You have a choice:
Do you want to be right or happy?
You know what? Don’t answer that. Let me choose for you....
You want to be happy.
What's wrong that I chose for you?
I'm right, aren't I? Unfair?
You bet it is, but we do this all the time as clinical directors & BCBAs by leaving our staff out of decisions as though they aren’t impacted by them, because we think we’re in the right. But the fact of the matter is: we can't please everyone, and us insisting on having all the right answers costs everyone their happiness and work satisfaction.
Let's visit a few familiar scenarios:
A new policy is in effect, but few people are on board with it.
Attendance expectations are clarified, but absenteeism and lateness are still through the roof.
A procedure has changed, but everyone is resistant to implementing it the new way.
Why the pushback?
Assuming the training is near perfect, they have more than enough resources, and feedback is given…what gives?
I’ll tell you what: we chose to be right.
And we think, consequently, it’s our employees who are in the wrong.
Implementing any new plan (even one with monetary bonuses!) may be met with resistance by some employees if the participants are not consulted before the beginning of the program (Lawler & Hackman, 1969).
That is, perhaps their resistance to change may be a reflection of our hesitation to incorporate their preferences into each change (also another reason there is a whole industry - #changemanagement - focused on helping companies implement change internally).
Now, we’re not suggesting all decisions should be placed solely in the hands of the staff–(as if!)–but where staff can have a choice, they should be given the opportunity to choose, ensuring that a change in procedure is followed by a collective change in behavior…as enticing as it is to choose for them.
So, when it comes down to it, the question is:
Are employees lacking in effective training or effective reinforcement?
The Performance Diagnostic Checklist- Health Services (PDC-HS), designed to assess this very thing, breaks down most employee performance issues into one of four categories:
1) Training,
2) Task Clarification & Prompting,
3) Resources, Materials, & Processes, and
4) Performance Consequences, Effort, & Competition.
By isolating these variables, it is easier to determine where attention, prevention, and intervention strategies are best allocated. Reviewing these categories further reveals the reason why well-developed training, prompts, and resources are actually of little use if consequences are not effective, as employee performance hinges on all four areas.
Real change is made under preference, not under pressure.
Programmed consequences without preference assessments, therefore, result in behavior change of little to no consequence. In other words: if you don’t know what potential reinforcers may be effective in establishing behavior change, you might as well not make a change at all!
Real change is made under preference, not under pressure. So stop, sit back, and listen–it's time to take the pressure off yourself.
This is where our beloved preference assessments come in...
That’s right, look no further than...your employees!
And before you get any bright ideas, recognize that our primary focus is not about getting staff to do what you want by giving them what they want. By assessing their preferences, you are first and foremost gaining insight into the very heart of your team.
Now, if you haven't already been clambering around figuring out what to assess, allow us to save you some time:
Feedback
Now or Later? We know reinforcement is most effective immediately after a behavior, but perhaps the environment at that time can be a barrier or distraction for the individual receiving the feedback. Ask when and where would be the most appropriate and helpful for them.
In-Person or Message? While in-person feedback may be the easiest to give in the moment, it may be easier for the individual to understand and retain their feedback if it is in a written form.
Group or Individual? While you may think acknowledging your staff in a group setting (virtual or not) is a good idea, consider their thoughts and feelings first. Listening to those who prefer individual feedback, for instance, may prevent feelings of embarrassment.
General reinforcement
Food. Everyone loves food! But not everyone loves your favorite food. It’s easy to think something like pizza pleases everyone, but consider that preferences don’t always come freely–sometimes they’re mandatory, like dietary restrictions.
Activities. Go above and beyond by assessing your team’s preferred activities (individual or group) and consider how you can incorporate these in your team-building efforts.
Anything. Get creative! Whatever is accessible, coveted, and characteristic of your team–cater to it! Rewards don’t have to be huge; to some, a good word after a hard day can mean the world.
Others
Bonuses. Who doesn’t love a good bonus? Ask your team to find out, hierarchically, how much they prize bonuses versus other potential reinforcers. Staff acceptability should be weighed regarding the contingencies ( Berkovits et al., 2012).
Time-off. If a bonus isn’t preferred, perhaps time off is worth working for. As with anything, consider, of course, potential limitations and what is possible with your staffing before offering.
Suggestions. Give your team a voice by incorporating them into your decisions (i.e., do we want to build a playground or invest in new gym floors?).
Giving your team them continual opportunities to share their favorite foods, feedback methods, and everything in between not only communicates to them their value but gives them some agency, a kind of respect that is sure to go beyond behavior change, improving employee retention!
So, is that it? Is everything sunshine and rainbows?
Is that all it takes to get your employees back on track?
If you’re looking for a quick-fix-band-aid to solve your problems, you’re only looking for more trouble. While valuing your employees is evident in a preference assessment, the assessment means nothing without following through on the immediate action it calls for!
Implementation, of course, depends on how feasible your reinforcer and delivery options are. Characteristics include:
Logged! Keep a sheet you can quickly reference for your convenience.
Promiseable! Just plain rude/mean to build up anticipation for a standard you can’t meet– be realistic. Don't over-promise and under-deliver.
Easy! To choose and easy to implement.
It's easy to fall into thinking preference assessments are a waste of time and not worth the hassle, and honestly, on their own– they ARE!
But it is your team that the preference assessment is for, and if they aren’t worth the time and effort, then you’ve inadvertently chosen to keep your employee performance and satisfaction where it is…or worse!
So, while we won't choose for you, we hope we've made it clear why preference assessments are a key factor in employee performance, satisfaction, and retention. The right choice and the happy one!
If you feel you need some help launching preference assessments, feedback surveys, or implementing change in your company, Innovation Moon's consultants are available to help! Contact us at info@innovationmoon.com.
Or you can join our ABA business owner community, Launchpad. We discuss topics like employee preferences and reinforcement in our community. Plus you can ask other business owners what they do that is successful!
Sydney Sherman
8/5/24
References
Berkovits, S. M., Sturmey, P., & Alvero, A. M. (2012). Effects of individual and group contingency interventions on attendance in adolescent part-time employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 32(2), 152-161.
Lawler, E. E., & Hackman, J. R. (1969). Impact of employee participation in the development of pay incentive plans: A field experiment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 53(6), 467.
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Preference Assessments to increase Employee Engagement, Reduce Turnover, and Improve Retention
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