There is no question that there is a direct correlation between quality of on-boarding and agent retention. On August 31, 2009 District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors were trained to implement a new systematic on-board system that will be utilized to on-board new agents with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. As we operationalize this systematic more sequential on-boarding process it is critical that everyone who will be involved in on-boarding understand their role. One of the advantages of this systematic approach is that it involves various Extension professionals in the on-boarding process. The involvement of District Extension Administrators, County Extension Directors, First-Step host agents, mentors, coworkers, Specialists and Regional Program Directors certainly has great advantages in terms of mobilizing resources to address on-boarding needs. However, there is one danger of having the involvement of this many people is that on-boarding becomes "everyone's job and no-one's job".
As Texas AgriLife Extension transitions to a new systematic on-boarding system it is important that our middle managers have ownership in this process. While the Extension Foundations (formerly NEO), New Employee online modules and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Excellence Academy are components of the on-boarding system that our Organizational Development Group provides leadership to, it is important that District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors and Regional Program Directors serve as the catalyst for all on-boarding functions in the Region. The following premises must be embraced if this new on-boarding system is going to be successful;
- All members of Regional Teams are responsible for new agent on-boarding.
- New agent on-boarding is a sequential learning process where one event establishes the knowledge base for future learning activities that provides progressively more complex training.
- All on-boarding experiences have specific teaching points that are designed to increase knowledge, develop skills, encourage adoption of best practices or lead to the refinement of best practices.
- All on-boarding experiences are designed to give agents "early wins"!
- District Extension Administrator Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
- Regional Program Director Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
- An On-boarding continuum that provides a roadmap for on-boarding new agents.
- Online learning modules that provide agents with a introduction of Extension program management topics.
- Extension Foundations to replace New Employee Orientation that will provide experiential learning experience for new agents related to program development, subject matter program management, 4-H livestock project management, and reporting and accountability.
- Excellence in Programming Academy that provides new agents with in-depth experiential learning experiences related to program planning, teaching effectivness, program implementation, and evaluation and interpretation.
- The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Mentoring Program.
- First Step.
- Extension Fundamentals letter series designed to reinforce topics covered during orientations, face to face trainings and online modules.
- Revised New Agent Self -Study Guide.
- Gain knowledge of the organization.
- Gain knowledge of organizational processes.
- Develop skills.
- Adopt best practices.
- Refine best practices.
References
Chandler, G. D. (2005). Organizational and individual factors related to retention of county Extension agents employed by Texas Cooperative Extension. Dissertation Abstracts International, 65(12), 4432A. (UMI No. 3157047).
Friedman, D., Galinsky, E., & Plowden, V. (1992). Parental leave and productivity: Current research. New York: Families and Work Institute.
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