How do the concepts of functional structure and empowerment influence supervision and worker satisfaction?

How do the concepts of functional structure and empowerment influence supervision and worker satisfaction? Do you think organizations understand the importance of training and worker satisfaction?

Requirements: About 2 to 3 paragraphs.

Discussion Board 5

How do the concepts of functional structure and empowerment influence supervision and worker satisfaction?  Do you think organizations understand the importance of training and worker satisfaction?

Supervisors Guide Book Ch. 4

BACB Experience Standards

Articles:

Parsons, Rollyson, and Reid (2013)

Turner et al. (2016)

Sellers et al (2016b)

Sellers et al (2016c)

Albright, Schnell, Reeve, and Sidener (2016)

THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff (2nd Ed.)

By , , 

Published 2021 (2nd edition) CHARLES C THOMAS PUBLISHER · LTD.

Chapter 4 TRAINING WORK SKILLS TO STAFF

Once performance responsibilities have been specified as discussed in Chapter 3, the next step in evidence-based supervision is to train staff in the skills to perform the designated duties. Training is critical for ensuring staff know how to do what is expected of them on the job. In this regard, essentially every human service agency has some type of staff training component. In larger agencies, there is often a staff training department, or at least one person identified as being responsible for staff training. In smaller agencies, different personnel have staff training responsibilities in addition to their other work duties. Regardless of how staff training services are formally organized within an agency, however, staff training is still an essential part of a supervisor’s job. Staff training is a critical part of supervision for several key reasons. A primary reason pertains to characteristics of the typical work force in human service agencies. As indicated in Chapter 1, when people are hired into direct support positions they usually have no prior training or formal education specifically related to their newly acquired jobs. Therefore, they must have opportunities to be trained in relevant work skills once they are hired within a human service agency. It is well recognized across human service agencies that newly em – ployed staff require training in the skills to perform their jobs. Agenc – ies usually address the immediate training needs of new staff through orientation-training programs. Although orientation programs are a necessary part of an agency’s training services, the programs are insufficient for providing all the training needed by new staff. Orientation training often focuses on presenting information that new staff need to 42 Training Work Skills to Staff 43 function within an agency on a general basis, but has little specific bearing on how to provide direct support services needed by individual clients. Information presented in orientation classes typically pertains to such things as, for example, where and when to report to work, how to complete time sheets to receive one’s pay, agency policies on use of social media regarding agency services and clients, and learning the names and roles of key agency personnel. Relatedly, the amount of time agencies can devote to training new staff in orientation programs is limited. When people are hired into direct support roles, they are almost always needed quickly in their new jobs. Agencies typically do not have sufficient numbers of staff to allow vacant positions to remain unfilled for very long. Consequently, there is usually insufficient time within orientation programs to train all the work skills that new staff need to perform their jobs. Super – visors must therefore provide further training to new staff after they complete orientation and report to their work sites. Additionally, some staff do not transfer what they learn in orientation to their day-to-day job site. Many supervisors have experienced situations in which a newly employed staff person appears to have forgotten seemingly everything taught in orientation as soon as the orientation is completed. Supervisors then have to (re)train certain skills once new staff report to their work sites following initial orientation. Another reason a supervisor must function in part as a staff trainer is that new skills are periodically required of human service staff over time. Ways to provide quality support for people with disabilities are continuously evolving and improving. Unless direct support staff have opportunities to be trained in new developments, they cannot be held accountable for providing up-to-date, quality services. Individual clients also require different types of support from time to time, such as new behavior support plans for challenging behavior or new teaching programs for acquiring useful skills. Supervisors must ensure staff are trained in the new or revised ways of providing such support. For all the reasons just summarized, supervisors must be willing and able to train their staff in relevant work skills if staff are to provide quality supports and services. This chapter describes how supervisors can provide effective staff training. In accordance with a continuing theme throughout all chapters, how staff training can be provided in a way that is acceptable to staff and enhances their work enjoyment is also described. 44 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Staff training is a fundamental part of a supervisor’s job, regardless of other staff training services provided by an agency. BASIC GOALS OF STAFF TRAINING Effective staff training involves providing staff with the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs in a quality manner. The focus here is on the skills aspect of staff training. The rationale for the focus on training specific work skills is several-fold. First, it is what staff do on the job, or the skills they demonstrate while performing job duties, that has the most significant impact on client welfare and attainment of desired outcomes. Second, most agencies have procedures for providing knowledge or information that staff need, as represented in orientation-training programs summarized earlier. A third reason for focusing on training of actual work skills is that human service agencies typically are better at providing staff with relevant knowledge about their jobs than training them how to perform their jobs. Enhancing staff knowledge involves what is technically considered as verbal training. Verbal training consists of providing lectures about relevant issues and written information, often supplemented with videos or on-line learning modules. For example, in an agency serving clients with autism, information may be provided in orientation lectures and handouts or on-line modules about the diagnostic characteristics of autism spectrum disorders. Such information and presentation formats are important parts of training, but rarely train staff how to actually perform their jobs. Effectively training staff how to fulfill their performance responsibilities involves what is referred to as performance-based training. As noted in Chapter 2, performance-based training consists of showing staff how to perform various job duties and having staff practice performing the duties under supervision of the staff trainer. This type of training is not provided very often in training programs such as staff orientation in many human service agencies. Therefore, supervisors have to be responsible for ensuring their staff receive performancebased training to acquire the skills necessary to perform their jobs. Training Work Skills to Staff 45 Before describing what supervisors should do to effectively train staff how to perform their work duties, a caution is warranted about the success of agencies in providing job-related knowledge for staff. In Chapter 2, it was noted that to be consistently successful, staff training programs should have a performance basis and a competency basis. Competency-based staff training means that the training is not complete until staff demonstrate competence in the area addressed by the training. In regard to presenting information to staff such as that provided during orientation training, the competency part is sometimes lacking. For example, newly hired staff may listen to a presentation, receive some handouts, and perhaps watch a video or complete an on-line instructional module. Staff trainees may also be required to sign a form indicating they have completed the training. To be truly competency-based, however, another step must be added. Staff must demonstrate they have acquired the knowledge that the training is intended to provide. Any training program that focuses on providing staff with certain knowledge should include a way of assessing staff knowledge following training. Such assessment can involve having trainees complete written quizzes or answering questions posed to each trainee by the trainer. If staff answer the questions accurately, they can be considered to have demonstrated competence in acquiring the knowledge that the training is intended to provide. If staff do not answer the questions accurately, then they have not demonstrated competence and re-training should occur. Training should continue until each staff trainee de – monstrates competence in having acquired the necessary knowledge. BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING There is a well-established, step-by-step protocol for effectively training staff how to perform specified job skills. Although variations can be made in how the protocol is used to suit certain situations as will be described later, every supervisor should be skilled in applying the protocol in its entirety. The steps constituting the protocol are presented in the following illustration. The protocol presented below represents both a performance- and competency-based approach to staff training, currently referred to as 46 The Supervisor’s Guidebook behavioral skills training or BST. The steps constituting BST have been used in research and application to train a wide variety of important job skills to support staff, including how to teach people with disabilities, provide choices, lift and transfer individuals who are nonambulatory, carry out behavior support plans, and adapt electronic devices for use by people with physical challenges, to name just a few. The training steps constituting BST represent a very valuable tool for supervisors when needing to train job skills to staff. PROTOCOL FOR TRAINING STAFF HOW TO PERFORM JOB DUTIES: BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING Step 1: Describe skills to be trained. Step 2: Provide staff trainees with a written summary of skills to be trained. Step 3: Demonstrate the target skills for staff. Step 4: Have staff practice performing the target skills and provide feedback. Step 5: Repeat Step 4 until staff demonstrate competence in performing the skills. Training Step 1: Describe Target Skills to be Trained When beginning the staff training process, what is going to be trained should be described in detail for the staff trainees. This is one reason that performance responsibilities should be delineated into specific work behaviors of staff as discussed in the preceding chapter. Each behavior that a staff person needs to perform to complete the job duty being trained should be described by the supervisor. For complex skills that require a staff person to perform many behaviors, the description process is greatly facilitated if a performance checklist has been prepared as described in Chapter 3. Training Work Skills to Staff 47 It is also helpful when introducing the training to provide staff with a rationale regarding why the skills are being trained. Providing staff with a rationale for what they are expected to learn how to perform can promote staff acceptance of the training. In turn, increased acceptance of the training can enhance staff willingness to subsequently perform the target skills as part of their ongoing duties. Training Step 2: Provide A Written Summary of the Target Skills After the target skills to be trained to staff have been described along with a rational for the importance of the skills, a written summary of the skills should be given to each staff trainee. In many cases, this step can entail providing staff with the performance checklist that the supervisor has prepared as part of the process of specifying performance responsibilities. Providing a written summary of the target skills has several benefits. One particular benefit is that some staff learn more readily from reading how to do a job task relative to hearing a trainer describe how to do the task. Another benefit of providing a written summary of the skills to perform a work duty is that the summary provides staff with a perma – nent reminder or job aide regarding how to perform the task. When staff later need to perform the task, they can review the summary if they are not certain how to complete the task. It should also be noted that some supervisors question this step because they have experienced staff losing or discarding the written summary after the training session. This situation will likely occur at times. However, there are also many staff who will be motivated to perform the designated task and will benefit from having the summary to use as a job aide. It is important that the written summary of the target skills be provided to each staff person being trained. Sometimes only one summary is prepared and then filed in a central location for staff to review. This often occurs with copies of behavior support plans for challenging behavior of clients. The latter approach is not as effective as providing each trainee with a summary. When trainees have their own summary, it is easier for them to access the information when needed relative to having to go to another location to obtain the information. Because of the ready access to their own written copy, the likelihood staff will review the information when needed is increased relative to them having to go to another place to access the information. 