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Garland Parks and Recreation

  • To produce the level of quality that customers have come to expect, organizations must employ qualified employees. Qualified personnel bring to the organization the knowledge, skills, and abilities in specialized areas that are needed to design and deliver the benefits that customers seek from recreation and park experiences. Organizations that employ quality individuals who are capable of packaging and delivering experiences can attract and retain a strong and satisfied customer base; organizations that compromise on hiring quality may face difficulties in remaining competitive. Employing qualified individuals is not only one of the most important functions of recreation, park, and leisure services organizations; it is also one of the most expensive. Generally, more than half of the operational expenditures of recreation and park organizations are allocated to personnel salaries and benefits. Considering the vital importance of hiring quality employees and the associated expense, it is essential for management to have a working knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures for employing personnel in the recreation, park, and leisure services field. A well-prepared personnel policies and procedures manual provides a consistent road map for human resources decision making as well as standardized procedures. The development of a personnel policies and procedures manual may include a systematic and comprehensive outline of how the organization administers the policies and procedures for both the professional and non-professional employees, fair employment practices, and how it communicates to all employees the specific expectations of employment and finally, how the organization deals with complaints, grievances, and morale problems.

  • There shall be a designated position (individual) or team responsible for the agency's Human Resource functions. This person/team shall provide planning strategy and technical expertise in relation to human resource functions, workforce development, and organizational agency culture. The agency shall engage their employees to evaluate their perceptions and perspectives of the quality of the agency's human resources, workforce composition, professional development and/or organizational culture, whether that be through surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, etc., to inform decision-making related to improving its quality of human resources, workforce development and/or organization culture.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a narrative description of the overall human resource planning strategy utilized by the agency.

    • Provide the job description and relevant education/experience for the position(s) involved in human resource efforts on behalf of the agency (municipal/agency staff and/or consultants).

    • Provide evidence of data collection, analysis, and decision making related to human resource planning, workforce composition, professional development, and organizational culture that consistently improve service delivery as well as enhance employee work environment and job satisfaction.

  • The agency shall have created and made internally available to staff a Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual that contains both legally required and agency-specific employment information. The Manual shall include specific and transparent codes of ethics or similar expectations consistent with the agency’s mission and core values for which employees are responsible. It shall also reflect the organization’s principles on the creation of a welcoming workforce that is representative of the community being served. The Manual shall be a 'living' and dynamic document that is current, accurate, and systematically and regularly reviewed with updates or revisions made as appropriate.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual including

      • Date of adoption by the agency's approving authority, date of last review, code of ethics, standards related to the acceptance of gifts and gratuities by staff , benefits, equitable and diverse recruitment, selection and hiring with background investigation (unless prohibited by law), evaluation, dismissal, separation, grievances, and equal-opportunity employment practices.

    • If appropriate, provide a narrative expressing changes made to the Manual since the last accreditation review.

  • There shall be an established compensation plan that ensures fair compensation among units within the agency that is reviewed periodically. The compensation plan for an agency shall take into account agency employment standards, agency skill needs, and compensation levels offered by other local employers.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide the compensation plan and a copy of its most recent review or update. Agencies may choose to participate in centralized compensation studies, utilize salary surveys from state associations, conduct internal reviews and adjustments of compensation, or other methods appropriate to the agency to satisfy this requirement.

  • Agencies shall implement a comprehensive system of employee supervision and performance evaluation that is designed to achieve agency goals and objectives. This system of performance documentation shall be based on job descriptions, team competencies, and actionable goals.

     

     

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    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide the policy and procedures outlining the systematic performance evaluation system.

    • Detail how this system connects agency mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives, into the performance evaluation system.

    • Provide evidence of implementation and communication to and with employees on performance review and improvement.

    • If unionized, provide the agreed-upon performance evaluation system that applies to covered employees.

  • The agency shall provide employee onboarding/orientation processes and activities for new employees that include an introduction to the agency's Mission, Vision, Values, culture, and key performance objectives. Specific job-related responsibilities and expectations shall be shared in a group or individual setting, along with any pertinent safety expectations, policies, and procedures. Current and continuous job training, instruction, and mentorship efforts shall extend beyond the initial orientation to comprise a full on-onboarding experience.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide outline of the onboarding/orientation program and a representative example of materials distributed.

    • Provide a description of the onboarding process that extends beyond the initial orientation.

    • Provide a narrative detailing an evaluation of the onboarding activities with examples of recent evaluation of trainings (qualitative and quantitative) completed by the agency, including curriculum content, training dates and participant lists.

  • Opportunities shall be provided to employees at all levels within the agency that continue to improve and enhance individual performance, leadership-succession planning and agency service delivery.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Describe the goals of the Employee Development and Training Program.

    • Provide the scope and components of the Program, an outline of training offered (mandatory and discretionary), and a sampling of lists of participants for the previous five years to provide evidence of systematic implementation. If seeking initial accreditation, a minimum of one year of evidence is required.

    • Provide evidence of training for all employees including upper-level supervisors, support for ongoing education and achievement of workforce development, leadership-succession planning and certification objectives as well as evidence that the program design meets the goals of the program.

  • Agencies shall encourage and, where possible, provide ‘time off’ or financial assistance, to enhance and develop employee acumen, ensure employees invest in a culture of lifelong learning, stay abreast of the most up-to-date best practices for the field, and create a network of high-performing peer professionals. Professional staff shall be active members of their professional organization(s) and pursue professional certifications within their respective disciplines. Holding continuous membership, valuing meeting attendance, making presentations, participating in committee work and achieving elected and appointed positions at the state, regional and/or national associations or organizations as well as participating in ongoing educational opportunities should ensure the viability of both personal and agency-related professional opportunities.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a comprehensive list of staff with professional certifications and, additionally, those who have actively participated in a professional organization during the prior accreditation review period, indicating the nature of participation that illustrates the agency's commitment to active participation in professional organizations.

    • Provide a narrative describing how opportunities are afforded to a wide array of staff from various levels within the organization. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following park and recreation professional certifications, e.g., Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO), etc.

  • Agencies shall provide an employee health and wellness program. The program shall be periodically evaluated to ensure the program meets agency goals and objectives for the program.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide evidence of the agency’s employee health and wellness program, level of participation, and most recent evaluation.

    • Provide a narrative describing the goals of the program and any decisions made informed by results of the periodic evaluation.

  • There shall be a designated team or individual responsible for the agency's volunteer management functions. This person/team shall provide strategy and technical expertise in relation to recruitment, selection, training, management, evaluation, and recognition of volunteers. Policies and processes related to volunteer management, including background-check requirements, shall be documented, available to staff who utilize volunteer assistance, and provided to volunteers.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide the position description for the person(s) responsible for volunteer management functions. If the position description(s) does not have specific responsibility for volunteer management, a narrative description of involvement in volunteer management may be substituted.

    • Provide a narrative describing the goals and objectives of the volunteer program.

    • Provide the volunteer management manual used by the agency or the volunteer handbook provided to volunteers that includes: a list of functions in which the agency uses volunteers; outlines volunteer recruitment, selection, background investigation, orientation, training, and retention expectations; demonstrates processes used to supervise and evaluate volunteers; recognizes volunteer contributions.

    • Provide evidence of recent evaluation of the program and adjustments made to the program that were informed by evaluation, in an effort to better meet volunteer program goals and objectives.

    • Provide evidence of background-check administration in compliance with volunteer background- check policies promulgated by the agency and evidence of volunteer liability coverage provided by the agency.

    • If unionized, provide a narrative demonstrating how the agency is addressing the division between union and volunteer responsibilities.

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