The Fine Art of Fading

Last month, we discussed stabilization and promised to give you more insights into fading, a key step to a worker’s independence. During the newly-employed worker’s first weeks on the job, you observed their learning traits, interpersonal skills, and job routines to determine what they required to be successful. Before the employee can be completely successful in their new position, though, your role will evolve to accomplish the ultimate goal: success without you.

So, the big question is how do you go about making that graceful exit?

Fading…I’m Fading…!

Dorothy melts the Wicked Witch of the West, Wizard of Oz,
William W. Denslow, illustrator, 1900.

Think of the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz melting away.  Minus the wickedness part, of course, you want to melt away or gradually fade into the background. Fading is actually important to your employee’s success. Since the ultimate goal has always been for the employee to be employed without your support, your fading efforts will become your new priority soon after your employee learns their basic tasks and gets the lay of the land in the workplace. In other words, you’ll need to create a fading plan soon after your employee is hired. 

Strategizing Your Fade

Eight strategies for fading offered by Teresa Grossi, Ph.D., of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, include:

• Supervisor and coworkers should be involved right from the start; 
• Fade systematically;
• Fade toward the natural cues; 
• Fade toward the natural supports;
• Fade your proximity and accessibility to the worker;
• Move to less and less intrusive types of assistance and prompts;
• Increase the amount of time between cues and prompts; and
• Institute self-management strategies and self-reinforcement strategies.

When you’re fading, you will be decreasing your time coaching, mentoring, and/or modeling, while your employee will be increasing their independence and their ability to rely on natural supports and self- management strategies when needed.  

Want to see some examples?  

Though this video mentions creating a fading plan on Day One, we actually recommend putting together a plan for fading even before the employee starts their new job.

Fading, Not Disappearing

The process of fading may sound simple, but it’s really a fine art. Timing is key. Fading too fast results in the worker making more errors and requiring a longer period of training. Fading too slowly fosters the worker’s dependence on you, which also increases the training time. 

Stay alert and watch for the cues. You want the employee to rely less on you and more on the supports they have through family, friendships, associations with fellow employees and supervisors, and associations developed through participation in their community. When you suspect that your employee still needs support, but you also think it’s time to help them test their independence, try something other than side-by-side support. Consider adapting the task, designing a new approach, using graphics, or creating a support other than yourself.

Collecting Data Is Key

Collecting data is key to determining and demonstrating the employee’s success. The job tasks determine the data you will collect. Writing a task analysis, when needed, at the start of the job is the first step to charting progress. For some employees, you may need to record the number of times during a day he/she correctly completes a task, while for others you’ll note the length of time they need to do a task. A job/task analysis will help identify stumbling blocks and allow planning for adaptation to training strategies.  You’ll use the task/job analysis to collect probe data, which is used to find out how the worker is doing without any intervention, prompts, or reinforcement. 

You’ll also collect data when you’re training one-on-one and you need to identify where a worker is having difficulty performing specific steps. (Need more information on collecting data? Enroll in Indiana Employment Specialist Training. Our August/September course begins August 7! Or save the date for November/December training, beginning November 5.)

Data should be meaningful, simple to use, easy to read, and easy to interpret. Data:

• provides a record of the worker’s performance.
• assists with objective evaluation of performance.
• shows areas for fading and from continued training.
• calls attention to areas that may need different training methods, adaptation, and self-management systems.
• can be used as a reinforcement tool for the worker.
• can be shared with the employee and co-workers to ask for assistance, feedback, and new ideas.
• serves as an accountability tool to funders, management, and families.

As an employee achieves their goals and accomplishes their tasks, you should modify the fading plan to further reduce the time you are spending either with the employee or on their behalf. (And don’t forget to update the ESRP!) As your communication with the employee and/or business diminishes, you can check in with the employee or supervisor via phone or a random visit.  

Remember, the Wicked Witch of the West (“Fading…I’m fading!”) as you slip out of the scene! 

Resources and References 

• Stabilization Notification Form
• Transfer to Extended Services Form
• Fading Job Site Supports Video Presentation, Teresa Grossi, Ph.D. 

Stabilization--STAT!!

You may have heard doctors on TV medical shows screaming, “I need something, STAT!” You probably knew from their voice and expression that they wanted something right now. Well, yelling, “STAT” for job stabilization is not exactly best practice and may actually be more harmful to the individuals we support every day.

