Program Background
Head Start is among crucial educational investments in children, families, and communities. The Head Start Project was initially launched back in 1965 as a comprehensive program of child development (Administration for Children & Families, 2021). Over the past several decades, it has offered a window of opportunity for lifelong success for more than thirty-seven million low-income and vulnerable children and their families across the United States. The program has remained strong in the face of shifting political, social, and economic climates because of the dedication to the continuous improvement of services delivered to children and families and addressed the changing needs of communities.
Considering the great influence and the contribution of Head Start programs across the country, multiple other community-focused early education centers have been developed. Henry Booth House is among such programs, the mission of which is to improve families’ quality of life in the context of the culturally and economically diverse communities of Chicago. The organization provides comprehensive and integrated early childhood learning, social services, and family healthcare. Known and HBH, the non-profit was initially established in the second-to-last year of the nineteenth century by the Chicago Ethical Humanist Society. The purpose of the establishment was to work on the dedication to ethical principles of child care, the education of underserved populations, and the improvement of life quality.
The long history of HBH has allowed the organization to develop extensive experience of improving the well-being of families for over more than a hundred years (Cause IQ, 2021). This experience has enabled HBH to update and expand its vision and mission, reaching the statement of serving culturally diverse services in such areas as the Head Start Learning Program, Early Head Start, Family Health, WIC, and Doula training programs. The comprehensive range of services that the organization offers to the public of Chicago is intended to focus on the holistic development of younger generations in the span of Prenatal to five years.
Children who are aged between three to five years old are eligible for Head Start Services provided by the HBH, while pregnant women and children from birth to three years old fall under the eligibility of Early Head Start services. Children and families who have attained the homeless status, are in foster care or receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) can also apply for services provided by HBH. As a rule, the eligibility for Head Start program participation is identified by the staff, while some families may have eligibility if they are recognized to be at the federal poverty level or below. Besides, some grantees enroll a portion of children from families with income above the Poverty Guidelines as everyone is encourage to apply. The specific circumstances and environmental influences are usually considered when it comes to deciding to include children and families in the programs carried out by HBH.
The Near South center-based program is open five working days a week from seven in the morning to six at night. It has attained its license through the City of Chicago Department of Children (DFSS) and Family Services and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCSF). The children services division of the DFSS is dedicated to helping the youngest citizens of Chicago to make the most of their lives and potential for future development. The accreditation by such bodies entails adherence to the Administrative Code. For example, it is expected that locations where childhood programs are carried out, have sufficient indoor space. Specifically, there shall be “a minimum of 35 square feet of activity area per child in centers for children two years of age and older […] This space is also exclusive of administrative space, storage areas, storage areas, bathrooms […]” (ILGA, n.d.). Therefore, per square footage, the program can serve thirty-seven children. One classroom can serve twenty four-to-five-year-olds while another can serve seventeen three-to-four-year-olds.
Because of the high demands and expectations of the programs, the team at HBH Head Start must have a high qualification to meet the federal and state accreditation requirements for the Head Start and Pre-Kindergarten programs. The qualifications of the team are highly diverse, ranging from Associates of Art in Early Childhood Education to Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education. The program uses a team of three teachers per classroom, which means that the teacher-child ratio is 1:10, thus allowing for regular interactions between teachers and students and the individualization of activities. It is notable that the Near South program was deemed eligible for an ExceleRate Circle of Quality, which shows the commitment of the organization to providing high-quality care to children and families in need.
Recruiting, Selecting and Orienting Staff
Henry Booth House and The Near South center-based program implements hiring through the finalized decisions made by the President/Chief Executive Officer. The Parent Policy Committee (PPC) also engages in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of potential workers to practice at HBH. Both full-time and part-time employees undergo a background check when being hired at Henry Booth House to ensure eligibility for employment. While the organization does disqualify job applicants due to certain offenses, it does not discriminate against potential workers with previous convictions or pending charges; however, each case is unique and is considered in isolation. Besides the background check, applicants undergo reference checks to ensure that qualified and suitable individuals are considered for employment. Besides, HBH acts in compliance with the federal law that requires the employment of only those workers who have legal permits to work in the US.