48 The Supervisor’s Guidebook The situation just referred to relates to a common obstacle to effective staff training. A number of skills that supervisors need to train to direct support staff are derived from information prepared by other personnel, such as clinicians and executives. A common example is when a supervisor is charged with training staff how to carry out a behavior support plan developed by a psychologist. Often the plan is quite lengthy, consisting of a number of typed pages of information. Documents such as behavior plans frequently need to include a lot of information (e.g., about the client, assessments that were completed) beyond what staff need to do to carry out the plan. Nonetheless, the inclusion of such information can detract from the staff training pro – cess as well as subsequent on-the-job performance. Lengthy written information, such as that often included in behavior plans, makes it difficult for staff to quickly look at the document and find information that tells them specifically what to do on the job. The increased time and effort required to read through all the information to glean what is relevant for completing a task also results in some staff not bothering to search for the information. The latter staff will not spend the time and effort to access the needed information. It is recommended that when a supervisor needs to train staff in a job task that was developed by someone else, the supervisor do one of two things. The most efficient action is for the supervisor to request that the person who wrote the task prepare a succinct, written summary pertaining only to what staff need to do to complete the duty. This should be the summary that is provided to staff. The complete document that contains other information can still be filed in a central location for staff to review if necessary. The other thing a supervisor can do is review the written information that someone else prepared and then develop a summary of action steps to give to staff. A supervisor should provide each staff person with a concise, written summary of the skills the supervisor is training to staff. Training Work Skills to Staff 49 Training Step 3: Demonstrate How to Perform the Target Skills After the supervisor describes the target skills for staff and provides each trainee with a written summary, the next step in the BST process is for the supervisor to demonstrate how to perform the skills. Often the most efficient way to demonstrate how to perform a work duty, and especially if it involves interacting with a client, is in a roleplay situation. The supervisor role plays the part of a staff person, and another individual (e.g., another supervisor or staff person) role plays the part of a client. The supervisor then carefully demonstrates the target skills as they are described on the written summary while the staff trainees observe the demonstration. Demonstrating how to perform a job task for staff is one of the best ways to help staff learn how to perform the task themselves. It also is a key component of performance-based training as referred to earlier—the supervisor performs the task for staff to see how to do the task. Adequately demonstrating a work task for staff requires some skill on the part of the supervisor. Most notably, the supervisor has to know how to actually perform the task that is being trained to the staff. In one sense, noting the importance of a supervisor knowing how to do what the supervisor is training staff to do seems quite obvious. However, such is not always the case. The situation in which a supervisor is expected to train staff in a job task that the supervisor is not sure how to perform usually occurs when the supervisor is training something that someone else developed. This situation occurs most frequently when a clinician develops a client program and expects the supervisor to train staff how to implement the program, but the clinician does not adequately train the supervisor in all aspects of the program. Either the clinician does not take the time to train the supervisor, or basically does not know how to train the supervisor (e.g., the clinician is not skilled in BST). The same situation can occur when an agency executive directs a supervisor to train staff in a new job duty, but does not provide the supervisor with adequate training regarding how to perform the duty. When a supervisor is expected to train staff but the supervisor is not certain how to perform the target skills to be trained, corrective action must be taken by the supervisor. If the supervisor does not take corrective action and attempts to train staff to do something that the supervisor is not competent in doing, multiple problems result. In par- 50 The Supervisor’s Guidebook ticular, it is essentially impossible for a supervisor to adequately train staff if the supervisor cannot perform the target skills proficiently. Additionally, staff usually become aware that the supervisor is instructing them to do something that the supervisor does not know how to perform. Such awareness tends to cause staff to question the competence of the supervisor and subsequently, to lose respect for the supervisor. What a supervisor does to avoid attempting to train staff in skills that the supervisor is not competent in performing will depend on each specific situation. However, the most common corrective action is to make sure whoever is expecting the supervisor to conduct the training is aware of the problem and can offer assistance. Such assistance can involve initially training the supervisor prior to the supervisor training the staff. Assistance can also be provided by the person who prepared the information helping to conduct the staff training while the supervisor is present. In the latter case, the supervisor is essentially trained along with the staff. Supervisors should avoid situations in which they are expected to train staff in work skills that the supervisors themselves are not sure how to perform proficiently. Earlier it was noted that demonstrating work skills as part of the training process is usually accomplished most efficiently in a role-play activity. Target skills can also be demonstrated in vivo in terms of the supervisor performing the task with staff in the actual work site. How to provide in vivo demonstrations as part of the training process will be discussed later in the section on “Training Staff Individually.” Training Step 4: Trainee Practice with Supervisor Feedback Immediately after a supervisor has demonstrated how to perform the target skills being trained, staff should be required to demonstrate the skills themselves. This step of BST is also referred to as behavioral rehearsal on the part of staff trainees. The staff demonstration or re – Training Work Skills to Staff 51 hearsal represents the second key component of performance-based training: staff perform the target skills as part of the training process. If the supervisor’s demonstration occurred in a role-play situation, then staff should also perform the task in a role play. If the supervisor demonstrated the target skills in vivo, then that demonstration should be followed by staff performing the skills in the actual work site as well. As staff practice performing the target skills, the supervisor should observe and then provide feedback to staff based on the accuracy with which they performed the target skills. Providing feedback is a critical supervisory skill and will be discussed in much more detail in subsequent chapters. In regard to training staff, providing feedback means the supervisor informs staff what they performed accurately and if applicable, inaccurately. If staff did not perform the target skills correctly, the supervisor should also inform the staff what they need to do differently to perform the skills correctly. Behavioral skills training provides staff trainees with opportunities to hear a description of the skills being trained, read a description of the skills, see the skills performed, and practice the skills. Training Step 5: Repeat Step 4 Until Staff Perform The Target Skills Proficiently As indicated previously, the BST approach is not only performance-based, it is also competency-based. Again, competency-based means the training continues until each staff trainee demonstrates competence in performing the target job skills. To ensure staff demonstrate competence, Step 4 of BST (trainee practice with feedback) should be repeated until the trainer observes each staff trainee perform the target skills correctly. Competency-based training also means that staff demonstrate competence in performing newly trained skills during their daily job routine. Therefore, if all trainee practice occurs in role-plays, the su – pervisor must then observe staff in their regular job setting. The intent 52 The Supervisor’s Guidebook is to document that the staff generalize what they learned during training to the actual job situation in which they are expected to apply the skills. Such on-the-job observation should also be followed by feedback as just described. Likewise, Step 4 of BST should be repeated in the routine work site until staff demonstrate competence. It is only when the supervisor observes staff perform the target skills proficiently during their regular work situation that the training can be considered complete. Staff training should never be considered complete until the supervisor observes staff perform the skills targeted in the training proficiently during their routine work situation. TWO MAIN FORMATS FOR TRAINING STAFF There are two main formats for training staff in specified work skills. One format, which is more formal in nature, pertains to training a group of staff. The second format, which is more informal, involves training an individual staff member. Supervisors should be well skilled in using each of these two training formats. Training Staff in a Group Conducting staff training in a group format is necessary when several or all of a supervisor’s staff contingent require training in a specified set of work skills. This occurs, for example, when all staff need to be trained in a new behavior support plan for a client. It is a more efficient use of a supervisor’s time to conduct training in a group format relative to training each staff member in the same work skills on an individual basis. The first thing a supervisor should do when training a group of staff in designated work skills actually occurs before the group training session: the supervisor should carefully prepare for the upcoming training. Initially, the supervisor should outline how the training will occur, using the steps of BST as a guide. The training should then pro- Training Work Skills to Staff 53 ceed according to the protocol (see subsequent discussion regarding additional preparation procedures associated with various steps of BST). A group training session should be initiated with staff by explaining the rationale for why the training session is being conducted as described previously. For example, it may be that a client has just secured a supported work placement in a community job and it is desired that the client be taught certain work skills prior to beginning the job. The supervisor could explain that it would help the client’s likelihood of success in the new job if staff conducted teaching sessions to prepare the client for the new work assignments. It could be further explained that each staff member needs to be trained how to conduct the teaching sessions in order for all sessions to be conducted in a consistent and effective manner with the client. Following presentation of the rationale for the training session, the supervisor should describe the skills that the staff need to be able to perform (Step 1 of BST). Subsequently, all staff trainees should be provided with a written summary of the skills (Step 2). To prepare for these two steps, the supervisor must become proficient in the skills to be trained. In the example provided above, for instance, the supervisor would need to be familiar with the client’s teaching plan. The supervisor would likewise need to have prepared the summary of the teaching plan to distribute to each staff person. After staff read the written summary of the target skills, the supervisor should demonstrate how to perform the skills in a role-play situation (Step 3). To ensure adequate demonstration, some additional preparation needs to occur before the actual training session. The preparation includes deciding who will help the supervisor perform the demonstrations (e.g., soliciting assistance of another supervisor or one of the staff trainees), and specifying what each person should do within the demonstrations. It is also helpful if the supervisor practices the role-play demonstrations with whomever is helping the supervisor prior to the training session. The practice is necessary to ensure the demonstrations are sufficiently thorough and accurate to allow staff to observe precisely how to perform the targeted work skills. 54 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Supervisors should prepare for conducting a group training session with staff: be well versed in the skills to be trained, develop written summaries of the skills to give to trainees, and practice role-play demonstrations to ensure accuracy. Following demonstration of the target skills, supervisors should instruct staff to practice the skills in a role play with each other (Step 4). To ensure each staff member participates appropriately in the practice activities, supervisors should specify the roles in which staff should engage (e.g., one trainee should role play the part of a staff person performing the target skills and one trainee should role play the part of the client). It should likewise be stressed that each staff person must practice the target skills and that the other staff should observe and give feedback to the staff person. The feedback should be based on how well the staff person performed the target skills using the written summary and the supervisor’s previous demonstration as a guide. If there is a large number of staff trainees in a group, usually meaning more than four or five staff, then the supervisor should divide the staff into two or more subgroups for their practice activities. The supervisor should also inform staff that in addition to giving feedback to each other, the supervisor will be circulating among the group to give individual feedback. The feedback should be provided as described previously, specifying what a staff person demonstrated correctly and if applicable, incorrectly. In the latter case, the feedback should further specify what the staff person needs to do to correct the demonstrated performance. Additionally, in some situations it is helpful if the supervisor supplements the feedback by repeating the demonstration of how to correctly perform the skills. It is critical for the supervisor to observe each staff person demonstrate the target skills correctly during the training session, which may require some staff to repeat the demonstration (Step 5 of BST). After each staff person has performed the target skills proficiently, the training session should be concluded by the supervisor informing staff when they will be expected to perform the newly trained job skills during their work routine. In many situations this final step can be facilitated if the supervisor provides a work activity schedule re – Training Work Skills to Staff 55 garding the new job duty (refer to Chapter 3 regarding work activity schedules). The supervisor should also inform staff that their performance of the target skills will be observed as they apply the skills on the job. It should be explained that the observations are a continuation of the training process. As discussed in the next chapter, informing staff that their performance will be observed and why it will be observed helps reduce apprehension among staff that often occurs when a supervisor formally observes their work performance on the job. In addition to following the BST protocol when conducting a group training session with staff, there are some special considerations to enhance effectiveness of the training. One consideration is for the supervisor to solicit the assistance of