A training intervention for supervisors to support a work-life policy implementation.

Area of Science:

• Workplace policy implementation
• Organizational behavior
• Human resource management

Background:

• Effective policy implementation is vital for a healthy workplace.
• Supervisors act as gatekeepers for benefit regulations, requiring knowledge to support employees.
• The Ryan-Kossek model highlights supervisor roles in work-life policy adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a workplace intervention focused on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• To evaluate the intervention's effectiveness on supervisor knowledge, awareness, and experience with FMLA.
• To assess the impact of computer-based training (CBT) on FMLA understanding.

Main Methods:

• An intervention involving computer-based training (CBT) and a survey was administered.
• The training targeted 793 county government supervisors in Oregon, USA.
• Pre- and post-training assessments measured knowledge and awareness of FMLA.

Main Results:

• Over 35% of supervisors lacked prior FMLA training, indicating a knowledge gap.
• Pre-tests revealed deficiencies in understanding benefit coverage and employer responsibilities.
• CBT demonstrated a significant learning effect (d=2.0), positive participant reaction, and increased FMLA knowledge and awareness.

Conclusions:

• Computer-based training (CBT) effectively enhances supervisor knowledge and awareness for policy implementation.
• A lack of supervisor training on complex benefits like FMLA impedes effective policy execution.
• Supplementary training is necessary, even for long-term employees, to ensure comprehension of intricate workplace policies.