HBH supervisors and managers have the opportunity of requesting approval for filling vacant positions in the Human Resource department. In turn, the HR will provide a New Hire Requisition that will receive approval from several entities in the organization, including the President/CEO. Initially, the process of employee selection is carried out internally for at least ten days as there is a possibility that the existing workers may be suitable for new positions.
Then, the position will be advertised externally to attract potential applicants to the organization. The inquirers for job vacancies undergo an evaluation by the organization’s HR and the hiring manager and supervisor. Interviews are carried out with candidates who fit the description of the desired experience and education, and such interviews are usually led by Human Resources, hiring managers, or an interview committee. Candidates applying for the vacancy positions in the Head Start Program are interviewed by the Head Start Parent Policy Committee. When the finalists for positions are chosen, the President/CEO is tasked with the decision to hire them. All decisions on hiring candidates depend on the successful outcomes of background checks and interviews with HR.
New employees at HBH receive orientation associated with the increased training related to their positions alongside an explanation of procedures and policies. The supervisor is tasked with introducing new employees to key personnel and showing workers around the facility. The initial three months after hiring entail a period of probation, during which newly-recruited employees are introduced to the agency policies and procedures, agency services as well as the roles and responsibilities that come with their positions. The ninety-day performance plan is given to workers so that they have the information regarding the expectations of their work alongside with receiving sufficient supervision by their seniors throughout the probation period. HBH holds the priority of evaluating workers at any point during their probation periods and determining whether or not the services of the employee are to be retained. Throughout a worker’s probation, the HBH can assign, promote, discharge, transfer, or implement other disciplinary actions.
HBH has a policy of transparent and open communication to ensure that any issues are resolved as soon as possible. If a worker has encountered a problem or has a complaint regarding any area of their employment with HBH, the matters are first discussed with their supervisor. If the problem is not addressed by means of discussion, the worker should submit a formal letter to the HR of the organization to facilitate attempts to fix the problem brought by the employee. If the problem remains unresolved after thirty years, the issue may be subject to review by the President/CEO, whose decision will be final. When they are being hired to the organization, employees are presented with the policy of transparency to ensure that all workers are on the ‘same page’ when it comes to decision-making and problem-solving.
Job Satisfaction and Motivation Theory
Job satisfaction denotes a person’s emotional response to their current job condition, while motivation represents the driving force for pursuing and satisfying one’s needs. Throughout the years of research on what motivates workers and makes them satisfied, multiple theoretical approaches have been developed. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has been widely applied to explain job satisfaction, considering physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization needs. The essential needs such as physiological and safety categories must be met first before meeting the more complicated needs such as esteem and self-actualization. The application of Maslow’s framework to job motivation has entailed the use of benefits, such as healthcare insurance and financial compensation, to meet the physiological needs of employees.
Safety needs are addressed by ensuring that employees feel physically safe in their work environment; in addition, job security and being subjected to suitable company policies and structures that are beneficial to employees. When the need for security is satisfied, workers usually get the feeling of belonging in the workplace, which comes in the form of positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace and feeling as if they belong to the team. Once the physiological, safety, and belonging needs are satisfied, employees can boost their self-esteem and work on self-actualization. Thus, organizations that look to improve the job satisfaction of their workers should make attempts to meet the basic needs first before stepping up to addressing higher-order needs.
Another motivational theory that can be applied to the workplace is Hertzberg’s two-factor theory, which classifies the needs of individuals into such broad categories as hygiene and motivation. Hygiene factors are important to meet for making sure that a worker is not dissatisfied. It often entails a range of factors within the realm of company policy and administration, such as supervision, interpersonal relations, working conditions, salary, status, and security. Motivation factors are needed for making sure that employees’ satisfaction and motivation lead to higher performance. The mere presence of hygiene factors that improve satisfaction is not enough for guaranteeing motivation, while the presence of motivational factors in the absence of hygiene factors does not work.