someone to help conduct the training. This is especially relevant if training focuses on work duties designed by someone other than the supervisor. To illustrate, again considering the example in which staff are being trained to teach supported-work skills to a client, the teaching program that the staff are expected to carry out was developed by a clinician. Because the clinician is the most informed person regarding the teaching program, it would be helpful if the clinician assisted the supervisor in conducting the training session. It such situations, the supervisor should also be assertive in soliciting the clinician’s participation in the preparatory activities described earlier prior to the training session with staff. Another consideration with group training sessions pertains to ensuring that the training focuses on performing the target skills. There is a tendency among staff trainers (including supervisors) to spend too much time talking during a training session and not enough time demonstrating target skills and having staff practice the skills. Trainers must remember that the key to effective skill training stems from the performance aspects: staff seeing how the work duty is performed and then practicing it themselves (followed by receiving feedback). There – fore, the majority of the staff training session should be spent on the trainer demonstrations and trainee practice activities with the role plays. When trainers spend more time talking to staff relative to demonstrating and staff practicing, there is a detrimental effect on training effectiveness beyond staff not having sufficient opportunities to actually see and practice the target skill. Specifically, when trainers spend 56 The Supervisor’s Guidebook large amounts of time talking during a training session, staff attentiveness directed to the trainer diminishes significantly. As a result, train – ees do not sufficiently comprehend what the trainer is talking about, which erodes the trainer’s effectiveness. As a general rule, a trainer should not spend more than 15 to 20 minutes talking without a demonstration or trainee practice activity. Adult learning research as well as the experience of skilled trainers suggests that trainees lose their attentiveness if required to listen to a trainer talk for more than 15 to 20 continuous minutes. Consequently, as supervisors prepare the training session, they should outline their training process such that there is a demonstration or trainee practice activity at least every 20 minutes. To maintain staff attentiveness during a training ses sion, trainers generally should not talk continuously for more than 15–20 minutes without a de – mon stration or trainee practice activity. Training Staff Individually Training individual staff in expected work duties is a responsibility that many supervisors encounter frequently. A supervisor often needs to train individual staff when, for example, a new staff person is hired or a staff person is temporarily assigned to a supervisor’s area due to the absence of a regular staff person. In these situations, the recommended way to train a staff person is through application of the BST protocol as discussed throughout this chapter. However, there are also a few variations when conducting BST with an individual staff member relative to training staff in a group. One variation with individual staff training is that it is generally less formal than when conducting a group training session. The training usually can occur in the staff person’s regular work setting by taking the staff person aside for a relatively brief period of time. Alterna – tively, if other work demands make it unlikely that a staff person could attend to the staff trainer in the work setting, the training can occur in the supervisor’s office or any other available room. Regardless of Training Work Skills to Staff 57 where the training occurs, the supervisor should go through the five steps of BST in a systematic manner. Another variation pertains to the demonstration and trainee practice steps of BST. Often, the supervisor can ask the staff person to play a certain role, such as that of a client if the target skill involves interacting with a client, while the supervisor demonstrates the skill. Next, the supervisor and staff person should exchange roles so that the staff person can demonstrate the skill. In some cases though, and particularly with complex work skills that involve a number of behavioral steps to complete, it is more effective and efficient if a supervisor solicits the help of someone else to assist with the role-play demonstration (e.g., another supervisor, a clinician, an experienced staff person). Subsequent to the staff person’s correct demonstration in a role-play situation, the demonstration can then be conducted with a client if relevant. Training within a staff person’s routine work setting is usually the most efficient way to train staff on an individual basis. Once the staff person demonstrates the target skill correctly, the training is completed. The supervisor does not have to go to the staff person’s work site at a later time, as when training occurs in a different location, to ensure the staff person can perform the skill in the regular job setting (i.e., because the training is conducted in the actual job site). However, if the skill being trained involves interacting with clients, then the supervisor has to be sufficiently familiar with the clients to accurately demonstrate the target skill with the clients. This is not always the case when a supervisor works with a large number of staff who in turn work with a large number of clients. In the latter case the initial de – monstration should probably be conducted in a role-play manner. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CONDUCTING BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING WITH STAFF The evidence-based BST approach has been used effectively to train groups of staff and individual staff members in many human service agencies. However, there are also some general considerations when using this method to train staff with which supervisors should be familiar. The considerations pertain to the amount of time and effort to conduct BST and ensuring the training is conducted in a manner that is well received by staff. 58 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Reducing Time and Effort to Conduct Behavioral Skills Training One of the most significant considerations when conducting performance- and competency-based training such as BST is the time and effort required of the supervisor. This approach to staff training usually requires more time and effort than what typically occurs in hu – man service agencies. As indicated earlier, much of staff training in the human services is verbal-based, consisting of trainer lectures supplemented with written handouts, videos, or on-line learning modules. Again, these training procedures are often helpful to some degree but are usually not sufficiently effective for training staff how to perform specific work skills. Because the latter training procedures do not involve trainer demonstrations and trainee practice though, they usually require less time than BST. The reduced time and effort when relying on a verbal-based training format is one reason this approach to training is common in human service agencies. Reliance on training procedures that require less supervisor time is understandable when considering the numerous job duties supervisors are expected to fulfill on a daily basis. However, on closer examination it is counterproductive to invest time on staff training programs when the programs are not likely to be effective. Consequently, consideration is warranted on how effective, BST procedures can be conducted more efficiently. Before describing ways to reduce supervisor time to conduct BST, it should be noted that in some situations verbal-based training is used even though it is apparent the training will not be very effective. One relatively common situation is when a service-delivery problem is identified by management or a regulatory body (e.g., through surveys conducted within agencies receiving funding through the Federal Medicaid Program for Intermediate Care Facilities—ICFs). Staff training, usually involving a group session in which the trainer presents information about staff doing some aspect of their job differently, is proposed as the corrective action to solve the problem. The purpose in this situation, though not always recognized officially, is to demonstrate to the regulatory body that the agency has done something to resolve the problematic issue. Conducting a training session for the purpose just noted may be necessary in some cases, but should not be mistakenly considered as an effective way to train staff to perform job duties. The concern here is with training for the purpose of ensuring staff learn to perform spec- Training Work Skills to Staff 59 ified work skills. If BST also serves another purpose such as that just illustrated, that purpose should be considered secondary. Ensure Staff Competence During Role-Play Activities. One means for a supervisor to minimize the amount of time to conduct BST pertains to the trainee practice activities, and particularly when training a group of staff. As previously described, trainee practice of the target skills (accompanied by trainer feedback) should first occur during the group training session and then individually with staff in their work setting. One aspect of this approach that often involves a considerable amount of supervisor time is when various staff do not perform the target skills competently on the job. When this occurs, the supervisor has to conduct repeated on-the-job training interactions with a staff person that can entail going to the person’s work site repeatedly to complete the training. One way to reduce a supervisor’s time due to a staff person not demonstrating competence on the job is to ensure each staff member attending the group training session demonstrates competence during the role-play practice. When possible, it is helpful to have each staff person perform the target skills competently at least twice during separate role plays within the group session. Typically, the better the competence displayed by staff during role plays, the better they will perform the target skills later on the job. Sometimes trainers become rushed and hurry through a group training session such that they do not sufficiently observe all staff members perform the target skills correctly. When this occurs, there is increased likelihood that certain staff will have difficulty performing the skills competently on the job (which then requires additional time by the supervisor to complete the training). In short, the more time spent ensuring staff are competent during the initial role plays, the less time will usually be needed to ensure their competence on the job. On-the-job competency of staff following group training sessions is enhanced if each staff trainee is required to demonstrate skill competence in roleplay activities during the group sessions. 60 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Use of Media-Based Training. Another consideration for reducing supervisor time required to effectively train staff is to incorporate media-based components within the training process. Access to media and technology has become readily available in many human service agencies, including use of videos, computer-based training packages, and web-based or on-line training. For example, staff may be scheduled to watch a training video related to a specified work skill or complete a training session on-line. These processes usually require minimal supervisor time during the actual training. Research has been increasingly demonstrating that media-based procedures can be effective in certain situations for training work skills to staff. For example, there are a number of videos and DVDs that have been shown to increase the teaching proficiency of support staff when working with individuals who have autism. However, the re – search has also indicated some inconsistencies with the effectiveness of media-based training (see “Staff Training” sections in the Selected Readings for critical reviews of the research in this area). In particular, in a number of cases such training has not been effective with all trainees. The latter trainees subsequently required a trainer to also conduct components of BST with the trainees on an individual basis to help them acquire the skills being trained. One particular concern with media-based training is the performance components that need to be included if the training is to be ef – fective. Traditionally used visual media can easily present one performance-based component of training, that involving demonstrations of how to perform a target skill. It is more difficult though to include the trainee practice-with-feedback component that is a critical part of BST. An approach that has some supportive research for using media within training while also providing the performance-practice components is to use a video or DVD for selected parts of the training. To illustrate, in a situation in which a behavior analyst needed to train residential staff regarding a new behavior support plan for a client with challenging behavior, the analyst developed a video to provide some of the training. Staff could watch the video as their schedule permitted within a designated time period. The video explained the rationale for the plan, described the component parts, and showed how to perform some duties associated with implementing the plan. Subsequently, the behavior analyst met with individual staff on the job for demonstration and practice-with-feedback purposes. In this manner, all components of BST were imple- Training Work Skills to Staff 61 mented. However, the behavior analyst did not have to meet with the group of staff to initiate the training process because this was accomplished by staff viewing the video. Use of the video reduced the behavior analyst’s time to train staff relative to the usual process of conducting a group training session followed by individual staff training on the job. One reason the video component reduced trainer time was because when conducting group training with staff, it is common that several sessions are required to make sure all staff receive the training. Often supervisors and other trainers have to schedule several group training sessions because not all staff can attend a given session due to different work schedules or absences from work. By using a video for the group training component, the trainer’s presence is not required for repeated training sessions with different groups of staff. However, when considering using visual media in such a manner, the amount of time to develop the video must also be taken into account. Another approach to using media that can provide the practicewith-feedback component of BST is through videoconferencing applications. Videoconferencing allows for real-time observation and interaction between a trainer and trainee from different locations. Use of vid – eoconferencing and related applications of what is considered telehealth services for working with caregivers has recently become an area of growing interest in the human services. Telehealth services are discussed in detail in Chapter 14 in regard to providing remote or distance supervision (including staff training). The point here is that use of visual media to reduce time to train staff warrants consideration as long as staff are still required and observed to demonstrate competence in performing the target work skills on the job. As emphasized previously, training should never be considered complete—regardless of whether media-based procedures are used or not—until staff train ees are observed to perform the target work skills competently on the job. Media-based components such as videos and online programs can be used to reduce the time for trainers to train staff in a number of cases, but care must be taken to ensure that trainees still have opportunities to practice the skills being trained and receive trainer feedback as part of the training. 