Opportunity for growth: It is one of the Surgeon General's Five Essentials for workplace wellbeing—And for good reason!
The ‘Great Resignation’ may have ended, but many ABA practices still face significant challenges in hiring and retaining qualified employees. While many factors contribute to this challenge, one vital way ABA organizations can improve their ability to attract and retain Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) is to invest in growth and skill development opportunities.
The Importance of Offering Growth Opportunities in ABA
According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, a notable 91% of workers reported that having opportunities to learn and grow is either very important or somewhat important to them. Additionally, 94% of workers report that gaining a sense of accomplishment from their work is important. The work ABA professionals in all positions do can be both challenging and highly rewarding. Yet, it is natural to seek personal and professional growth. Investing in staff development not only benefits the employees but also enhances the quality of care provided to clients. When staff and clients are satisfied and successful, the organization will thrive.
Offering growth opportunities within your organization can provide a competitive advantage in today’s highly competitive labor market. As workers are more likely than ever to leave an organization that is no longer meeting their needs, now is the time to ensure you have optimal opportunities for your team to advance their knowledge and skillsets and grow into new roles. Doing so will offer immense benefits to both the staff and the organization as a whole.
Association Between Job Satisfaction and Mental Health
Research consistently shows that employees who feel supported in their career development report higher levels of job satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. In the 2023 Work in America Survey, those who were satisfied with their organization’s growth opportunities were significantly more likely to report good or excellent mental health.
There is a clear link between mental health and work performance. Research shows positive mental health is correlated with improved job performance. One prime factor associated with poor mental health in the workplace is lost productivity. Promoting opportunities for skill development may improve mental health across your workforce. This will have a cyclical impact on organizational productivity, growth, and revenue.
The Cost of Turnover in ABA
In a field with high turnover, the costs can be staggering. Per the BHCOE's 2022 ABA Compensation and Turnover Report, direct staff (BT/RBT) turnover averaged 65% in 2021, up 6% from 2020. The exact cost of turnover can be difficult to measure. However, per the Work Institute, a conservative yet accurate cost expectation is 33.3% of the employee’s annual salary. For an employee earning $50,000 annually, the cost of turnover would be roughly $16,650. Retaining quality ABA clinicians is critical for the organization’s financial sustainability.
According to a Deloitte report, organizations with a robust learning culture have significantly higher engagement and retention rates, 30-50% higher than their peers. Overcoming the hurdle of high turnover will not only improve the organization's financial sustainability but also allow the team to drive better outcomes for their learners.
Implementing Growth and Skill Development Programs
Despite most employees reporting a desire for opportunities to grow, only 47% report educational opportunities are available within their organization (DeCarbo, 2023). ABA organizations should invest in their staff by implementing growth and skill development opportunities across all levels. This should include a combination of the following:
Robust and comprehensive training: It all starts with the onboarding experience. Before you can support growth and skill development, you must ensure staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to do their job well. Offer a robust and comprehensive training experience from the onset. Ensure third-party trainings (i.e., the 40-hour RBT training) that you have staff take are high quality and user-friendly.
Access to continuing education: Offer all employees access to continuing education. As of 2026, RBTs will need continuing education to maintain certification. However, even before that happens, all team members should be offered quality continuing education to support their ongoing knowledge and development.
Transparent employee career paths: Provide a clear path with career levels that offer additional training, responsibilities, and higher pay. Introduce your career paths to candidates during the interview process so they have full transparency into the progression their career may take.
Ongoing feedback: Promote a culture of feedback by offering your staff feedback on an ongoing basis. Document feedback with an evaluation form so both supervisors and supervisees can reflect on their continued growth. Don't forget, however, feedback goes both ways! Encourage open and honest feedback from your staff and supervisees as well.
Individualized professional development plans: Offering professional development plans is an excellent way to support staff's individualized needs.
BCBA/BCaBA Fieldwork: Offer high-quality supervised fieldwork for your staff who aspire to be behavior analysts. Ensure you have the capacity for this and that your BCBAs can dedicate the time and resources necessary to guide the development of future behavior analysts.
Mentorship programs: Don't leave your staff hanging the day they pass the big exam. Newly-certified behavior analysts still need support and guidance. Offer mentorship programs to support their continued growth into their new role.
The Bottom Line
Investing in your team's learning and skill development is crucial for long-term success. Offering growth opportunities in ABA is not just beneficial—it is essential. By investing in the ongoing development of RBTs and BCBAs through comprehensive training programs, continuing education, clear career paths, and personalized development plans, ABA organizations can enhance job satisfaction, reduce turnover costs, support mental health, and gain a competitive edge in the labor market. Prioritizing staff development ultimately leads to a more engaged and productive organization with dedicated ABA clinicians, driving client progress and organizational success.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). 2023 Work in America Survey. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-in-america/2023-workplace-health-well-being
DeCarbo, B. (2023). Lack of growth opportunities is a big reason why employees leave jobs. Here’s how to change that. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/growth-opportunities
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