McGregor’s theory X and theory Y should be considered because they define the perspectives explaining the participation and engagement of workers. Theory X is considered basically negative while theory Y is positive, which suggests that both types of employees exist and their nature dictates the way in which they are to be managed. According to theory X, workers inherently do not want to do anything, they have lacking ambition and are usually self-centered. Because of this, the recommended style of management necessary for ensuring motivation is authoritarian and follows the top-down approach. Theory Y suggests that employees are inherently motivated and are eager to accept responsibility when it comes to addressing the demands of their jobs. An appropriate style of management, in this case, entails creating a productive work environment combined with positive reinforcement and rewards.
The environment o HBH is focused on ensuring that workers do their jobs diligently and with a dedication to the high standards of practice. Therefore, low levels of satisfaction and motivation are likely to reduce the quality of services offered by the facility. Motivated and satisfied HBH employees will have a more committed approach to meeting organizational objectives. In turn, to guarantee this, the organization itself will have to show a similar level of commitment to the needs and objectives of employees. The role of HR at the organization is implementing continuous work aimed at the alignment of employees’ aspirations with the overall goals. This objective can be reached by means of creating an inspired work climate that addresses the need of employees for professional development and growth. As suggested by motivation and job satisfaction theories, such factors have complicated nature and cannot be covered for each worker individually, which means that it is essential for HRs to seek common areas in which the needs of employees intersect.
Psychological Type and Leadership Analysis
The personality test provided the result of Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ), and people of this type are usually referred to as inspectors or logisticians. ISTJs usually have a strong sense of right and wrong, particularly when it comes to their realms of responsibility or interest. The initial impression of individuals with this personality type is that they are cold and aloof as the effusive expressions of emotions is something that ISTJs cannot often do without considerable loss of energy. Because of the tendency to follow facts and using proven knowledge, ISTJs can get easily frustrated when others exhibit inconsistencies or do not keep up with their commitments (“Logistician: Personality,” 2020). Unless asked, ISTJs keep their emotions to themselves, and when asked, truth often prevails over tact or politeness.
Therefore, when it comes to working with other people, logisticians do not make assumptions and instead prefer analyzing their environments, check facts and arrive at practical solutions. When they make a decision, they will use all the facts available for reaching the goal, expecting other people to take action immediately as they do not tolerate indecisiveness well and can lose patience quickly. The strong sense of personal integrity, which is crucial to ISTJs, makes them adhere to the established costs regardless of the complexity and resources needed. ISTJs seek security and stability, considering it their duty to ensure smooth operation, and they may witness their coworkers shifting responsibilities onto them knowing that they will always manage the extra work. Besides, logisticians rarely express their opinions and let their actions speak.
On the downside, it is important for ISTJs to remember to take care of themselves because the stubbornness and dedication to efficiency and stability can compromise the achievement of goals in the long run. This may create an emotional strain that can remain unaddressed for years, and when the individual has the time to fit it, it may be too late. Because of this, it is important for logisticians to have a strong support system of coworkers, friends, or significant others that can genuinely appreciate and complement their positive qualities. When others appreciate the clarity and dependability that logisticians offer, the latter usually find their roles extremely satisfying and rewarding.
In general, I do agree with the results of the personality test, and they have provided me with an understanding of why I do certain things in a particular way or why I expect specific responses from people. I have noticed that during my work and interactions with other people, I am predominantly realistic and responsible. I have always taken a logical approach toward the achievement of goals and problem resolution and have developed a comfortable pace at which I can steadily work to accomplish my goals. I am pretty good at ignoring distractions because focusing on the final goal is far more interesting and motivating. Besides, I have never been afraid of offering help to others, especially during tough times. Because I am quite good at controlling emotions and not letting feelings overtake action, handling complex situations is something with which others refer to me.
Organizational Analysis
The effectiveness of the services provided at Henry Booth House, including the Head Start Program, depend significantly on the external environment and the resources that are available to the organization to serve culturally and economically diverse families. It is imperative that effective leadership is established to ensure that workers are highly engaged with their work and respond to the needs and expectations of individuals that they serve. According to the HBH employee handbook, workers are held accountable for adhering to policies and procedures and performance standards established by the organization.
