Orientation and Training
Orientation
One of the more important and sometimes neglected areas of training is the orientation of new employees (or volunteers).
The first day(s) on the job are long remembered and the new recruit's attitudes and work performance down the road are highly influenced by his/her first impressions of the agency (Mondy & Noe, 2005).
Different jurisdictions handle the orientation of the new recruit differently. In some cases the city or county human resources office will spend some time with the new employee followed by additional orientation by the supervisor. In other cases, the supervisor and his/her designee(s) may handle the entire process.
What needs to be covered? Perhaps one of the more critical functions of the process is to work with the new employee (or volunteer) to complete any paperwork. That is a matter of "official" employment and may be completed prior to the individual's actual reporting.
Generally speaking, the orientation provided by the supervisor (and others involved in the orientation process at the departmental or agency level) will include among other things the following:
- History, traditions, development and growth, and organizational structure, mission, goals, and values of the organization.
- Discussion of (or review of) personnel policies, conditions of employment, compensation, benefits, and general rules and regulations. Performance evaluation, promotional policies, and disciplinary procedures should also be addressed.
- Discussion of the individual's general duties and responsibilities and a review of the employee's (or volunteer's) job description and performance expectations.
- Discussion of training and development requirements and opportunities and services and activities provided for the employee (volunteer).
- Tour of the agency's facilities and jurisdiction.
- Introduction to immediate co-workers and other critical personnel.
- A realistic job preview of what can be expected (ideally provided earlier) in "the day in the life of the employee."
- Assignment of and introduction to the new employee's (or new volunteer's) "buddy" or "sponsor" if the agency has adopted this program.
Any expectations regarding community involvement and /or activities should also be addressed. Sometimes the employer assumes the new employee (or volunteer) will meet these expectations, if in fact such expectations do exist, but never makes the expectations clear to the new employee.
Is all this accomplished in one sitting? Preferably not. To cover everything in one session with the supervisor or other designee can easily produce information overload. Ideally, in the course of the first week or so on the job, each of these items, along with any additional items, will have been addressed. It is highly recommended that approximately two to three weeks following the employee's introduction to the agency the supervisor meet with the new employee once again to answer any questions that may have developed.
A note about the "buddy" system. Many organizations both in the public and private sectors have implemented a "buddy" system. This is someone who voluntarily agrees to serve as a guide and mentor for one or more new employees ( or volunteers) for the first year of employment This is the person who is "there" for the new recruit. Sometimes new employees (or volunteers) are hesitant to ask their supervisor too many questions for fear of looking ill qualified, incompetent, or not bright. Ideally, the buddy has established sufficient rapport with the recruit that questions or concerns are readily shared.
While the formalities of orientation may take only a session or two, the reality is that the entry level training and probationary period are part of the new employee's (volunteer's) orientation.
Basic Training
In most departments, either locally or through a regional training facility, entry level firefighters learn the basic skills associated with fire fighting; at the academy, entry level police officers learn law enforcement basics. Continuous practice and reinforcement of these skills come from departmental drills and in-service requirements.
Officer Training
One area in emergency service training programs which is currently receiving attention is officer or supervisory development. While some progressive departments have developed in-service officer development programs or have joined with others to offer periodic academies, it remains a neglected area. Despite that emergency services are quite dedicated to basic skills training for their rank and file, many agencies neither prepare their people for supervisory positions nor provide serious training after their promotion. While reading prescribed books is one format for training, this approach does not necessarily build understanding and skill. In an attempt to prepare persons for a higher position, some organizations have developed an "acting (in a higher rank)" program; others have used a form of position rotation; and many use "special projects" assignments. Yet the more formalized training appears not to be as common as it should be.
Continued Education, Career and Professional Development
Beyond training, there is education and career and professional development. There are some colleges and universities that offer a bachelor's or master's degree in fire services or emergency services administration. Pursuing a bachelor's degree is an option for virtually all fire service personnel. Through colleges that offer distance education.
Edwards (2005) continues his discussion of training and development with an overview of distance education, followed by a review of certification systems and agencies, career development and professional development. Mentoring is also briefly addressed.
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The Learning Organization
Edwards (2005) introduces the concept of the learning organization and discusses its attributes. According to Kerka, most learning organizations adopt the attitude that "learning is valuable, continuous, and most effective when shared and that every experience is an opportunity to learn" (Kerka, n.d). Learning organizations tend to share the following characteristics. They "provide continuous learning opportunities; use learning to reach their goals; foster inquiry and dialogue, making it safe for people to share openly and take risks; embrace creative tension as a source of energy and renewal; (and) are continuously aware of and interact with their environment" (Kerka, n.d).
For further discussion of the learning organization you might visit infed's website and view the following articles by Mark Smith "Peter Senge and the Learning Organization" at http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm and 'The Learning Organization" at http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-organization.htm.
Mentoring
Defined in various ways, mentoring entails someone (usually a senior or veteran member of an organization and not necessarily the immediate supervisor) taking a personal interest in the career development of a promising employee (or volunteer). Edwards (2005) discusses the role of mentoring along with some suggested guidelines for mentoring. As he points out, many fire departments have adopted formal mentor programs.
For further discussion of mentoring programs visit the Free Management Library website's sections on mentoring at http://www.managementhelp.org/guiding/mentrng/mentrng.htm. You'll find links for a variety of topics associated with mentoring, including suggestions for establishing a mentoring program.
Training Records
A critically important aspect of training and human resource is the maintenance of training records. Sound, accurate, and complete training records are critical for emergency service organizations. Individual and team training records can become extremely important not only for demonstrating professionalism, accomplishment, and accountability but for risk management purposes as well. While a sound training program and training records will not prevent litigation against the agency, they can certainly be important in the outcome(s) of such litigation.
The training records maintained at the organizational level should include records associated with in-service training, any specialized training, certifications and license attainments and renewals, professional development activities, and of course any academic coursework. Similarly we are looking not only at individuals' training records but also those of the work unit and organization-wide training.
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References
Edwards, S. Fire Service Personnel Management. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education, 2005.
Mondy, W. & Noe, R. Human Resource Management. 9th edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2005.
Kerka, S. "The Learning Organization: Myths and Realities." Eric Clearinghouse. (n.d.). http://www.cete.org/acve/docgen.asp?tbl+archive&ID=A028.
McNammara, C. Editor. Mentoring. (Resource Page) http://www.managementhelp.org/guiding/mentrng/mentrng.htm, 2006.
FESHE Course: Personnel Management for the Fire and Emergency Services, Version 1.0, Winter 2007©
Page last updated:
November 19, 2007