Supporting employment consultants leveraging data to deliver quality services and outcomes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ensuring that job seekers with disabilities receive high-quality supported and customized employment services is key for increasing their chances of achieving their career aspirations. OBJECTIVE: To draw attention to the need for better support of employment consultants in the delivery of quality services. METHODS: Nine employment programs piloted ES-Coach, a tool designed to help employment consultants and managers visualize the implementation of supported and customized employment, reflect, set goals, and take action for continuous quality improvement. RESULTS: The nine employment programs invested an estimated 1:19 to 4:10 hours per day on getting to know job seekers, finding jobs, and any other support leading to hire combined. A large amount of their time was invested in administrative activities, ranging from 2:11 to 4:12 hour per day. ES-Coach helped the participants reflect on the quality of their employment support services and set goals for quality improvement. CONCLUSION: Supporting employment consultants with data-enabled feedback is key for improving the quality of supported and customized employment services, a key step toward improving job seekers’ employment outcomes.