What Your Education Support Staff Need NOW
Having spent over 35 years working with, managing, and training frontline staff, I know what it takes to motivate them and I know what it takes to keep them positive. I also know what can break them. I’ve been broken, too. I wrote a book just for them – the people in the workplace who manage no-one and answer to everyone.
You ESS are part of this group. They are relied upon to be there, be positive, be polite and be professional – all day, every day with every customer internally and externally from your school – the good, the difficult and the demanding.
Let’s not mess around – what your Education Support Staff need NOW are these 5 things;
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My book “The A – Z of Service Excellence – the essential guide to becoming a customer service professional”
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Permission to make mistakes
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Encouragement to keep going
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Recognition of effort
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Celebration of success
Education Support Staff are very special people who should be highly valued at your school but sometimes, they get left out of the recognition and reward process. ESS who feel supported, who are regularly thanked and who can keep developing their skills lead to a more productive team who have lower levels of stress.
To clarify further, here are 7 attributes of service skilled ESS:
1. They have high-level people skills.
2. They adapt their communication style to meet the needs of those they interact with.
3. They willingly help other staff.
4. School customers and co-workers compliment them on their attitudes and behaviours.
5. They handle customer complaints with ease.
6. They can be relied upon to represent your school professionally.
7. They come to you with solutions to problems.
If you want to not only hire, but inspire your Education Support Staff to be customer service professionals, then grab a copy of my book “The A – Z of Service Excellence”.
Tips: Make my book part of your induction pack and/or review a different Chapter at team meetings.
Download the first Chapter for free.
By Cate Schreck