Penn-Mar Human Services Collects And Acts On DSP Feedback  

Posted on September 6, 2024

The following initiative was submitted by a DSP from Penn-Mar Human Services. There is additional insight from Penn-Mar, below the submission. 

Submitted By: Loretta Waltemeyer, Direct Support Professional, Penn-Mar Human Services

Every couple of months, direct support professionals (DSPs) from Penn-Mar Human Services are asked to respond to surveys. Surveys vary but mostly they try to get at the issues a DSP may face. 

As a person who cares about Penn-Mar and its values, I appreciate their interest in getting feedback, wanting to know what’s working, and what could improve. The main thing is, Penn-Mar actually works to make those improvements. And I have seen many examples of this over the fifteen years I’ve been here. 

The Impact Of Soliciting DSP Feedback

I’ve seen Penn-Mar grow into an organization that is leading in its field and I believe much is due to the feedback given by DSPs. People who work here are proud of the work we do and how we’re always trying to get better. I’ve made suggestions in these surveys, and sure enough, some of those suggestions were implemented. A company that listens to its workers is one that wants to improve and values its employees. In turn, the employees then feel valued. And when you’re valued, you feel like hanging around. 

Implementing A Similar Program

Organizations need to appreciate that the people on the frontline see, hear, and feel how things are going from a different perspective. Agencies could use periodic surveys to ask employees various questions about how they feel, what they think is working, and where improvements could be made. Then the organization should look at the feedback of the surveys, and show employees where suggestions were implemented. Agencies should also keep employees up-to-date and aware of what they’re doing, where they’re heading, what their goals are, etc. If a worker feels they have a say in their working conditions, then they feel respected, and in turn, respect their employer. 

“Respect earns loyalty. Everyone benefits from that.”

– Loretta, DSP, Penn-Mar Human Services

Of course, you need everyone on board. If some want to implement the suggestions, but others don’t, it won’t necessarily happen. So, you might have to show examples of organizations where it worked. Once everyone is on board, you should then figure out cost/time and the cost/benefit involved. For example, if an agency has a lot of turnover, in the end the program could save money if the organization can keep people. 

Additional Insight From Penn-Mar

Penn-Mar takes a very intentional approach to soliciting feedback from team members, especially direct support professionals. This happens through a few different initiatives: 

1. The first is through Penn-Mar’s Belonging Initiative, which is focused on further strengthening an inclusive culture where every team member feels like they belong, are respected, supported, and appreciated, and can bring their best selves to work. 
2. The second is gathering feedback from team members after they participate in any kind of training program. 
3. And the third is through feedback regarding the technology tools we provide to team members to support them in their jobs, and the caliber of tech support we provide year-round. 

All three of these areas involve specific and recurring surveys as well as more direct feedback via pilot groups and cross-collaborative teams. We also offer other various surveys as needed, such as our Net Promoter Score survey, and try to solicit individual feedback through exit interviews, performance reviews, and 1:1 and team meetings. 

The goal is always to identify actionable changes we can make that will have the biggest impact on our team members’ experiences, and ultimately, on the quality of services we provide and the lives of the people we support. 

Penn-Mar’s Impact: By The Numbers

• This past fiscal year was our second-best hiring year in six years, and there was a decrease in turnover. In our current fiscal year, we’ve thus far retained 94% of DSPs who have gone through the NADSP Certification process, and 82% of our DSPs who have not gone through the process. 
• Last fiscal year we provided 4,935 person-centered and 660 leadership-focused training hours – all of which goes above-and-beyond required job and regulatory trainings. 
• We had over 60 team members participate in one of our three Belonging pilot groups.  

We’ve identified numerous opportunities to enhance training/education, career advancement, technology, communication, appreciation, and connection, and are actively working on each of these areas and more. 

Penn-Mar’s Impact: Success Stories

There are many examples of changes that Penn-Mar has made, as a direct result of collecting DSP feedback. 

Through one survey, we identified the need for team members – particularly DSPs – to receive technology training. We are actively working on providing this. In August, we had our first Computer Skills Assessment to determine what types of training would be most helpful. Later this year, we’ll start rolling out that training. 

Through our Belonging Initiative surveys, we identified three key areas to focus on: consistent practices, connection to one another, and connection to our leadership team. We’ve since had pilot groups working on these three areas, all of which have created some immediate improvements and provided recommendations for next/ongoing steps, which we will begin to implement in the fall. 

Through our feedback regarding training, we’ve identified the need for additional trainings on topics such as autism-specific supports, communication, running effective meetings, supervisor-specific training, and many more. These training requests have been added to our list and are actively being worked on. We pilot new trainings to solicit feedback and incorporate it prior to rolling trainings out to the entire organization. In fact, our supervisor training pilot kicks off in September. We also periodically tweak existing training based upon feedback.  

Through another survey, we identified the need to adjust our approach to appreciation, incorporating more opportunities for people to gather and feel appreciated alongside their team and peers, as well as ways to provide peer-to-peer, public appreciation. This year, we pivoted our appreciation programs to incorporate specific opportunities throughout the year for each team to get together for a social experience, whether that’s lunch or coffee together, going to a paint night or bowling, etc. A few years ago, we launched an internal recognition platform – Kudos – where team members can shout out to their colleagues for specific, daily occurrences, and cash in Kudos “points” for gift cards, swag, and PTO. 

We also receive feedback about wage increases. Penn-Mar continues to do all we can on that front, offering annual merit increases and bonuses whenever the budget allows – privately fundraising to support increased hourly wages and annual bonuses for team members who achieve NADSP E-Badge levels of certification, and more. als, highlighting the overall progress of the team and the positive impact on the people supported is essential. 

Action Steps For Other Agencies

Organizations have to dedicate resources to actively solicit and incorporate DSP feedback. It is an invaluable tool, as DSPs are the team members charged with actually delivering services and are on the frontlines experiencing firsthand where there are opportunities for improvement.   

But it takes time to survey team members in a consistent and meaningful way. It takes even more time to analyze the feedback, identify themes, develop and communicate an action plan, then follow through with it. And the communication and follow-through are key – nothing is more frustrating than taking the time to complete a survey and never hearing anything further about it, or being told that a change or improvement is being made and then that not happening. 

Obviously, many organizations face funding and staffing challenges that can make launching large initiatives difficult. But every organization can benefit from proactively asking for team member feedback (and a lot of survey tools are free!) and identifying even just small changes that can be incorporated. 

We have found success in establishing a standard process (i.e. training surveys sent after every training, technology surveys sent out every year, etc.) to help us make this a consistent practice. Often there are team members who are passionate about specific projects or initiatives who are more than willing to participate in a cross-collaborative group, to help brainstorm ideas, and even to lend their time to helping to coordinate an appreciation day or to participate in a piloted training. 

About Penn-Mar Human Services

Penn-Mar Human Services’ mission is to support people to live courageously in pursuit of their best life. Founded in 1981, Penn-Mar serves nearly 2,000 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities each year through community living, day learning, customized employment, family and peer supports, respite programs, and self-directed services in Northern Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. 

Penn-Mar’s approach is innovative, person-centered, and successful, and through meaningful employment, community inclusion, and residential choice, the people Penn-Mar supports are empowered to live their best lives. 

You can learn more about Penn-Mar Human Services by visiting their website: https://www.penn-mar.org/. 

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Since 1969, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership has been a leader in working with human service organizations and systems to continuously define, measure, and improve quality of life and quality of services for youth, adults, and older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. CQL offers accreditation, training, certification, research, and consultation services to agencies that share our vision of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people.