2. Statement of the Problem
• During Fiscal Years 2011 - 2014, DYS has experienced
a mass exodus of clinical and field staff:
• 80 Social Workers
• 23 Psychology Staff
• 27 Nurses
• 19 Juvenile Parole Officers
• 3 Chaplains
•Grand Total = 152 SEIU Members
3. Statement of Problem
• Average of 38 members leaving per year
• Average of over 3 members per month
• Average of 20 Social Workers per year
• Average of 6 Psychology Staff per year
• Average of 7 Nurses per year
• Average of 5 JPOs per year
• Average of 1 Chaplain per year
4. Scope of the Problem – WFP Minutes
December 15, 2010
In attendance: Joan Olivieri, Jolene Whaley, Sarah Thompson, Bryon Hall,
Benita Neely, Cathy Large, Annie Person, Mike Montague, Dorothy Evener
Absent: Betsy Lavinder
Joan distributed a handout that included the separation rates across
institutional agencies for nurses, teachers, social workers, youth specialists
(correction officers). The separation rates do include the MoJCF layoffs. Joan
has requested that Business Intelligence create a voluntary separation report
(would not include layoffs or terminations). DYS had higher separation rates in
each classification than Corrections, Developmental Disabilities and Mental
Health.
5. Scope of the Problem – WFP Minutes
• Joan also distributed miscellaneous statistics for the DYS classifications with the highest separation rates
(clerical, food service, maintenance, nurse, OM/UM, parole officer, psychology, social worker, teacher,
youth specialist.
• Bryon reported out on the remaining pages of the SHRM document. Highlights of the document: career
ladders are important to employees. DYS classifications no longer have career ladders. Generation X and
Y have the opportunity to move and do so. Nurses do not have to stay; their skills can be utilized
elsewhere. Licensed individuals can practice elsewhere. DYS is not looking at why people are leaving. DYS
does not look at who we’re hiring in (are we concentrating on finding Generation X and Y to replace
retiring workers?). Internal promotions are good for employees. There is the perception that DYS does
not promote internally; instead, we hire from DRC and the outside. Then to make matters worse, DYS
employees train the outsiders. DYS does not plan well for employees out on extended leaves of absence.
• Gaps and surpluses in staff and skills were discussed. Identified gaps: psychiatry, teachers, licensed social
workers, youth specialists, succession plans, mid-manager training, and standardized tables of
organization. Until a standardized TO is created, it’s difficult to determine if there are surplus positions.
• A discussion was held on what the top five anticipated critical staffing needs were. It was decided that
the criteria would be: 1. the position must assist with DYS goal achievement (either the DYS mission or the
stipulation agreement); 2. It was a position DYS could not do without; 3. It was position needed in the next
2 years. Based on information gleaned from the demand analysis and statistics, it was decided that DYS
would focus on the following classifications: teachers, youth specialists, social workers, physician
administrator 3s, and nurses.
6. Scope of Problem – SP & EM
• Kim Humphrey recently published an Executive Summary
looking at Succession Planning and Employee Motivation
• Overview- Employee motivation (EM) is key to a high-
performing workplace. There are internal and external factors
that motivate an employee to excel and keep them satisfied
on the job; but are these factors alone sufficient motivation
for employees to become future leaders within an
organization? Organizations use Succession Planning (SP) as a
strategic tool for developing its employees to sustain the
longevity of the organization and its mission.
7. Scope of Problem – SP & EM
• Problem- While some respondents report
they are not interested in leadership positions
because they are happy in the current job or it
is not a personal goal, there were still a
significant number of respondents who report
they are uninterested due to believing their
talents were not appreciated or recognized as
an asset to the agency or they are not satisfied
with the current promotion practices.
8. Scope of Problem – SP & EM
• Research- An agency with a structured and consistently-applied selection
process could increase employee motivation. This idea is supported by the
survey respondents’ suggestions for improving the agency’s selection
process. Here are some of the quotes from the respondents: “too many
appearances of ineptness, favoritism, nepotism, etc., this needs to stop”
…“[need] leadership development programs” … “need structure” … “must
be merit-based” … “balance the pay scale” … “make promotions based on
qualifications and abilities not personal feelings” … “use an accurate
evaluation process” … “assign mentors and role models” … “allow
shadowing” … “establish clear guidelines of selection” … “pay more
attention to individual strengths and abilities” … “publicly announce the
guidelines of a selection process” … “transparency” … “need for an
unclassified selection process” … “a proper orientation” … “leaders need
to be determined by their ability or training to be successful” … and “[we]
need measures of competency.”