62 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Pyramidal Training. Another means of reducing the amount of time required of a supervisor to train staff is through pyramidal training. Pyramidal training involves a supervisor training work skills to a small number of staff who in turn train the skills to a larger number of staff. The pyramidal feature of this training process is represented by the following. One trainer (the supervisor) is at the top of the “pyramid” and trains two or three staff to function as trainers who represent the middle of the “pyramid.” The latter staff then train the remaining staff who are at the bottom of the “pyramid.” Because this process involves staff training other staff, it is also referred to as a peer training model. For pyramidal training to be effective, a supervisor usually must train two sets of skills to the staff who will serve as peer trainers with other staff. First, the supervisor must train the peer trainers in the target work skill. For example, a target skill to be trained to all staff may be how to use a least-to-most assistive prompting strategy to teach selfhelp skills to clients with severe disabilities. The supervisor would conduct BST in a group format to train the peer trainers how to use the targeted prompting strategy. Second, the supervisor must train the peer trainers how to use BST to train the rest of the staff. The latter process involves training the peer trainers how to apply the same BST steps that the supervisor used when training the trainers in the prompting strategy. Once peer trainers are prepared to train the target skill to the re – maining staff, it is helpful if a supervisor develops a work activity schedule regarding how and when the peer training will take place. This step is necessary to make sure the training proceeds in an organized manner. A work activity schedule is also necessary to ensure that the peer trainers have sufficient time built into their more routine assignments to allow them opportunities to conduct peer training sessions. There are two primary advantages of using a pyramidal approach to staff training. The most apparent advantage is that it reduces the amount of time required of a supervisor to train all staff in a designated work skill. This is particularly the case when a supervisor has a large number of staff, perhaps involving different work shifts across the day, who need to be trained. It should also be noted, however, that the total amount of time devoted to staff training is not reduced. Only the supervisor’s time is reduced; time is still required for peer trainers to conduct training. Training Work Skills to Staff 63 A second advantage of pyramidal training pertains to the work skills of staff who function as peers trainers. The process of training other staff helps maintain the peer trainers’ proficient application of the skills that they are training. With the case of peer trainers training other staff how to use least-to-most assistive prompting with clients, for example, the trainers’ proficiency in using the prompting strategy will likely maintain at a high level due to their peer training activities. The trainers’ skill maintenance is enhanced due to their review of the prompting strategy and increased practice using the strategy that occurs as they train the other staff. There are also some disadvantages in using a pyramidal training approach. One disadvantage is that it requires additional duties of peer trainers beyond their regularly scheduled work tasks. A second disadvantage is that some staff do not enjoy functioning as a peer trainer. Their dislike of having to train other staff is due at times to the increased work required of them to conduct the peer training. This is especially the case if supervisors do not relieve the peer trainers of other work responsibilities in order to train staff. Consequently, it is recommended that supervisors ensure peer trainers are relieved of certain duties whenever possible to train other staff instead of expecting them to function as peer trainers in addition to performing all their other job duties. Another reason some staff do not like to function as trainers of other staff is due to the specific peer training feature. Some staff are uncomfortable instructing their peers, much less giving their peers feedback, which is a necessary part of the training process. In essence, the act of training staff places the peer trainers in a temporarily elevated role relative to their usual side-by-side working relationship with the other staff. Relatedly, some staff trainees do not like having their peers assume a seemingly elevated role with them. The trainees’ dislike is often apparent to the peer trainers, which makes the trainers even more uncomfortable with their peer-training duties. Because of the advantages and disadvantages of pyramidal training, supervisors should decide on a situation-by-situation basis whether this approach to staff training is desirable. A few guidelines can help in this respect. First, supervisors should strive to involve staff as peer trainers only if the selected staff express a willingness to function in a peer-training capacity; staff generally should not be required to train their peers if they express serious concern or discontent about 64 The Supervisor’s Guidebook being a peer trainer. Second, as indicated previously, supervisors generally should involve staff as peer trainers only when they can relieve those staff from some of their other work duties. A final note on pyramidal training pertains to how a supervisor works with staff who are selected to train other staff. The peer trainers’ training responsibilities should be addressed by the supervisor as with any other job duty of staff. The supervisors should not only train the selected peer trainers how to train other staff, they should also periodically monitor the trainers’ subsequent staff training and provide supportive and corrective feedback as needed. If supervisors do not use the steps of evidence-based supervision with the training duties of the peer trainers, then the likelihood of the trainers carrying out the duties sufficiently to effectively train other staff is diminished. Pyramidal training involves using BST to: (1) train peer trainers in the work skills that they will then train to other staff, and (2) train the peer trainers how to train other staff. Making Training Acceptable to Staff When a supervisor trains staff using BST as discussed throughout this chapter, the training is usually well received by staff. Staff acceptance of the training process is due to several factors inherent in BST. One factor is that the training is quite effective; staff usually become competent in performing the work skills targeted in the training. When staff feel competent performing a given work duty, they generally enjoy performing that duty relative to duties with which they do not feel competent. Relatedly, acquiring competence with performing a new task as a result of effective training reduces anxiety and apprehension staff often experience when assigned a new task without being effectively trained to perform the task. Staff are also usually appreciative of a supervisor who takes the time to ensure they know how to perform their job duties. When a supervisor takes the time to provide BST, it indicates that the supervisor is sincerely concerned about staff being able to perform their Training Work Skills to Staff 65 duties proficiently. Staff typically enjoy working for a supervisor who they believe is truly concerned about the quality of their work relative to a supervisor who exerts minimal effort to help prepare them to perform their duties. There are also other specific aspects of BST that tend to enhance staff acceptance of this training approach. For example, the initial rationale provided by the supervisor about why it is important that staff be trained in the designated work skills promotes staff acceptance of the training. As indicated previously, staff are usually more accepting of assigned duties when they have an understanding of the reason for their assignments. Additionally, the BST step of the supervisor demonstrating the work skills that are being trained tends to enhance staff acceptance. When the supervisor performs the work skills expected of staff, it shows staff that the supervisor knows how to do what the supervisor is expecting staff to perform. As also indicated previously, staff often respect a supervisor more when they know the supervisor can do what is required of staff. In turn, staff tend to enjoy working more for a supervisor they respect than a supervisor they do not respect. Another aspect of BST that enhances staff acceptance pertains to when using a group-training format. Earlier it was noted that to maintain staff attentiveness during a group session, the trainer should not talk more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time without some type of demonstration or trainee-practice activity. This strategy also tends to make the training more enjoyable for staff trainees. Staff often become bored when they have to listen to a trainer talk for extended amounts of time. Such boredom causes many staff to become discontented with having to participate in the training session. In contrast, when the training involves frequent breaks from having to listen to the trainer talk—and especially breaks that include the trainees becoming active such as by practicing the targeted work skills as with BST—boredom and general discontent are reduced or avoided. Staff practice in performing the work skills being trained can further increase staff enjoyment in many cases due to the nature of role playing. Role-play activities often become somewhat humorous as staff fulfill various roles while interacting with their peers during the training. However, staff enjoyment with role-play activities should not be taken for granted; supervisors must take specific steps to promote 66 The Supervisor’s Guidebook enjoyment with the role plays. Otherwise, the role plays can actually decrease staff enjoyment. More specifically, some staff are likely to feel awkward or uncomfortable when initially requested to participate in role-play activities. Supervisors can help staff avoid the latter experiences by informing them prior to role plays that they may be a little uneasy when first participating in the role plays. Supervisors should likewise inform staff that such feelings are common and they should not be surprised or bothered by feeling awkward or uncomfortable. Supervisors should further explain that as the role plays continue, staff are more likely to feel comfortable with the activities. This is one reason supervisors should always follow staff practice activities with feedback that includes letting them know what they performed well. Receiving positive feedback from the supervisor helps staff enjoy the role-play activities and be more comfortable during subsequent role plays. A QUALIFICATION WITH STAFF TRAINING At the beginning of this chapter, the importance of supervisors being willing and able to train work skills to staff was emphasized. If supervisors follow the steps of BST, their training should be effective and well received by staff. However, supervisors should be selective in deciding when to provide training for their staff. There is a tendency in many human service agencies to provide staff training whenever there is a problematic situation with the performance of one or more staff. This tendency was illustrated earlier when staff training is provided in response to a poor review of an agency’s services by an external regulatory body, regardless of the actual reason for the poor review. When issues arise with problematic performance, staff training is necessary if and only if the problem is due to staff not knowing how to perform a work duty of concern. There are many other reasons why problems occur with staff performance, ranging from lack of time for staff to perform a duty adequately to insufficient motivation to complete the task. Providing staff training in these types of situations will not resolve the problems with work performance. As will be discussed in subsequent chapters, other evidence-based strategies should Training Work Skills to Staff 67 be used by supervisors to resolve problematic work performance in the latter situations. CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS 1. Staff training is a critical part of every supervisor’s job. 2. Behavioral skills training (BST) represents a performance- and competency-based means of training work skills to staff that involves: (1) describing the skills to be trained, (2) providing trainees with a written summary of the skills, (3) demonstrating the skills, (4) having staff practice the skills and providing feedback, and (5) repeating step 4 until staff demonstrate competence in performing the skills. 3. Staff training is most successful if supervisors prepare for the training by becoming well versed in the work skills to be trained, developing a written summary of the work skills to distribute to staff trainees, and practicing the demonstrations that will be performed. 4. When conducting staff training in a group format, supervisors should limit their talking to no more than 15 or 20 continuous minutes without a demonstration or trainee-practice activity. 5. Ways to consider reducing a supervisor’s time to conduct staff training include being well prepared prior to the training, ensuring staff competence in performing target skills during initial role plays, incorporating visual media and technology within the training, and pyramidal training. 6. Staff acceptance of training activities can be enhanced by a supervisor explaining the rationale for the training, adhering to the steps of BST, limiting the amount of time talking in lieu of demonstrations and practice activities, preparing staff for role-play activities, and always following staff practice activities with some positive feedback. 7. Staff training should not be used as a means of resolving problematic performance unless the problems are due to staff not knowing how to perform specific duties of concern

