Employee Training and Development

The content of orientation and annual trainings are based on:

• Job duties at Mains’l
• Applicable licensing and contract requirements
• Requirements of the program the employee is working in
• Mains’l policies and procedures
• State and federal laws

Employees are paid for trainings when they are required by Mains’l. If an employee chooses to take additional training beyond what is assigned, the employee will not be paid by Mains’l for that time.

Orientation training is completed by all new employees and current employees transferring to a new position or department within Mains'l. Additionally, all employees are encouraged, and in some cases required, to participate in ongoing annual professional and educational training. Mains'l provides information to employees on important conferences, workshops, and training opportunities. When attendance at training is required by Mains’l, the agency covers the cost of training and pre-approved expenses. Supervisors may consider certain trainings required or optional based on the unique experience and role of each employee. Employees are notified if training is required or optional.

Training and development may be conducted by members of the human resources teams, administrative team, supervisors, senior supervisors, directors, people receiving services, parents and other stakeholders, and direct care employees. Employees may receive online training, classroom instruction and competency testing, site specific instruction and competency testing, and on the job training and coaching. Some training may be completed over the phone if approved by the supervisor.

What are my training expectations?

Each Mains’l employee is expected to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their role. Employee training and development involves building skills and knowledge that enhances the employee’s skills, knowledge and abilities, both personally and professionally. Training instructions and expectations are given to the new employee at their first day- Welcome Aboard.

Orientation Training and Development

There are six (6) parts to Mains’l orientation process:

1. First Day – Welcome Aboard
   
   1. First day orientation is the employee’s welcome to Mains’l. New employee paperwork is reviewed with human resources or other designee and completed by the employee. Expectations for how and when to complete the rest of orientation are provided.
2. Orientation to the Individual (for direct support services)
   
   1. Orientation to the Individual is the process of getting to know the person with whom the employee will be working with by reviewing documentation and information from the person and his or her support team. After completing Orientation to the Individual, the employee should have a good understanding of the support and service needs of the person and your role and responsibilities as an employee on his or her support team.
3. Orientation to the Site
   
   1. Orientation to the site is the process of getting to know the place the employee will be working by reviewing documentation and information and visiting the location(s) he or she will work at. After completing Orientation to the Site the employee should have a good understanding of the setting or settings he or she will be working at.
4. Orientation to Job Responsibilities
   
   1. Orientation to job responsibilities involves getting to know the supervisor and learning what to do and how to do it by reviewing in detail, the job description, policies, procedures, and other information related to the person’s role. After completing Orientation to Job Responsibilities the employee should have a good understanding of how to succeed as a Mains'l team member and have a good foundation of understanding what resources guide their work.
   2. Included in orientation to job responsibilities are a variety of online, person to person, and classroom trainings that provide knowledge and skill building opportunities and communicate job expectations for the employee. Online, person to person and classroom trainings are assigned to each employee based on their specific job.
5. Job Specific Competency Test (for services)
   
   1. A job specific competency test provides the employee the opportunity to recall information, and demonstrate the skills and abilities needed to perform the job. This allows the employee and supervisor to know what information the employee has remembered from their orientation so far, and to clarify where further follow up information, training or practice is needed.
6. On the Job Training
   
   1. On the Job Training occurs when the employee takes all of the information he or she has learned so far and begins to apply it on the job. This is the time when the employee and supervisor can decide if this is the right job for this person. While there will always be opportunities to learn more, after completing On the Job Training the employee should have demonstrated competence to do the job with minimal or no supervision.

Ongoing Training and Development

There are two (2) parts to Mains’l ongoing training and development

1. Annual and as needed trainings
   
   1. There are a variety of in-person, online, and classroom trainings that are required for some or all employees based on the needs of the person or people they support, their position within the agency and the specific program or programs they work in. Annual trainings are the employee’s opportunity to refresh and enhance knowledge and skills and the agency’s opportunity to ensure a competent workforce.
2. Ongoing Employee Development
   
   1. In addition to training, each employee may collaborate with their supervisor to create an individualized plan as it relates to their work/career development. The process is ongoing with the expected result that each employee of Mains’l will have clear goals and objectives that are personally meaningful and contribute to the mission and vision of Mains’l.

The supervisor may assign to another trained and competent person parts of training and employee development with pre-approval from their supervisor. Trainers document the training topics, dates and times they train an employee. The employee and trainer(s) sign off after training is completed.

