NCJ Number
228183
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 71 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 38-40
Date Published
April 2009
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article examines what an agency can do to help reduce staff turnover using a program model from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC).
Abstract
Developing a strategy for improving retention requires not only knowing what a specific job classification requires in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities, but also knowing what motivates and discourages the many different generations within the work force. Training programs are but one component in this process. Effective training has many components, and a structured on-the-job training (OJT) program must encompass those components and more. In the case of the structured OJT program in Ohio, training has been found to have a culture-changing effect, which translates to improved retention of newly hired officers. Committing to such an approach requires expense; there is a cost to any training initiative. However, it is more cost-effective and makes more sense to invest in a new employee's training upon hire, than to incur far more costs over the course of the years that the employee has on the job, only to lose that employee. Training staff correctly, as soon as they join correctional agencies, is a critical component if agencies are to be successful in retaining their most valuable commodity.