Discussion Board 5

How do the concepts of functional structure and empowerment influence supervision and worker satisfaction?  Do you think organizations understand the importance of training and worker satisfaction?

Some reference materials if needed.

Supervisors Guide Book Ch. 4 (separate attachment)

BACB Experience Standards

Articles:

Parsons, Rollyson, and Reid (2013)

Turner et al. (2016)

Sellers et al (2016b)

Sellers et al (2016c)

Albright, Schnell, Reeve, and Sidener (2016)

THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff (2nd Ed.)

By , , 

Published 2021 (2nd edition) CHARLES C THOMAS PUBLISHER · LTD.

Chapter 4 TRAINING WORK SKILLS TO STAFF

Once performance responsibilities have been specified as discussed in Chapter 3, the next step in evidence-based supervision is to train staff in the skills to perform the designated duties. Training is critical for ensuring staff know how to do what is expected of them on the job. In this regard, essentially every human service agency has some type of staff training component. In larger agencies, there is often a staff training department, or at least one person identified as being responsible for staff training. In smaller agencies, different personnel have staff training responsibilities in addition to their other work duties. Regardless of how staff training services are formally organized within an agency, however, staff training is still an essential part of a supervisor’s job. Staff training is a critical part of supervision for several key reasons. A primary reason pertains to characteristics of the typical work force in human service agencies. As indicated in Chapter 1, when people are hired into direct support positions they usually have no prior training or formal education specifically related to their newly acquired jobs. Therefore, they must have opportunities to be trained in relevant work skills once they are hired within a human service agency. It is well recognized across human service agencies that newly em – ployed staff require training in the skills to perform their jobs. Agenc – ies usually address the immediate training needs of new staff through orientation-training programs. Although orientation programs are a necessary part of an agency’s training services, the programs are insufficient for providing all the training needed by new staff. Orientation training often focuses on presenting information that new staff need to 42 Training Work Skills to Staff 43 function within an agency on a general basis, but has little specific bearing on how to provide direct support services needed by individual clients. Information presented in orientation classes typically pertains to such things as, for example, where and when to report to work, how to complete time sheets to receive one’s pay, agency policies on use of social media regarding agency services and clients, and learning the names and roles of key agency personnel. Relatedly, the amount of time agencies can devote to training new staff in orientation programs is limited. When people are hired into direct support roles, they are almost always needed quickly in their new jobs. Agencies typically do not have sufficient numbers of staff to allow vacant positions to remain unfilled for very long. Consequently, there is usually insufficient time within orientation programs to train all the work skills that new staff need to perform their jobs. Super – visors must therefore provide further training to new staff after they complete orientation and report to their work sites. Additionally, some staff do not transfer what they learn in orientation to their day-to-day job site. Many supervisors have experienced situations in which a newly employed staff person appears to have forgotten seemingly everything taught in orientation as soon as the orientation is completed. Supervisors then have to (re)train certain skills once new staff report to their work sites following initial orientation. Another reason a supervisor must function in part as a staff trainer is that new skills are periodically required of human service staff over time. Ways to provide quality support for people with disabilities are continuously evolving and improving. Unless direct support staff have opportunities to be trained in new developments, they cannot be held accountable for providing up-to-date, quality services. Individual clients also require different types of support from time to time, such as new behavior support plans for challenging behavior or new teaching programs for acquiring useful skills. Supervisors must ensure staff are trained in the new or revised ways of providing such support. For all the reasons just summarized, supervisors must be willing and able to train their staff in relevant work skills if staff are to provide quality supports and services. This chapter describes how supervisors can provide effective staff training. In accordance with a continuing theme throughout all chapters, how staff training can be provided in a way that is acceptable to staff and enhances their work enjoyment is also described. 44 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Staff training is a fundamental part of a supervisor’s job, regardless of other staff training services provided by an agency. BASIC GOALS OF STAFF TRAINING Effective staff training involves providing staff with the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs in a quality manner. The focus here is on the skills aspect of staff training. The rationale for the focus on training specific work skills is several-fold. First, it is what staff do on the job, or the skills they demonstrate while performing job duties, that has the most significant impact on client welfare and attainment of desired outcomes. Second, most agencies have procedures for providing knowledge or information that staff need, as represented in orientation-training programs summarized earlier. A third reason for focusing on training of actual work skills is that human service agencies typically are better at providing staff with relevant knowledge about their jobs than training them how to perform their jobs. Enhancing staff knowledge involves what is technically considered as verbal training. Verbal training consists of providing lectures about relevant issues and written information, often supplemented with videos or on-line learning modules. For example, in an agency serving clients with autism, information may be provided in orientation lectures and handouts or on-line modules about the diagnostic characteristics of autism spectrum disorders. Such information and presentation formats are important parts of training, but rarely train staff how to actually perform their jobs. Effectively training staff how to fulfill their performance responsibilities involves what is referred to as performance-based training. As noted in Chapter 2, performance-based training consists of showing staff how to perform various job duties and having staff practice performing the duties under supervision of the staff trainer. This type of training is not provided very often in training programs such as staff orientation in many human service agencies. Therefore, supervisors have to be responsible for ensuring their staff receive performancebased training to acquire the skills necessary to perform their jobs. Training Work Skills to Staff 45 Before describing what supervisors should do to effectively train staff how to perform their work duties, a caution is warranted about the success of agencies in providing job-related knowledge for staff. In Chapter 2, it was noted that to be consistently successful, staff training programs should have a performance basis and a competency basis. Competency-based staff training means that the training is not complete until staff demonstrate competence in the area addressed by the training. In regard to presenting information to staff such as that provided during orientation training, the competency part is sometimes lacking. For example, newly hired staff may listen to a presentation, receive some handouts, and perhaps watch a video or complete an on-line instructional module. Staff trainees may also be required to sign a form indicating they have completed the training. To be truly competency-based, however, another step must be added. Staff must demonstrate they have acquired the knowledge that the training is intended to provide. Any training program that focuses on providing staff with certain knowledge should include a way of assessing staff knowledge following training. Such assessment can involve having trainees complete written quizzes or answering questions posed to each trainee by the trainer. If staff answer the questions accurately, they can be considered to have demonstrated competence in acquiring the knowledge that the training is intended to provide. If staff do not answer the questions accurately, then they have not demonstrated competence and re-training should occur. Training should continue until each staff trainee de – monstrates competence in having acquired the necessary knowledge. BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING There is a well-established, step-by-step protocol for effectively training staff how to perform specified job skills. Although variations can be made in how the protocol is used to suit certain situations as will be described later, every supervisor should be skilled in applying the protocol in its entirety. The steps constituting the protocol are presented in the following illustration. The protocol presented below represents both a performance- and competency-based approach to staff training, currently referred to as 46 The Supervisor’s Guidebook behavioral skills training or BST. The steps constituting BST have been used in research and application to train a wide variety of important job skills to support staff, including how to teach people with disabilities, provide choices, lift and transfer individuals who are nonambulatory, carry out behavior support plans, and adapt electronic devices for use by people with physical challenges, to name just a few. The training steps constituting BST represent a very valuable tool for supervisors when needing to train job skills to staff. PROTOCOL FOR TRAINING STAFF HOW TO PERFORM JOB DUTIES: BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING Step 1: Describe skills to be trained. Step 2: Provide staff trainees with a written summary of skills to be trained. Step 3: Demonstrate the target skills for staff. Step 4: Have staff practice performing the target skills and provide feedback. Step 5: Repeat Step 4 until staff demonstrate competence in performing the skills. Training Step 1: Describe Target Skills to be Trained When beginning the staff training process, what is going to be trained should be described in detail for the staff trainees. This is one reason that performance responsibilities should be delineated into specific work behaviors of staff as discussed in the preceding chapter. Each behavior that a staff person needs to perform to complete the job duty being trained should be described by the supervisor. For complex skills that require a staff person to perform many behaviors, the description process is greatly facilitated if a performance checklist has been prepared as described in Chapter 3. Training Work Skills to Staff 47 It is also helpful when introducing the training to provide staff with a rationale regarding why the skills are being trained. Providing staff with a rationale for what they are expected to learn how to perform can promote staff acceptance of the training. In turn, increased acceptance of the training can enhance staff willingness to subsequently perform the target skills as part of their ongoing duties. Training Step 2: Provide A Written Summary of the Target Skills After the target skills to be trained to staff have been described along with a rational for the importance of the skills, a written summary of the skills should be given to each staff trainee. In many cases, this step can entail providing staff with the performance checklist that the supervisor has prepared as part of the process of specifying performance responsibilities. Providing a written summary of the target skills has several benefits. One particular benefit is that some staff learn more readily from reading how to do a job task relative to hearing a trainer describe how to do the task. Another benefit of providing a written summary of the skills to perform a work duty is that the summary provides staff with a perma – nent reminder or job aide regarding how to perform the task. When staff later need to perform the task, they can review the summary if they are not certain how to complete the task. It should also be noted that some supervisors question this step because they have experienced staff losing or discarding the written summary after the training session. This situation will likely occur at times. However, there are also many staff who will be motivated to perform the designated task and will benefit from having the summary to use as a job aide. It is important that the written summary of the target skills be provided to each staff person being trained. Sometimes only one summary is prepared and then filed in a central location for staff to review. This often occurs with copies of behavior support plans for challenging behavior of clients. The latter approach is not as effective as providing each trainee with a summary. When trainees have their own summary, it is easier for them to access the information when needed relative to having to go to another location to obtain the information. Because of the ready access to their own written copy, the likelihood staff will review the information when needed is increased relative to them having to go to another place to access the information. 