

Self directed modules are highly applicable to today’s entrepreneur.

This project was too broad in its scope and the focus had to be narrowed considerably.