News
BDA Hot Topic: Training and Supervision
by Kellee Lostaunau
IAS Project Coordinator, Building Department Accreditation
Los Angeles, California
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Training and Supervision
For code officials, administrative and permitting staff, plan reviewers, and inspectors, IAS requests details about the way an applicant jurisdiction defines, recruits for, and fills each position held by an employee. In the job description, we look at the duties to be performed, the minimum levels of education and experience demanded, and the types of certifications and licenses that are required. IAS also examines how employees are recruited to fill open positions and how, in addition to the interview process, the department verifies that a potential employee possesses the education, experience and professional credentials that the job requires. IAS studies the department’s process for orienting a new staff member to the workplace culture and the particulars of the job for which he or she has just been hired. In addition, IAS evaluators review the methods that managers use to ensure that new employees understand the department’s expectations, and that they are provided with a supportive environment in which to meet the demands of the job.
IAS believes training does not end with education, prior work experience, apprenticeship programs, or even professional licenses and certifications. Training extends to the way a department supports new employees as they strive to successfully fit in and meet the demands of the job as well as the expectations of their supervisors.
It is likely that, through the hiring process, the department has done a good job of selecting a new employee who is qualified for the position and seems to be a good fit with the culture of the department. Even so, most managers would agree that it is not enough to hand a new staff member a copy of the employee handbook and the standard operating procedures manual and expect them to be up to speed within a few days. Having written handbooks and manuals available for reference is a great start, but helping an employee become comfortable with a new job is a complex process. As IAS seeks to find out how a department successfully addresses this challenge, we look for four different components of training and supervision:
Concrete Expectations—Duties are defined in the job description, employee handbooks spell out organizational do’s and don’ts, and standard operating procedures allow new employees to see how each operation in the department should be performed.
Personal Demonstration—New hires are shown how proprietary software programs are used and where electronic documents should be located if using a shared network; they are shown around the workplace so they may become familiar with the layout; and new employees are pointed to where certain files are stored and where forms and checklists may be found, and where they should be delivered upon completion.
Support for Success—Help is readily available from peers and supervisors, new hires are encouraged to observe and learn from senior staff, and questions and discussion are welcomed.
Monitoring and Redirection—New staff are monitored closely in a non-threatening way, with the purpose of quickly identifying gaps in knowledge of procedures so that training opportunities may be recognized. Mistakes become opportunities for learning and improvement rather than reprimand.
How Might These Four Components Come Together for Different Roles in the Department?
New permitting and administrative staff might be given a manual of operating procedures related to their job functions and taken on a tour of the building. They might be partnered with a senior staff member who will demonstrate how each assigned task, step by step, should be performed. Supervisors and senior staff work closely with new hires to provide help and information and to identify gaps in knowledge so the employee may consistently learn and increase his or her level of competency.
Training newly hired inspectors, on the other hand, may require a slightly different approach. Even experienced, certified inspectors may need some in-the-field training and supervision to help them become accustomed to the culture and operations of their new department. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including job shadowing, or partnering the new hire with a senior inspector who may answer questions and provide guidance in the field. It is important that the new inspector is closely monitored in order to identify opportunities for improvement as quickly as possible so that additional training and support may be offered.
Training and supervision of staff is a crucial part of the success of a building department, code enforcement agency or any organization. The IAS Building Department Accreditation program looks at this factor and many more as part of the accreditation process. To learn more about IAS or Building Department Accreditation, contact IAS Project Coordinator Kellee Lostaunau or Accreditation Specialist Rick Archer at 866-427-4422 ext. 3309.