48 The Supervisor’s Guidebook The situation just referred to relates to a common obstacle to effective staff training. A number of skills that supervisors need to train to direct support staff are derived from information prepared by other personnel, such as clinicians and executives. A common example is when a supervisor is charged with training staff how to carry out a behavior support plan developed by a psychologist. Often the plan is quite lengthy, consisting of a number of typed pages of information. Documents such as behavior plans frequently need to include a lot of information (e.g., about the client, assessments that were completed) beyond what staff need to do to carry out the plan. Nonetheless, the inclusion of such information can detract from the staff training pro – cess as well as subsequent on-the-job performance. Lengthy written information, such as that often included in behavior plans, makes it difficult for staff to quickly look at the document and find information that tells them specifically what to do on the job. The increased time and effort required to read through all the information to glean what is relevant for completing a task also results in some staff not bothering to search for the information. The latter staff will not spend the time and effort to access the needed information. It is recommended that when a supervisor needs to train staff in a job task that was developed by someone else, the supervisor do one of two things. The most efficient action is for the supervisor to request that the person who wrote the task prepare a succinct, written summary pertaining only to what staff need to do to complete the duty. This should be the summary that is provided to staff. The complete document that contains other information can still be filed in a central location for staff to review if necessary. The other thing a supervisor can do is review the written information that someone else prepared and then develop a summary of action steps to give to staff. A supervisor should provide each staff person with a concise, written summary of the skills the supervisor is training to staff. Training Work Skills to Staff 49 Training Step 3: Demonstrate How to Perform the Target Skills After the supervisor describes the target skills for staff and provides each trainee with a written summary, the next step in the BST process is for the supervisor to demonstrate how to perform the skills. Often the most efficient way to demonstrate how to perform a work duty, and especially if it involves interacting with a client, is in a roleplay situation. The supervisor role plays the part of a staff person, and another individual (e.g., another supervisor or staff person) role plays the part of a client. The supervisor then carefully demonstrates the target skills as they are described on the written summary while the staff trainees observe the demonstration. Demonstrating how to perform a job task for staff is one of the best ways to help staff learn how to perform the task themselves. It also is a key component of performance-based training as referred to earlier—the supervisor performs the task for staff to see how to do the task. Adequately demonstrating a work task for staff requires some skill on the part of the supervisor. Most notably, the supervisor has to know how to actually perform the task that is being trained to the staff. In one sense, noting the importance of a supervisor knowing how to do what the supervisor is training staff to do seems quite obvious. However, such is not always the case. The situation in which a supervisor is expected to train staff in a job task that the supervisor is not sure how to perform usually occurs when the supervisor is training something that someone else developed. This situation occurs most frequently when a clinician develops a client program and expects the supervisor to train staff how to implement the program, but the clinician does not adequately train the supervisor in all aspects of the program. Either the clinician does not take the time to train the supervisor, or basically does not know how to train the supervisor (e.g., the clinician is not skilled in BST). The same situation can occur when an agency executive directs a supervisor to train staff in a new job duty, but does not provide the supervisor with adequate training regarding how to perform the duty. When a supervisor is expected to train staff but the supervisor is not certain how to perform the target skills to be trained, corrective action must be taken by the supervisor. If the supervisor does not take corrective action and attempts to train staff to do something that the supervisor is not competent in doing, multiple problems result. In par- 50 The Supervisor’s Guidebook ticular, it is essentially impossible for a supervisor to adequately train staff if the supervisor cannot perform the target skills proficiently. Additionally, staff usually become aware that the supervisor is instructing them to do something that the supervisor does not know how to perform. Such awareness tends to cause staff to question the competence of the supervisor and subsequently, to lose respect for the supervisor. What a supervisor does to avoid attempting to train staff in skills that the supervisor is not competent in performing will depend on each specific situation. However, the most common corrective action is to make sure whoever is expecting the supervisor to conduct the training is aware of the problem and can offer assistance. Such assistance can involve initially training the supervisor prior to the supervisor training the staff. Assistance can also be provided by the person who prepared the information helping to conduct the staff training while the supervisor is present. In the latter case, the supervisor is essentially trained along with the staff. Supervisors should avoid situations in which they are expected to train staff in work skills that the supervisors themselves are not sure how to perform proficiently. Earlier it was noted that demonstrating work skills as part of the training process is usually accomplished most efficiently in a role-play activity. Target skills can also be demonstrated in vivo in terms of the supervisor performing the task with staff in the actual work site. How to provide in vivo demonstrations as part of the training process will be discussed later in the section on “Training Staff Individually.” Training Step 4: Trainee Practice with Supervisor Feedback Immediately after a supervisor has demonstrated how to perform the target skills being trained, staff should be required to demonstrate the skills themselves. This step of BST is also referred to as behavioral rehearsal on the part of staff trainees. The staff demonstration or re – Training Work Skills to Staff 51 hearsal represents the second key component of performance-based training: staff perform the target skills as part of the training process. If the supervisor’s demonstration occurred in a role-play situation, then staff should also perform the task in a role play. If the supervisor demonstrated the target skills in vivo, then that demonstration should be followed by staff performing the skills in the actual work site as well. As staff practice performing the target skills, the supervisor should observe and then provide feedback to staff based on the accuracy with which they performed the target skills. Providing feedback is a critical supervisory skill and will be discussed in much more detail in subsequent chapters. In regard to training staff, providing feedback means the supervisor informs staff what they performed accurately and if applicable, inaccurately. If staff did not perform the target skills correctly, the supervisor should also inform the staff what they need to do differently to perform the skills correctly. Behavioral skills training provides staff trainees with opportunities to hear a description of the skills being trained, read a description of the skills, see the skills performed, and practice the skills. Training Step 5: Repeat Step 4 Until Staff Perform The Target Skills Proficiently As indicated previously, the BST approach is not only performance-based, it is also competency-based. Again, competency-based means the training continues until each staff trainee demonstrates competence in performing the target job skills. To ensure staff demonstrate competence, Step 4 of BST (trainee practice with feedback) should be repeated until the trainer observes each staff trainee perform the target skills correctly. Competency-based training also means that staff demonstrate competence in performing newly trained skills during their daily job routine. Therefore, if all trainee practice occurs in role-plays, the su – pervisor must then observe staff in their regular job setting. The intent 52 The Supervisor’s Guidebook is to document that the staff generalize what they learned during training to the actual job situation in which they are expected to apply the skills. Such on-the-job observation should also be followed by feedback as just described. Likewise, Step 4 of BST should be repeated in the routine work site until staff demonstrate competence. It is only when the supervisor observes staff perform the target skills proficiently during their regular work situation that the training can be considered complete. Staff training should never be considered complete until the supervisor observes staff perform the skills targeted in the training proficiently during their routine work situation. TWO MAIN FORMATS FOR TRAINING STAFF There are two main formats for training staff in specified work skills. One format, which is more formal in nature, pertains to training a group of staff. The second format, which is more informal, involves training an individual staff member. Supervisors should be well skilled in using each of these two training formats. Training Staff in a Group Conducting staff training in a group format is necessary when several or all of a supervisor’s staff contingent require training in a specified set of work skills. This occurs, for example, when all staff need to be trained in a new behavior support plan for a client. It is a more efficient use of a supervisor’s time to conduct training in a group format relative to training each staff member in the same work skills on an individual basis. The first thing a supervisor should do when training a group of staff in designated work skills actually occurs before the group training session: the supervisor should carefully prepare for the upcoming training. Initially, the supervisor should outline how the training will occur, using the steps of BST as a guide. The training should then pro- Training Work Skills to Staff 53 ceed according to the protocol (see subsequent discussion regarding additional preparation procedures associated with various steps of BST). A group training session should be initiated with staff by explaining the rationale for why the training session is being conducted as described previously. For example, it may be that a client has just secured a supported work placement in a community job and it is desired that the client be taught certain work skills prior to beginning the job. The supervisor could explain that it would help the client’s likelihood of success in the new job if staff conducted teaching sessions to prepare the client for the new work assignments. It could be further explained that each staff member needs to be trained how to conduct the teaching sessions in order for all sessions to be conducted in a consistent and effective manner with the client. Following presentation of the rationale for the training session, the supervisor should describe the skills that the staff need to be able to perform (Step 1 of BST). Subsequently, all staff trainees should be provided with a written summary of the skills (Step 2). To prepare for these two steps, the supervisor must become proficient in the skills to be trained. In the example provided above, for instance, the supervisor would need to be familiar with the client’s teaching plan. The supervisor would likewise need to have prepared the summary of the teaching plan to distribute to each staff person. After staff read the written summary of the target skills, the supervisor should demonstrate how to perform the skills in a role-play situation (Step 3). To ensure adequate demonstration, some additional preparation needs to occur before the actual training session. The preparation includes deciding who will help the supervisor perform the demonstrations (e.g., soliciting assistance of another supervisor or one of the staff trainees), and specifying what each person should do within the demonstrations. It is also helpful if the supervisor practices the role-play demonstrations with whomever is helping the supervisor prior to the training session. The practice is necessary to ensure the demonstrations are sufficiently thorough and accurate to allow staff to observe precisely how to perform the targeted work skills. 54 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Supervisors should prepare for conducting a group training session with staff: be well versed in the skills to be trained, develop written summaries of the skills to give to trainees, and practice role-play demonstrations to ensure accuracy. Following demonstration of the target skills, supervisors should instruct staff to practice the skills in a role play with each other (Step 4). To ensure each staff member participates appropriately in the practice activities, supervisors should specify the roles in which staff should engage (e.g., one trainee should role play the part of a staff person performing the target skills and one trainee should role play the part of the client). It should likewise be stressed that each staff person must practice the target skills and that the other staff should observe and give feedback to the staff person. The feedback should be based on how well the staff person performed the target skills using the written summary and the supervisor’s previous demonstration as a guide. If there is a large number of staff trainees in a group, usually meaning more than four or five staff, then the supervisor should divide the staff into two or more subgroups for their practice activities. The supervisor should also inform staff that in addition to giving feedback to each other, the supervisor will be circulating among the group to give individual feedback. The feedback should be provided as described previously, specifying what a staff person demonstrated correctly and if applicable, incorrectly. In the latter case, the feedback should further specify what the staff person needs to do to correct the demonstrated performance. Additionally, in some situations it is helpful if the supervisor supplements the feedback by repeating the demonstration of how to correctly perform the skills. It is critical for the supervisor to observe each staff person demonstrate the target skills correctly during the training session, which may require some staff to repeat the demonstration (Step 5 of BST). After each staff person has performed the target skills proficiently, the training session should be concluded by the supervisor informing staff when they will be expected to perform the newly trained job skills during their work routine. In many situations this final step can be facilitated if the supervisor provides a work activity schedule re – Training Work Skills to Staff 55 garding the new job duty (refer to Chapter 3 regarding work activity schedules). The supervisor should also inform staff that their performance of the target skills will be observed as they apply the skills on the job. It should be explained that the observations are a continuation of the training process. As discussed in the next chapter, informing staff that their performance will be observed and why it will be observed helps reduce apprehension among staff that often occurs when a supervisor formally observes their work performance on the job. In addition to following the BST protocol when conducting a group training session with staff, there are some special considerations to enhance effectiveness of the training. One consideration is for the supervisor to solicit the assistance of someone to help conduct the training. This is especially relevant if training focuses on work duties designed by someone other than the supervisor. To