Wednesday, August 7 | 8:15 a.m. | Think Tank
Crystal Lawrence
If you have ever thought, “I really can’t remember the last time our ECC was fully staffed”, you are not alone. In fact, APCO has commissioned three studies and published reports to address this important issue within ECCs. The 2018 study asked ECC Directors to evaluate their staffing levels and fewer than 30 percent reported their ECC was fully staffed the previous year, and only 28.7 percent of ECCs were able to maintain staffing levels for the entire year. The average retention rate shows the percentage of employees retained each year. The 2018 report found an average retention rate of 71%, which is a sharp decline from previous studies.
There are many factors to consider when dealing with a staffing crisis. Usually, our response is to hire more staff to fix the problem. But what about maintaining the current staff?
Often overlooked, but equally as important as hiring, is retaining the qualified staff currently working in the ECC. These are the people who are probably working overtime and extra shifts to cover the staffing shortage. Their commitment to the ECC, the jurisdiction, the field responders and the public cannot be overstated. “It is more efficient to retain a quality employee than to recruit, train and orient a replacement employee of the same quality.” While pay and benefits are important, it is not the money that keeps good employees. The average retention rate shows the percentage of employees retained each year. The 2018 Report found an average retention rate of 71%, which is a sharp decline from previous studies.
Overall, employee survey respondents in the 2018 study answered that they are proud of their jobs and their ECCs, and express overwhelming interest in maintaining their employment long-term at their ECCs. The 2018 Report found the following nine factors can determine an employee’s commitment to the organization:
- Supportive supervision
- Co-worker support
- Opportunity for promotion
- job complexity
- Perceived recognition
- Exposure to emotional strain
- Coping resources
- Flexible work arrangements
- Closeness of supervision
