A comparison of three staff-management procedures

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Institutional Management
• Intellectual Disability Services

Background:

• Effective staff management is crucial for program implementation in institutions.
• Traditional staff management procedures often lack rigorous evaluation.
• Optimizing resident engagement in activities requires effective staff motivation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of three staff management procedures in an institution for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• To identify which procedures best enhance resident participation in recreational activities.
• To determine the impact of performance feedback on staff motivation and resident engagement.

Main Methods:

• Investigated three staff management interventions: a memo, a workshop, and activity leader assignment with performance feedback.
• Measured the daily average number of active residents engaged in recreational activities on four wards.
• Compared resident activity levels before and after the implementation of each procedure.

Main Results:

• A memo and a workshop did not significantly increase staff initiation of recreational activities.
• Assigning staff as activity leaders and providing public performance feedback led to a substantial increase in resident engagement.
• Resident participation increased from an average of 7 to 32 individuals per day across four wards.

Conclusions:

• Performance feedback and clear role assignment are more effective than general instructions or workshops for motivating staff.
• Evidence-based staff management practices can significantly improve the quality of life for institutionalized individuals.
• The facility adopted these successful procedures across all wards to sustain improvements.