9. Scope of Problem – SP & EM
• Findings- It is very possible that the
implementation of an extrinsic motivator, such
as a structured, employee-focused succession
plan model, could motivate an employee to
become a leader. The survey results support
this notion by revealing more than half of the
survey respondents would be interested in
becoming future leaders if a SP was in place.
10. Scope of Problem – SP & EM
• Summary- There is a strong connection between
employee motivation and future leadership. The
survey supports the hypothesis…For this agency, a
focus group should be considered to flush out
specific details on the construction and projected
impact of a succession plan on the organization and
to determine if the commitment to a succession plan
will yield positive results.
11. Scope of the Problem – DOJ
Compliance Report
• The problem of Recruitment and Retention is not just noted by our
members but by members of the DOJ monitoring team. Note these
excerpts from their Third Compliance Report for SJCF:
• “In our Second Compliance Report, due to the increase in youth violence
at Scioto, yet decrease in such violence at other ODYS facilities, we
recommended the State focus on interpreting the data it collects to
determine trends and root causes. In her second report, Dr. Dedel
suggested that the State discern the underlying causes of the increase in
youth violence and enact specific strategies to address conditions that
may provide the opportunity for violence. In late 2010, the State
undertook such analysis and, in summary, found that a combination of
workforce stability issues (fluctuating staffing levels for social workers, unit
managers, psychologists and psychiatrists) and the lack of special
management plans for certain specific youth were collectively responsible,
at least in part, for the increase in violence.”
12. Scope of the Problem – DOJ
Compliance Report
• B. 11 STAFFING
• “The State shall staff, by contract or otherwise, the Facilities with adequate
numbers of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health
professionals qualified through training and practical experience to meet the
mental health needs of youth residents, as determined by the acuity of those
needs. Mental health care shall be integrated with other medical and mental
health services and shall comport with generally accepted practices. The State shall
ensure that there are sufficient numbers of adequately trained direct care and
supervisory staff to allow youth reasonable access to structured programming.
(See Consent Order III.B.11).
• The State cannot reach substantial compliance with this provision until it recruits
additional mental health staff and fills the current vacancies. The State must
significantly increase its psychiatric coverage in order to meet the mental health
needs of Scioto youth. The lack of adequate psychiatric staffing at Scioto has hurt
the quality of mental health services, as indicated in several other provisions,
including B.7 (―Treatment Teams), B.12 (―Medication Notice) and B.13 (―Mental
Health Medications).”
17. 0
5
10
15
20
25
<1
< or = 5
>5
19
24
20
NumberofMembersLeaving
Years of Experience
Graph of Number of Members Leaving as a
Function of Years of Experience
39. Reasons for Leaving
Schedules #1
Lack of Professional Treatment #3
Promotions Tied for #4
Duties #7
Perceived Job Stability #8
Spouse Reassignment
Supervisory Issues
Retirement #2
Removal
Closure/Job Abolishments/ Transfer Tied for #4
Denial of Educational Leave
Excessive, Inane Investigations
Health Reasons
Higher Calling
Family Issues Tied for #10
Proximity to Home #9
Stress
Pay
Violence
Uncertainty
Lack of Direction
Nature of Work
Workload
Resignation
Safety #6
Career Focus
Legal Issues
Working Conditions Tied for #10
45. Causes of High Turnover in
Literature
• Unhappy with work or compensation
• Unsafe/Unhealthy Conditions
• Unrealistic Expectations
• Inappropriate Processes/Tools
• Poor Candidate Screening
46. Costs to Agency
• Anywhere from ½ to 5 times an employee’s wages
and benefits (i.e., about 38 employees per year x
$70,000 in wages/benefits x 4 years = $10.6 million
• Training costs – pre-service, food, lodging
• Lost Productivity – due to new worker getting up to
speed and other workers’ lost productivity helping
new employee
• Organizational Knowledge
47. Costs to Agency
• Costs associated with period prior to leaving
when employees tend to be less productive
• Increased Unemployment Insurance Costs
• Costs associated with recruiting/hiring
• Costs of “work” not being done or completed
• Worse client outcomes
• Morale
48. Conclusions
• A review of numbers over the fiscal years 2011
– 2014 establishes that DYS has a retention
problem regarding SEIU/1199 members.
• Separation rates for our DYS SEIU/1199
members are higher than that for our
members at other state agencies.
• More than 75% of our membership has left
the agency over the past four years.
