Kansas

Kansas Workforce Initiative

The Importance of SupervisorsMichelle Levy and Roxanne Emmert-Davis

September 15, 2010

The Kansas Child Welfare Workforce

Kansas CW Workforce: STAFF COMPOSITION

Estimated 1,700 staff

Approximately 50 agencies

Under 25 years

15%

26-29 years24%

30-39 years29%

40-49 years16%

50 or older16%

Kansas CW Workforce: AGE

0

100

200

300

Kansas CW Workforce: EDU-CATION

# of MSW’s # of BSW’S # of Other Degrees

Af Am Latino Asian White Nat Am Multi-racial0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

Kansas CW Workforce: ETHNIC-ITY

CW Workforce State Pop SRS Custody

Estimated Average Tenure of Staff Leaving due to “Preventable Turnover”

Less than 2 Years

Job satisfaction/retention are more significant issues among caseworkers than supervisors and administrators.

RETENTION • Work Attitudes• Organizational Climate

• Intention to Quit = Turnover

Worker Attitudes and Retention

Work/Family Conflict

Work demands interfere with family lifeCan’t get things done at home because of

the job

Worker Attitudes and Retention

Organizational Commitment

Being proud of the organizationSimilar values as those of the organization

Worker Attitudes and Retention

Job Satisfaction

Being enthusiastic about the jobFind enjoyment in the job

What Can Supervisors Do?

WORKER ATTITUDES• Begin conversations• Listen to workers and gently ask questions • Listen for clues from workers who might be

struggling• Offer supportive environments, flexible

schedules

What Can Supervisors Do?

WORKER ATTITUDES• Recruitment/selection – Get the right

people, Realistic Job Preview• Share your own enthusiasm for the job and

the organization’s values• Gauge worker satisfaction - newcomer

interviews/stay interviews

Organizational Climate and Retention

Client Centered Supervision

• Refers to children and families in a positive manner

• Identifies strengths in most parents and children

• Advocates for resources to meet the needs of children and families

Organizational Climate and Retention

Job Importance, Autonomy and Challenge

•My work is meaningful.•Freedom to complete tasks without being over supervised.•My job requires a lot of skill and effort

Organizational Climate and Retention

Organization Innovation, Justice and Support

• I am encouraged to develop my ideas.

• Decisions about my job are made in a fair manner.

• The organization really cares about my well-being.

Organizational Climate and Retention

Role Ambiguity, Conflict and Overload

• The goals and objectives of my team are clearly defined.

• There are too many people telling me what to do

• I have more work to do than I could ever get done.

What Can Supervisors Do?

ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE• Talk positively about children and families• Reinforce the importance/challenge of child

welfare work• Match worker skills and work• Provide opportunities for skill building• Solicit and embrace staff input and ideas• Have clear expectations for staff

What Impacts Retention for Supervisors?

• Workgroup (warmth, pride, cooperation)• Supervisor (support, goal emphasis, work

facilitation)• Organizational Innovation, Justice and

Support

Kansas Workforce Initiative- Current Kansas Child Welfare Scholars ProgramAgency-based InitiativesSystem-wide Initiatives: Kansas RJPEvidence Reviews:

– Recruitment– Selection– Work/Family Conflict

Kansas Workforce Initiative- UpcomingWorkforce Best Practice ForumAgency/Educators DialogueEvidence Reviews:

– Secondary Trauma Intervention– Supervisor Behavior related to Outcomes– Transfer of Learning

Kansas Workforce Initiativewww.kwi.ku.edu