The work of the Head Start program at HBH is directly associated with the existing policies that are at work in the state of Illinois. According to the Poverty Guidelines established by the Federal Government, children from birth to age five from low-income families are eligible to receive Head Start and Early Head Start services. The legislation also distinguishes children in foster care, children who are homeless, and those whose families receive NANF and SSI. In order to apply, families are to contact the program that serves their community while the final decision is made by the head management of the program as to whether the applicants are eligible for participation. When it comes to the physical locations affecting the performance of programs, it is important to note that only communities in the Chicago City area are eligible to participate. Children and families that are located farther may find it hard to show up five times a week for Head Start lessons.
While there are other early education programs serving the communities in Chicago, the majority of them do not place emphasis on underserved communities and children from low-income families. Some community-based programs for preschool children are free to attend, while others may involve a co-pay as required by the state or local funding expectations. Therefore, it is beneficial that the HBH Head Start program is not the only one in Chicago that targets young children. However, the emphasis placed on lower-income children allows the organization to focus on specific communities that require the help of professionals as to educating individuals and preparing them for school.
The current socioeconomic climate has had a tremendous impact on the work of HBH Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Due to the pandemic, the organization was forced to change the structure and format of lessons and engage in strategic planning. Program managers had to implement an immediate assessment of the situation in Chicago, obtain and adhere to the local, state, and federal recommendations of program implementation, mobilize program leadership, communicate with staff, families, and stakeholders, as well as engage in the regular and thorough disinfection procedures.
Due to the mass impact on communities, partnerships with local residents have become highly important. These partnerships have allowed to address the needs caused by the pandemic. The community partners have provided essential support in the child care of essential workers to ensure that there are no significant gaps in program implementation. Besides, the pandemic has given program staff the opportunity to assess the needs of families and ensure that they are met. In addition, significant work has been dedicated to the establishment of virtual platforms for addressing family needs.
Due to the pandemic, the HBH Head Start program had to undergo some changes in terms of technology use. Program managers have sought guidance to ensure the continued learning of children and to support their families in the home during the times when programs have been physically closed or provided limited services on-site. Virtual learning in birth-to-age-five settings is an emerging approach in education. To ensure its effectiveness on a long-term basis, it has been imperative for program managers to begin with a respectful, thoughtful, and intentional partnership with families. In addition, due to the complexity of virtual learning as a method, it was necessary to individualize programs for each family. For instance, some families continued working outside the home full time while others had to work from home. Thus, program coordinators had to develop a plan that honors families’ strengths and situations and meets their needs through coordination, individualization, and two-way communication.
The shared values and beliefs of HBH include the provision of high-quality health, educational, and well-being services to children from diverse backgrounds and of low socioeconomic statuses. The provision of comprehensive and integrated learning to the identified target population can improve the quality of life of communities of Chicago because an adequate preparation of children and families provides varied opportunities for their future life and career development. The process of serving communities in need has been ongoing and lasted for decades. As the needs of Chicago communities have been shifting and expanding, program developers have included new areas to be covered.
In addition to Head Start initiatives, HBH has been working on establishing services to improve the health of populations, preventing adverse health outcomes among the populations, providing doula services to women, as well as addressing health challenges of infants and children. The organization has always operated under the belief that all services offered to children and families are to occur within the community-centered focus and close collaboration with community members to secure and identify such needs as employment, healthcare, aspirational goals, as well as personal and professional growth. Thus, HBH enables children to learn and get ready for their future lives alongside with lifelong success and sufficiency.
HBH Head Start programs have a positive reputation in the community because of their dedication to addressing the educational needs and concerns of children from low-income families. There is always ongoing feedback as to the contribution of the program, more often positive than negative because the program strengthens families through promoting effective parent-child interactions with the focus placed on health and well-being. Thus, the program has full potential to be running efficiently in case if its coordinators work on cohesive strategies for addressing the current needs of families and educators and facilitating ongoing development through collaboration.