49. Conclusions
• Career Ladders are sparse within DYS and members desire
such ladders. Such a desire is consistent with the current CBA
which in Article 34 states, “The Employer and the Union
recognize the problems created by the lack of career
advancement opportunities and promotions through the
classification series, and jointly agree to work through the
professional committees to enhance career advancement and
promotional opportunities. The parties agree that the
concept of career ladders is important in recruiting and
retaining professional staff, and in the delivery of services to
the citizens of the State.”
50. Conclusions
• A significant number of employees are uninterested
in advancing due to believing their talents are not
appreciated.
• Many are unsatisfied with current promotional
practices.
• Research indicates a need for a comprehensive, clear,
and structured, employee-focused succession plan
which could motivate employees to become a
leaders within the agency.
51. Conclusions
• Monitors have noted in the past that
substantial compliance with the stipulation
agreement will not be reached until vacancies
are filled.
• Social Workers left DYS at a rate in FY14 which
while lower than in FY13 is an increase from
FY12. We need to continue to reverse this
trend.
52. Conclusions
• Reasons for leaving vary across classifications
but appear to focus on schedules, lack of
professional treatment, safety, and number of
duties.
• These reasons for leaving mirror those cited in
literature as contributing to high turnover.
Other reasons cited for high turnover include
compensation, unrealistic expectations, and
poor screening of initial hires.
53. Conclusions
• The costs of retention difficulties are
high: $2.7 million per year by
conservative estimates in a time of fiscal
challenge, resulting in lost productivity,
lost organizational knowledge,
uncompleted work, worse client
outcomes, and decreased morale.
54. Possible Solutions
• In Calendar Year 2008, DYS Management and
SEIU/1199 Members engaged in a joint labor-
management initiative to look at recruitment
and retention issues for our members in DYS.
The results and recommendations of this
committee are summarized in the following
slides:
55. Possible Solutions
Social Worker Recruitment Proposals
• Postings (e.g., through schools, monster.com, etc.)
• Social Worker Conference with CEUs
– Similar to what used to be done (2 to 3 days)
• Ethics in-house
– Contact at Social Work Board is available
• Reimbursement for licenses
– Ranges $60-$200
• Creative/flex scheduling
• Honesty during the interview process
– Answer questions truthfully
– Explain supervision may not be available
– Discuss the possibility of interviewee providing supervision
Social Worker Retention Proposals
• Attractive Scheduling
• Inclusion in the development of schedules
• Resolve ethical/professional issues
– Not following work direction vs. following licensing standards
– Clear line of supervision
– Confidentiality
– Meeting with all parties
• Implement professional advice
– Actually listen to a social worker’s advice for treatment purposes
• Paid time off for license preparation
– May be difficult to manage
– Perhaps ½ day off the day before the test
56. Possible Solutions
Psych Staff Recruitment Proposals
• Creative/flex scheduling
• Reclassify once licensed (e.g., psych assistant to psychologist)
• Recruit doctoral/unlicensed individuals as psych assistants
• Job Sharing
– If in a doctoral program or private practice
Psych Staff Retention Proposals
• Honesty During interviews
• Regular psych meeting with staff via video conference
– Peer review
– Development of policies
– Face to face contact to close the disconnect between the field and Central Office
• Paid time off for license preparation
– Similar to social worker MOU
• Attractive Scheduling
• Proactive vs. reactive culture
• Time involved in supervision, recognition, compensation, etc. of clinical supervision
57. Possible Solutions
Nursing Recruitment Proposals
• Use the Recruitment and Retention Supplement under Article 43.11
• Creative/flex scheduling
– 10 or 12 hour days
– Weekend rotations, etc.
• Hire nursing recruiter
– Full Time
– Part Time
– HR/nursing staff as recruiter
Nursing Retention Proposals
• Creative Scheduling
• Keep staff safe (put on APC agenda?)
• Bonus
– Lump sum
– Leaves
• Reward System
– Paid time off/ personal day outside of contract
– Professional Day
– Gift cards, parking, free lunch
58. Possible Solutions
• Create a joint labor management committee with SEIU/1199 and DYS to look at
retention issues and offer solutions. SEIU/1199 is open to helping management
develop a plan for improving retention of SEIU/1199 members.
• Focus on factors that are within the agency’s control
• Hire the right people – improve selection procedures for external hires
• Develop a clear, transparent succession plan for the agency
• Promote opportunities for advancement, improve career ladders, and create a
promotional process that engenders trust in the agency
• Create Loyalty - by making people feel that their work is valued and respected
within the agency
• Provide Work-Life Balance – allow flexible work schedules
• Reward Performance & Engagement – in unique ways
• Provide Development Opportunities – reinstitute the Circles Program
