Well done, you made the correct decision.
Here are some points that you need to consider. You should have included these in your reflective activity.
- Speaking to the wider team about record keeping and organisational policy could be helpful, but it does not address Ruth’s specific concerns with managing her workload. Therefore it is not the right thing to do.
- The right thing to do now would be to meet with Ruth to discuss the difficulties she is experiencing and to develop a plan to support her to manage her workload.
- That Ruth is learning incorrect procedures from colleagues, suggests that the whole team might need additional supervision and development.
- When Ruth first approached you with concerns, advising her to speak to colleagues to find out how they manage their workloads was not the right thing to do. It is your role to support Ruth and to give her more detailed guidance.
- By not addressing Ruth’s concerns directly, standards have slipped in the organization. By not responding appropriately sooner, you are not meeting the standards expected of a social services manager.
- You need to recognise the impact of inadequate workforce development on organisational performance and retention. An effective approach to training and retaining staff is important for the maintenance and development of your service, and for the continuity of care for people.
- You need to be aware that a key part of your role as a manager is to respond appropriately to workers who seek your assistance when they do not feel able or adequately prepared to carry out any aspects of their work.
- You should re-familiarise yourself with the expectations of managers in developing the social service workforce. These expectations include providing regular supervision, personal development plans and records of training.
When Ruth first approached you with concerns, the right thing to do would have been to meet Ruth to discuss the areas with which she was struggling and to develop a plan to support her training needs. Find out why this was the correct option here.
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