At this time, online reviews of the employment at HBH Head Start have shown that there is a leadership program, which limits staff satisfaction and lowers morale. Even though employees acknowledge that early learning programs are complex in nature and require significant dedication on their end, there have been several reports of managers not being competent enough to handle the workload associated with program implementation. As a result, programs have struggled with bringing positive results in terms of workers’ satisfaction and engagement, which is problematic in the long run. Because of this problem, it is imperative that HR and senior leadership at Henry Booth House implements positive change to facilitate improved employee motivation and satisfaction with their work at the organization.
Different Strategies for Organizational Change
Low staff morale and employee dissatisfaction have been cited to be the most impactful issues for Henry Booth House Head Start learning programs. Thus, the core strategy to facilitate organizational change requires an emphasis on increasing job satisfaction through improving the work environment, boosting communication across different levels, reducing micro-management, creating programs for employee recognition, and reducing time-related stress. It is recommended for program managers to conduct meetings with employees and ask them about their personal motivations as well as openly discuss issues that they may face in their roles, looking for various ways for addressing them. In addition, it is recommended to avoid micro-management, which has been reported as an issue for many workers. By removing micro-management that takes place on a consistent basis, tasks go from being something that managers expect workers to do to something that is their responsibility.
Work environment improvement is among the key strategies to facilitate positive organizational change as it may help to make the workplace more enjoyable. Program managers should improve the process of handling employees’ workloads better to ensure that there are no overloads. Workers should be provided with rewards, at least in the form of praise, for accomplishing specific complex tasks. Drawing from the theories of motivation and job satisfaction, it is necessary for employers to ensure that the self-actualization needs of employees are met. Throughout the process of working on this issue, program leaders will also encourage teamwork, which is important for reducing the stress involved in the finishing of tasks and projects. HBH can also collaborate with specialists that offer PEO services that offer HR solutions and can help the organization establish an effective system of benefiting employees and encouraging teamwork.
In addition, it is essential for HBH to provide training sessions to employees to improve their professional preparation and facilitate an overall positive approach to their work. This is necessary because employees may often feel overworked, thus failing to recognize their value to the company. As a result of that, productivity suffers as employees feel as if they are stuck in a dead-end position that has limited chances of improving. Therefore, by offering training sessions, there is potential for the organization to provide new skills to workers. This can not only help maintain high levels of productivity but also keeping employees from leaving their jobs in search of new opportunities, which is more beneficial to career advancement.
The final recommendation for improvement entails improving the physical environment at the organization to boost morale and provide a positive and fruitful atmosphere in which employees operate. The overall oppressive environment will never help workers maintain high levels of performance on a long-term basis. The spaces at the organization, alongside the management within the spaces, help establish a mood that influences the performance of employees. Happy employees have greater likelihood to be highly creative, innovative, and dedicated than their unhappy counterparts. Therefore, once the physical environment at the organization is improved, managers should engage in simple everyday gestures of appreciation aimed at workers. The evidence for this strategy is seen in the research literature.
For example, the study by Simone Forte (2017) for Walden University revealed that doubling the number of workers that receive adequate and consistent recognition from their managers has a snowballing effect. According to the researcher, there was a 24% rise in output quality, a 27% reduction in absenteeism, and a 10% reduction in workers’ attrition (Simone Forte, 2017). Therefore, facilitating the environment in which employees feel recognized and valued can make their work more fulfilling, and, as a result, contribute to the meeting of organizational goals and the core mission.
Vision Development
In the process of vision development for Head Start and Early Head Start programs at Henry Booth House, it is essential to consider the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment. NAEYC recognizes that professionals that regularly work with young children are usually tasked with daily decisions that have ethical and moral implications (NAEYC, 2011).
Thus, the NAEYC (2011) guidelines provide the frameworks for ethical behavior set forth on a general basis for addressing the primary ethical dilemmas that occur in early childhood care and education. The core values established by the NAEYC code include the appreciation for childhood as a highly important and valuable stage of the human life cycle, the grounding of the work on the knowledge pertaining to children’s learning and development, the appreciation and support for the bond between children and family, and the recognition that children are best understood and served within the comprehensive context of the community, family, culture, and society. Thus, those who work with children are to respect the dignity, self-worth, and uniqueness of each person, whether it is a child or family member, especially considering the diverse background of many people.