illustrate, again considering the example in which staff are being trained to teach supported-work skills to a client, the teaching program that the staff are expected to carry out was developed by a clinician. Because the clinician is the most informed person regarding the teaching program, it would be helpful if the clinician assisted the supervisor in conducting the training session. It such situations, the supervisor should also be assertive in soliciting the clinician’s participation in the preparatory activities described earlier prior to the training session with staff. Another consideration with group training sessions pertains to ensuring that the training focuses on performing the target skills. There is a tendency among staff trainers (including supervisors) to spend too much time talking during a training session and not enough time demonstrating target skills and having staff practice the skills. Trainers must remember that the key to effective skill training stems from the performance aspects: staff seeing how the work duty is performed and then practicing it themselves (followed by receiving feedback). There – fore, the majority of the staff training session should be spent on the trainer demonstrations and trainee practice activities with the role plays. When trainers spend more time talking to staff relative to demonstrating and staff practicing, there is a detrimental effect on training effectiveness beyond staff not having sufficient opportunities to actually see and practice the target skill. Specifically, when trainers spend 56 The Supervisor’s Guidebook large amounts of time talking during a training session, staff attentiveness directed to the trainer diminishes significantly. As a result, train – ees do not sufficiently comprehend what the trainer is talking about, which erodes the trainer’s effectiveness. As a general rule, a trainer should not spend more than 15 to 20 minutes talking without a demonstration or trainee practice activity. Adult learning research as well as the experience of skilled trainers suggests that trainees lose their attentiveness if required to listen to a trainer talk for more than 15 to 20 continuous minutes. Consequently, as supervisors prepare the training session, they should outline their training process such that there is a demonstration or trainee practice activity at least every 20 minutes. To maintain staff attentiveness during a training ses sion, trainers generally should not talk continuously for more than 15–20 minutes without a de – mon stration or trainee practice activity. Training Staff Individually Training individual staff in expected work duties is a responsibility that many supervisors encounter frequently. A supervisor often needs to train individual staff when, for example, a new staff person is hired or a staff person is temporarily assigned to a supervisor’s area due to the absence of a regular staff person. In these situations, the recommended way to train a staff person is through application of the BST protocol as discussed throughout this chapter. However, there are also a few variations when conducting BST with an individual staff member relative to training staff in a group. One variation with individual staff training is that it is generally less formal than when conducting a group training session. The training usually can occur in the staff person’s regular work setting by taking the staff person aside for a relatively brief period of time. Alterna – tively, if other work demands make it unlikely that a staff person could attend to the staff trainer in the work setting, the training can occur in the supervisor’s office or any other available room. Regardless of Training Work Skills to Staff 57 where the training occurs, the supervisor should go through the five steps of BST in a systematic manner. Another variation pertains to the demonstration and trainee practice steps of BST. Often, the supervisor can ask the staff person to play a certain role, such as that of a client if the target skill involves interacting with a client, while the supervisor demonstrates the skill. Next, the supervisor and staff person should exchange roles so that the staff person can demonstrate the skill. In some cases though, and particularly with complex work skills that involve a number of behavioral steps to complete, it is more effective and efficient if a supervisor solicits the help of someone else to assist with the role-play demonstration (e.g., another supervisor, a clinician, an experienced staff person). Subsequent to the staff person’s correct demonstration in a role-play situation, the demonstration can then be conducted with a client if relevant. Training within a staff person’s routine work setting is usually the most efficient way to train staff on an individual basis. Once the staff person demonstrates the target skill correctly, the training is completed. The supervisor does not have to go to the staff person’s work site at a later time, as when training occurs in a different location, to ensure the staff person can perform the skill in the regular job setting (i.e., because the training is conducted in the actual job site). However, if the skill being trained involves interacting with clients, then the supervisor has to be sufficiently familiar with the clients to accurately demonstrate the target skill with the clients. This is not always the case when a supervisor works with a large number of staff who in turn work with a large number of clients. In the latter case the initial de – monstration should probably be conducted in a role-play manner. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CONDUCTING BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING WITH STAFF The evidence-based BST approach has been used effectively to train groups of staff and individual staff members in many human service agencies. However, there are also some general considerations when using this method to train staff with which supervisors should be familiar. The considerations pertain to the amount of time and effort to conduct BST and ensuring the training is conducted in a manner that is well received by staff. 58 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Reducing Time and Effort to Conduct Behavioral Skills Training One of the most significant considerations when conducting performance- and competency-based training such as BST is the time and effort required of the supervisor. This approach to staff training usually requires more time and effort than what typically occurs in hu – man service agencies. As indicated earlier, much of staff training in the human services is verbal-based, consisting of trainer lectures supplemented with written handouts, videos, or on-line learning modules. Again, these training procedures are often helpful to some degree but are usually not sufficiently effective for training staff how to perform specific work skills. Because the latter training procedures do not involve trainer demonstrations and trainee practice though, they usually require less time than BST. The reduced time and effort when relying on a verbal-based training format is one reason this approach to training is common in human service agencies. Reliance on training procedures that require less supervisor time is understandable when considering the numerous job duties supervisors are expected to fulfill on a daily basis. However, on closer examination it is counterproductive to invest time on staff training programs when the programs are not likely to be effective. Consequently, consideration is warranted on how effective, BST procedures can be conducted more efficiently. Before describing ways to reduce supervisor time to conduct BST, it should be noted that in some situations verbal-based training is used even though it is apparent the training will not be very effective. One relatively common situation is when a service-delivery problem is identified by management or a regulatory body (e.g., through surveys conducted within agencies receiving funding through the Federal Medicaid Program for Intermediate Care Facilities—ICFs). Staff training, usually involving a group session in which the trainer presents information about staff doing some aspect of their job differently, is proposed as the corrective action to solve the problem. The purpose in this situation, though not always recognized officially, is to demonstrate to the regulatory body that the agency has done something to resolve the problematic issue. Conducting a training session for the purpose just noted may be necessary in some cases, but should not be mistakenly considered as an effective way to train staff to perform job duties. The concern here is with training for the purpose of ensuring staff learn to perform spec- Training Work Skills to Staff 59 ified work skills. If BST also serves another purpose such as that just illustrated, that purpose should be considered secondary. Ensure Staff Competence During Role-Play Activities. One means for a supervisor to minimize the amount of time to conduct BST pertains to the trainee practice activities, and particularly when training a group of staff. As previously described, trainee practice of the target skills (accompanied by trainer feedback) should first occur during the group training session and then individually with staff in their work setting. One aspect of this approach that often involves a considerable amount of supervisor time is when various staff do not perform the target skills competently on the job. When this occurs, the supervisor has to conduct repeated on-the-job training interactions with a staff person that can entail going to the person’s work site repeatedly to complete the training. One way to reduce a supervisor’s time due to a staff person not demonstrating competence on the job is to ensure each staff member attending the group training session demonstrates competence during the role-play practice. When possible, it is helpful to have each staff person perform the target skills competently at least twice during separate role plays within the group session. Typically, the better the competence displayed by staff during role plays, the better they will perform the target skills later on the job. Sometimes trainers become rushed and hurry through a group training session such that they do not sufficiently observe all staff members perform the target skills correctly. When this occurs, there is increased likelihood that certain staff will have difficulty performing the skills competently on the job (which then requires additional time by the supervisor to complete the training). In short, the more time spent ensuring staff are competent during the initial role plays, the less time will usually be needed to ensure their competence on the job. On-the-job competency of staff following group training sessions is enhanced if each staff trainee is required to demonstrate skill competence in roleplay activities during the group sessions. 60 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Use of Media-Based Training. Another consideration for reducing supervisor time required to effectively train staff is to incorporate media-based components within the training process. Access to media and technology has become readily available in many human service agencies, including use of videos, computer-based training packages, and web-based or on-line training. For example, staff may be scheduled to watch a training video related to a specified work skill or complete a training session on-line. These processes usually require minimal supervisor time during the actual training. Research has been increasingly demonstrating that media-based procedures can be effective in certain situations for training work skills to staff. For example, there are a number of videos and DVDs that have been shown to increase the teaching proficiency of support staff when working with individuals who have autism. However, the re – search has also indicated some inconsistencies with the effectiveness of media-based training (see “Staff Training” sections in the Selected Readings for critical reviews of the research in this area). In particular, in a number of cases such training has not been effective with all trainees. The latter trainees subsequently required a trainer to also conduct components of BST with the trainees on an individual basis to help them acquire the skills being trained. One particular concern with media-based training is the performance components that need to be included if the training is to be ef – fective. Traditionally used visual media can easily present one performance-based component of training, that involving demonstrations of how to perform a target skill. It is more difficult though to include the trainee practice-with-feedback component that is a critical part of BST. An approach that has some supportive research for using media within training while also providing the performance-practice components is to use a video or DVD for selected parts of the training. To illustrate, in a situation in which a behavior analyst needed to train residential staff regarding a new behavior support plan for a client with challenging behavior, the analyst developed a video to provide some of the training. Staff could watch the video as their schedule permitted within a designated time period. The video explained the rationale for the plan, described the component parts, and showed how to perform some duties associated with implementing the plan. Subsequently, the behavior analyst met with individual staff on the job for demonstration and practice-with-feedback purposes. In this manner, all components of BST were imple- Training Work Skills to Staff 61 mented. However, the behavior analyst did not have to meet with the group of staff to initiate the training process because this was accomplished by staff viewing the video. Use of the video reduced the behavior analyst’s time to train staff relative to the usual process of conducting a group training session followed by individual staff training on the job. One reason the video component reduced trainer time was because when conducting group training with staff, it is common that several sessions are required to make sure all staff receive the training. Often supervisors and other trainers have to schedule several group training sessions because not all staff can attend a given session due to different work schedules or absences from work. By using a video for the group training component, the trainer’s presence is not required for repeated training sessions with different groups of staff. However, when considering using visual media in such a manner, the amount of time to develop the video must also be taken into account. Another approach to using media that can provide the practicewith-feedback component of BST is through videoconferencing applications. Videoconferencing allows for real-time observation and interaction between a trainer and trainee from different locations. Use of vid – eoconferencing and related applications of what is considered telehealth services for working with caregivers has recently become an area of growing interest in the human services. Telehealth services are discussed in detail in Chapter 14 in regard to providing remote or distance supervision (including staff training). The point here is that use of visual media to reduce time to train staff warrants consideration as long as staff are still required and observed to demonstrate competence in performing the target work skills on the job. As emphasized previously, training should never be considered complete—regardless of whether media-based procedures are used or not—until staff train ees are observed to perform the target work skills competently on the job. Media-based components such as videos and online programs can be used to reduce the time for trainers to train staff in a number of cases, but care must be taken to ensure that trainees still have opportunities to practice the skills being trained and receive trainer feedback as part of the training. 