Alternative Sources of Training

Employees who choose to attend training offered outside of the agency should check with their supervisor to clarify if the training will count towards their Mains’l trainings and if time or training costs will or will not be paid by Mains’l. Trainings from sources other than Mains’l may count toward the orientation or annual training requirements if:

1. The training occurred within the same 12 month period as the current annual training time period.
2. The documentation includes the topic/instructor/date.          
   
   1. Prefer it also includes the hours.
3. The employee provides Mains’l acceptable documentation of the training and staff person's competency in the required area. The documentation is reviewed by the HR Generalist to determine if it meets our standards.

Due to the considerations of our nurse’s licenses, we do not accept Medication Administration from other agencies.

Supervisors may schedule and complete trainings with employees over the phone to fulfill annual training requirements. Phone training must be approved by the supervisor. Phone trainings are documented on the Training Log and submitted to Human Resources for data entry. Supervisor approved trainings completed over the phone may be entered on a timesheet.

Team Meetings

Team meetings are defined as in-person or over the phone correspondence with one or more employees and their supervisor or a trainer approved by the supervisor.

Employees are expected to meet with and correspond with their supervisor as requested. Supervisors communicate team meeting expectations during Orientation to Specific Job Responsibilities and will inform employees of additional meeting and training requirements as they occur to ensure employees are properly trained and competent to perform their jobs.

Mains’l expects that employees working in houses that are licensed as Community Residential Settings and office staff attend a monthly in-person team meeting. All other employees are expected to meet with and correspond with their supervisor as requested. Supervisors communicate team meeting expectations during Orientation to Specific Job Responsibilities and will inform employees of additional meeting requirements as they occur to ensure employees are properly trained and competent to perform their jobs.

Employees communicate with their supervisor if they are unable to attend a team meeting. Unapproved absence from a team meeting or frequently missing meetings is a performance issue that supervisors are expected to address with employees.

How much training is needed?

• Employees who work in licensed services must complete thirty (30) hours of orientation training within ninety (90) days of hire.
• Employees who work in un-licensed services must complete thirty (30) hours of orientation training within ninety (90) days of hire.
• Additionally there is a list of topics for licensed services staff to learn about and demonstrate competency in.
• Administrative employee training is determined by position and the supervisor.

There may be variations on the required hours and topics of training based on the employee’s experience and/or person being supported.

How is training recorded?

Mains’l maintains a training record for each employee. Proof of attendance for in-person, over the phone, or trainings offered outside of Mains’l is submitted by the trainer to the human resources or support services department immediately following the training (within 2 business days), and then it is entered in our Human Resource Information System. Online training is automatically recorded in the Human Resource Information System.

Documentation of training completion, competency tests, and a record of the amount of time credited towards training are recorded in the Human Resource Information System. The employee, human resources, support services, and the supervisor are able to view where the employee is at with completion of training.

On a monthly basis, training reports are provided to all supervisors who in turn notify employees of training requirements and/or hours not yet completed. It is the responsibility of the employee to assure that these trainings and hour requirements are fulfilled. Participation in trainings must be documented and turned in on a timely basis to ensure accurate training records.

The Key to Your Success is You!

We are committed to being guided by our mission, vision and values, as well as the rules and regulations that set standards for our work. Successful completion of training requirements and ongoing participation in employee development is a collective responsibility of the Mains’l Team, with you as the centerpiece. We succeed in large part because of the training and development we undertake and subsequent skills and abilities we demonstrate and expand on.

Honoring the Mains’l standard of excellence

1. If you are struggling with understanding, ask questions or ask for help.
2. You will be asked to show competency and will be tested on your knowledge.
3. If you continue to struggle with understanding or demonstrating knowledge through skills, we will help, by creating a plan that may include retraining, practice and active coaching.
4. Trainings are expected to be completed by the assigned dates. If you are struggling, please ask for help in a timely manner so that trainings are still completed within the needed time frames.
5. Mains’l believes that all employees have the ability to successfully meet training requirements. However, in the event that training requirements are not completed as assigned within the required time frames, it may result in written performance feedback that could include removal from work until the employee successfully completes training.
6. Mains’l is committed to excellence in who we are, what we do, and how we do it. If there are concerns regarding training completion, skill demonstration, or the wellbeing of the individuals we serve, it could lead to an employee no longer working for Mains’l.
7. It is the goal of Mains’l to coach and mentor employees to successfully meet training requirements.