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Montana Providers of Adult Developmental Disabilities Services: Direct Service Staff Demographics, Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n October, 2004<\/span><\/p>\n Previous RTC: Rural research documented the costs of replacing, hiring and training direct service staff incurred by Montana providers of developmental disabilities services (Progress Report #17, 2002<\/a>; Progress Report #25,<\/a> 2004). Researchers also found that direct service staff turnover correlated with increased consumer risk of developing secondary conditions (Seekins, Traci, & Szalda-Petree, 1999). Our findings suggest that reducing turnover may save money and also improve consumers’ health. In the series on direct service staff turnover, this report focuses on characteristics of direct service staff; job characteristics (workloads, training, wages); and job satisfaction. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Methods<\/strong>: In 2002-2003, researchers surveyed 243 direct service staff employed by eight Montana providers of developmental disabilities services (five local providers, one provider of services in two regions, one foster home). Volunteers completed surveys on their demographic information, job characteristics and supports, types of individuals served, training\/staff development opportunities, and job satisfaction. Prior research suggests that these factors predict organizational instability and direct service staff turnover rates (Hatton et al., 2001). <\/span><\/p>\n “Non-scaled” survey items required only a simple response. “Scaled” items required choosing from several possible responses. Response rates across items were high (non-scaled 92-100%; scaled 99-100%). Follow-up with human resource officers brought non-scaled rates to 100 percent. We used statistical software to impute missing values. <\/span><\/p>\n Nine items rated satisfaction with income, benefits, job security, hours worked per week, flexibility of hours, shift schedules, management\/supervision, opportunity for advancement, and number of consumers served. Each used a 5-point attitudinal scale (1: very dissatisfied; 2: quite dissatisfied; 3: neutral; 4: quite satisfied; 5: very satisfied) (Fig.1). Factor and reliability analyses determined that the scales for Work Conditions and Benefits had relatively good internal reliability.<\/span><\/p>\n Six items had a 5-point scale (1: not at all; 2: little; 3: moderate amount; 4: a lot; 5: totally) to measure respondents’ attitudes about two statements on each of the following: the nature of their work; level of job site staff support; and adequacy of management and staffing supports to meet program goals (Fig.2).<\/span><\/p>\n Demographic Results<\/strong>: Table 1 shows male\/female breakout of respondents’ ages, marital status, current educational status, and outside employment. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/a>Table 1: Demographic Results <\/strong>(51 Men, 192 Women) Description of table<\/a>.<\/span>
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