The Challenge

The organization subcontracts with an agency to staff mental health contractors in schools. The owner is concerned about burnout and has a goal to improve processes to maintain strong retention rates of their contractors. They want to create learning solutions around stress reduction; however are unsure of the needs of their contractors. 

The Solution

To determine what type of learning solution was needed, I developed a needs analysis. I created a series of questions to assess the current stressors and needs of the contractors. Each contractor was invited to participate in a voluntary and anonymous listening session with me. I facilitated each session with the same question set, offering contractors a chance to voice their opinions. The owner was also included in the listening sessions. After the data was collected, I found common themes and organized the information into a few main categories.

Findings

Through the process, areas for process improvement and stressors were identified. I developed a report summarizing findings and identifying solutions. In the end, the business decided to work on improving processes instead of developing a learning solution. The business found that the listening sessions offered an opportunity for reflection that prompted contractors to better understand and advocate for their own needs.