The overall mission of the Henry Booth House Head Start program is to provide community-based services for improving the life quality of culturally and economically diverse families that provide comprehensive early childhood education, health care, and social services. Thus, the significant personnel of early childhood professionals aims to reach the overarching goal of intervening with the early learning programs and services of the highest quality within the shortest timeframe possible. The importance of implementing programs of the highest quality is associated with the higher likelihood of optimizing the life quality of children from underserved and low-income families. In return, these children will later contribute to their society in the adulthood.
Thus, the vision of the HBH Head Start program is serving children and families in need with the dedication to cultural diversity, socioeconomic parity, and equality of opportunity. As an individual employee of the organization, I hope that my contribution will be invaluable to children and families when it comes to equipping them with knowledge and skills that they can use in the future. Besides, I plan on being an advocate of individuals in need of support and adequate training to be better equipped for their lives within society. Some representatives of communities do not have the social standing to address their own needs due to the lack of education, awareness, and resources. Families of lower socioeconomic status of those from diverse backgrounds are more likely to encounter significant barriers to using private and public health and educational services as well as increasing their earnings. Because of this, the assistance of HBH and similar programs is immeasurable for improving such populations’ adjustment in broader society as parents who need living wage work are the ones that need to promote healthy child development.
Promising practices for addressing the varied and complex challenges facing underserved families and their children imply a more holistic approach that can unite several intervention levels. Internal processes that the organization can implement include the reformulation of service models and organizational strategies aimed specifically at the target population. Neighborhood processes include specific services aimed at the needs of neighborhoods and the unique scope of services developed on the basis of neighborhood characteristics. External processes imply structured and strategic partnerships, community buy-in, as well as leadership development, and the measurement of outcomes and outputs.
In addition to the holistic approach toward addressing the needs of lower-income families and their children, it is important for HBH to collaborate with local entrepreneurs and innovative organizations that work on developing new educational solutions and other services. These services can include online teaching and tutoring solutions, courses, online social support services, and so on. It is important that information resources are used to the advantage of target communities. Considering the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities of Chicago, the already existing health and educational disparities have gotten worse. Because of the high percentage of families living in poverty, in substandard housing, and without access to adequate early learning education opportunities, new developments in informational technologies can help disseminate support services.
Finally, considering the vast experience of HBH workers serving lower-income populations and underserved groups, employees can help families apply for social and financial support services within relevant entities. Many families fail to receive support from the federal government because they may not have the knowledge and education as to whether they are eligible to such support. HBH can become a connecting step between children and families and other service providers to guarantee an improved quality of life. The advocacy carried out by the employees of HBH is an invaluable resource that will support children and families through their path toward reaching a better quality of life and more positive outcomes overall.
To develop the vision of providing multi-dimensional services to children and parents from lower-income and diverse backgrounds, it is imperative to collaborate with local governments to disseminate the knowledge about the benefits of Early Head Start and Head Start programs at Henry Booth House as well as negotiate possible financial investments into the programs. Working with policymakers is also essential because HBH can provide guidance and expertise regarding the immediate changes that need to be implemented. Specifically, there should be a focus placed on the increased education of parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to facilitate their increased awareness of the importance of early learning programs.
To move forward with the vision, the recommended strategy is facilitating collaboration within the organization so that all employees work together toward the accomplishment of the established objectives. Having a shared vision within the organization entails the increased exchange of ideas and the identification of problem areas that should be addressed as soon as possible. It is expected to establish a high level of transparency within the organization, especially when it comes to the higher-level management and regular employees who work with children and families on a daily basis. It is important that managers listen to what employees identify as challenges and problems to address because practical and evidence-based knowledge is highly relevant for issue resolution.
References
Administration for Children & Families. (2021). Head Start history. Web.
Cause IQ. (2021). Henry Booth House (HBH). Web.
Logistician: Personality. (2020). Web.
NAEYC. (2011). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Web.
Simone Forte, A. (2017). Strategies for reducing employee absenteeism for a sustainable future: A Bermuda perspective. Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. Web.