62 The Supervisor’s Guidebook Pyramidal Training. Another means of reducing the amount of time required of a supervisor to train staff is through pyramidal training. Pyramidal training involves a supervisor training work skills to a small number of staff who in turn train the skills to a larger number of staff. The pyramidal feature of this training process is represented by the following. One trainer (the supervisor) is at the top of the “pyramid” and trains two or three staff to function as trainers who represent the middle of the “pyramid.” The latter staff then train the remaining staff who are at the bottom of the “pyramid.” Because this process involves staff training other staff, it is also referred to as a peer training model. For pyramidal training to be effective, a supervisor usually must train two sets of skills to the staff who will serve as peer trainers with other staff. First, the supervisor must train the peer trainers in the target work skill. For example, a target skill to be trained to all staff may be how to use a least-to-most assistive prompting strategy to teach selfhelp skills to clients with severe disabilities. The supervisor would conduct BST in a group format to train the peer trainers how to use the targeted prompting strategy. Second, the supervisor must train the peer trainers how to use BST to train the rest of the staff. The latter process involves training the peer trainers how to apply the same BST steps that the supervisor used when training the trainers in the prompting strategy. Once peer trainers are prepared to train the target skill to the re – maining staff, it is helpful if a supervisor develops a work activity schedule regarding how and when the peer training will take place. This step is necessary to make sure the training proceeds in an organized manner. A work activity schedule is also necessary to ensure that the peer trainers have sufficient time built into their more routine assignments to allow them opportunities to conduct peer training sessions. There are two primary advantages of using a pyramidal approach to staff training. The most apparent advantage is that it reduces the amount of time required of a supervisor to train all staff in a designated work skill. This is particularly the case when a supervisor has a large number of staff, perhaps involving different work shifts across the day, who need to be trained. It should also be noted, however, that the total amount of time devoted to staff training is not reduced. Only the supervisor’s time is reduced; time is still required for peer trainers to conduct training. Training Work Skills to Staff 63 A second advantage of pyramidal training pertains to the work skills of staff who function as peers trainers. The process of training other staff helps maintain the peer trainers’ proficient application of the skills that they are training. With the case of peer trainers training other staff how to use least-to-most assistive prompting with clients, for example, the trainers’ proficiency in using the prompting strategy will likely maintain at a high level due to their peer training activities. The trainers’ skill maintenance is enhanced due to their review of the prompting strategy and increased practice using the strategy that occurs as they train the other staff. There are also some disadvantages in using a pyramidal training approach. One disadvantage is that it requires additional duties of peer trainers beyond their regularly scheduled work tasks. A second disadvantage is that some staff do not enjoy functioning as a peer trainer. Their dislike of having to train other staff is due at times to the increased work required of them to conduct the peer training. This is especially the case if supervisors do not relieve the peer trainers of other work responsibilities in order to train staff. Consequently, it is recommended that supervisors ensure peer trainers are relieved of certain duties whenever possible to train other staff instead of expecting them to function as peer trainers in addition to performing all their other job duties. Another reason some staff do not like to function as trainers of other staff is due to the specific peer training feature. Some staff are uncomfortable instructing their peers, much less giving their peers feedback, which is a necessary part of the training process. In essence, the act of training staff places the peer trainers in a temporarily elevated role relative to their usual side-by-side working relationship with the other staff. Relatedly, some staff trainees do not like having their peers assume a seemingly elevated role with them. The trainees’ dislike is often apparent to the peer trainers, which makes the trainers even more uncomfortable with their peer-training duties. Because of the advantages and disadvantages of pyramidal training, supervisors should decide on a situation-by-situation basis whether this approach to staff training is desirable. A few guidelines can help in this respect. First, supervisors should strive to involve staff as peer trainers only if the selected staff express a willingness to function in a peer-training capacity; staff generally should not be required to train their peers if they express serious concern or discontent about 64 The Supervisor’s Guidebook being a peer trainer. Second, as indicated previously, supervisors generally should involve staff as peer trainers only when they can relieve those staff from some of their other work duties. A final note on pyramidal training pertains to how a supervisor works with staff who are selected to train other staff. The peer trainers’ training responsibilities should be addressed by the supervisor as with any other job duty of staff. The supervisors should not only train the selected peer trainers how to train other staff, they should also periodically monitor the trainers’ subsequent staff training and provide supportive and corrective feedback as needed. If supervisors do not use the steps of evidence-based supervision with the training duties of the peer trainers, then the likelihood of the trainers carrying out the duties sufficiently to effectively train other staff is diminished. Pyramidal training involves using BST to: (1) train peer trainers in the work skills that they will then train to other staff, and (2) train the peer trainers how to train other staff. Making Training Acceptable to Staff When a supervisor trains staff using BST as discussed throughout this chapter, the training is usually well received by staff. Staff acceptance of the training process is due to several factors inherent in BST. One factor is that the training is quite effective; staff usually become competent in performing the work skills targeted in the training. When staff feel competent performing a given work duty, they generally enjoy performing that duty relative to duties with which they do not feel competent. Relatedly, acquiring competence with performing a new task as a result of effective training reduces anxiety and apprehension staff often experience when assigned a new task without being effectively trained to perform the task. Staff are also usually appreciative of a supervisor who takes the time to ensure they know how to perform their job duties. When a supervisor takes the time to provide BST, it indicates that the supervisor is sincerely concerned about staff being able to perform their Training Work Skills to Staff 65 duties proficiently. Staff typically enjoy working for a supervisor who they believe is truly concerned about the quality of their work relative to a supervisor who exerts minimal effort to help prepare them to perform their duties. There are also other specific aspects of BST that tend to enhance staff acceptance of this training approach. For example, the initial rationale provided by the supervisor about why it is important that staff be trained in the designated work skills promotes staff acceptance of the training. As indicated previously, staff are usually more accepting of assigned duties when they have an understanding of the reason for their assignments. Additionally, the BST step of the supervisor demonstrating the work skills that are being trained tends to enhance staff acceptance. When the supervisor performs the work skills expected of staff, it shows staff that the supervisor knows how to do what the supervisor is expecting staff to perform. As also indicated previously, staff often respect a supervisor more when they know the supervisor can do what is required of staff. In turn, staff tend to enjoy working more for a supervisor they respect than a supervisor they do not respect. Another aspect of BST that enhances staff acceptance pertains to when using a group-training format. Earlier it was noted that to maintain staff attentiveness during a group session, the trainer should not talk more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time without some type of demonstration or trainee-practice activity. This strategy also tends to make the training more enjoyable for staff trainees. Staff often become bored when they have to listen to a trainer talk for extended amounts of time. Such boredom causes many staff to become discontented with having to participate in the training session. In contrast, when the training involves frequent breaks from having to listen to the trainer talk—and especially breaks that include the trainees becoming active such as by practicing the targeted work skills as with BST—boredom and general discontent are reduced or avoided. Staff practice in performing the work skills being trained can further increase staff enjoyment in many cases due to the nature of role playing. Role-play activities often become somewhat humorous as staff fulfill various roles while interacting with their peers during the training. However, staff enjoyment with role-play activities should not be taken for granted; supervisors must take specific steps to promote 66 The Supervisor’s Guidebook enjoyment with the role plays. Otherwise, the role plays can actually decrease staff enjoyment. More specifically, some staff are likely to feel awkward or uncomfortable when initially requested to participate in role-play activities. Supervisors can help staff avoid the latter experiences by informing them prior to role plays that they may be a little uneasy when first participating in the role plays. Supervisors should likewise inform staff that such feelings are common and they should not be surprised or bothered by feeling awkward or uncomfortable. Supervisors should further explain that as the role plays continue, staff are more likely to feel comfortable with the activities. This is one reason supervisors should always follow staff practice activities with feedback that includes letting them know what they performed well. Receiving positive feedback from the supervisor helps staff enjoy the role-play activities and be more comfortable during subsequent role plays. A QUALIFICATION WITH STAFF TRAINING At the beginning of this chapter, the importance of supervisors being willing and able to train work skills to staff was emphasized. If supervisors follow the steps of BST, their training should be effective and well received by staff. However, supervisors should be selective in deciding when to provide training for their staff. There is a tendency in many human service agencies to provide staff training whenever there is a problematic situation with the performance of one or more staff. This tendency was illustrated earlier when staff training is provided in response to a poor review of an agency’s services by an external regulatory body, regardless of the actual reason for the poor review. When issues arise with problematic performance, staff training is necessary if and only if the problem is due to staff not knowing how to perform a work duty of concern. There are many other reasons why problems occur with staff performance, ranging from lack of time for staff to perform a duty adequately to insufficient motivation to complete the task. Providing staff training in these types of situations will not resolve the problems with work performance. As will be discussed in subsequent chapters, other evidence-based strategies should Training Work Skills to Staff 67 be used by supervisors to resolve problematic work performance in the latter situations. CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS 1. Staff training is a critical part of every supervisor’s job. 2. Behavioral skills training (BST) represents a performance- and competency-based means of training work skills to staff that involves: (1) describing the skills to be trained, (2) providing trainees with a written summary of the skills, (3) demonstrating the skills, (4) having staff practice the skills and providing feedback, and (5) repeating step 4 until staff demonstrate competence in performing the skills. 3. Staff training is most successful if supervisors prepare for the training by becoming well versed in the work skills to be trained, developing a written summary of the work skills to distribute to staff trainees, and practicing the demonstrations that will be performed. 4. When conducting staff training in a group format, supervisors should limit their talking to no more than 15 or 20 continuous minutes without a demonstration or trainee-practice activity. 5. Ways to consider reducing a supervisor’s time to conduct staff training include being well prepared prior to the training, ensuring staff competence in performing target skills during initial role plays, incorporating visual media and technology within the training, and pyramidal training. 6. Staff acceptance of training activities can be enhanced by a supervisor explaining the rationale for the training, adhering to the steps of BST, limiting the amount of time talking in lieu of demonstrations and practice activities, preparing staff for role-play activities, and always following staff practice activities with some positive feedback. 7. Staff training should not be used as a means of resolving problematic performance unless the problems are due to staff not knowing how to perform specific duties of concern

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