Stabilization, in layman’s terms, is the point at which an individual has reached their greatest level of independence on the job. Although they may not do every task perfectly every time, they have reached their maximum ability. (Note that stabilization may look different for every employee. Some employees, for instance, may still need some assistance at certain tasks but with that accommodation, they’ve reached stabilization.) 
Stabilization occurs when 1) the coaching and modeling you’ve provided to an employee has helped them learn their tasks and workplace culture, and 2) when natural supports are in place.  

Since there’s a Milestone payment affiliated with stabilization, many employment specialists are often in a rush to move a job seeker along, so they can bill for the work they’ve done and move on to the next step. But challenge yourself to step back and think before screaming, “Stabilization - STAT!”  Trust us: You have plenty of time.

Slow Down! Devote Time to Those First Steps

After the job seeker you’re supporting finds a job that seems to be a good fit, they’re ready to use their skills and talents. Your first steps, as an employment specialist, are to support this new employee with learning new job tasks, performing daily duties, and following policy and procedure. Your next steps include supporting the employer as they train the new employee. You’ll also be helping the employee learn the workplace culture and helping the employer and employee as they build natural supports.

The new employee may need assistance getting to know people in their workplace. They may need to understand different work styles of co-workers and supervisors. There may be unwritten rules of the workplace that you’ll need to spell out. Some off-site skills, such as addressing transportation needs to get to and from work, could be fundamental to successful long-term employment. These essential items can be overwhelming to some, and yet, second nature for others. So, take time to address each need as it surfaces.

During the first four weeks or 30 days of employment, take time to make keen observations and listen to an employee’s needs. Take each hurdle they face as a mere “bump in the road.” Address those needs and challenges as creative goals that will increase the individual’s confidence.

Putting those goals in writing to demonstrate how you will support that person is the thrust of the Employment Support and Retention Plan (ESRP). (See “Helpful Links,” below.) The ESRP is where you will continue to identify those areas of support the employee needs to achieve independence. This is also the time that you will identify and discuss how you plan to support that new employee through the strategies and techniques that you will use. Remember that the focus of these first weeks is always progress and never perfection.

And another reminder: You don’t have to do this all alone. Let workplace co-workers and supervisors help support, teach, and coach the new employee. (See the Shared Solutions post, “Don’t Alienate Your Natural Supports.”) Your presence and expertise can make the difference not only for the new employee, but also for the business. You are the professional consultant to the business, supporting their decision to hire the individual and making this partnership work for them, too. 

The Signs of Stabilization

How do you know when your new employee has achieved stabilization?  Per the VR Manual (p. 29), ask yourself:

1. Has the employee made significant progress in gaining independence on the job during the period of supports?
2. Do you have evidence that supports have faded, even if fading has not been entirely linear (i.e., periods of ebb and flow)?
3. Is there strong potential for the individual to become more independent, resulting in additional fading* of supports?
4. Is the employee meeting the employer’s performance standards with as little support as possible and as is likely for that individual?
5. Why do you believe the employee has achieved their highest level of independence? What other evidence do you have?
6. Are you confident that an employee receiving supported employment will be able to maintain their job with appropriate extended services?

Adapted from the VR Manual of Employment Services, (Version 5.0, February 2019, page 29).

Tah Dah!

Stabilization means that even if the individual doesn’t do every job task perfectly every time, they’ve reached their greatest level of independence on the job. Just remember: DO NOT RUSH THIS! Be certain you are ready for your “tah dah moment.” With supported employment services, you have up to 24 months to provide support to your new employee!

 

When the employee has reached stabilization, you’ll complete the Stabilization Notification Form. On this form, you’ll share what you’ve done; any anticipated changes to the schedule, routine, or needs; and/or any additional needs for accommodations, modifications or assistive technology items. Once all team members and your VR counselor are in agreement and sign off on the form, your new employee has achieved stabilization! That’s when your 90-day clock starts. At the end of those 90 days, you may bill for Milestone 3.

Reaching stabilization is a huge deal! You assisted your newly-employed job seeker in learning their tasks, adjusting to their new role, and finding natural supports in their workplace. Over the next 90 days of their employment, your focus will shift from overseer to observer. 

Celebrate and do a TAH DAH with your new employee, because, together, your work was AMAZING!

*Stay tuned. We will discuss the fine art of fading in a future post.

Helpful Links

Stabilization Notification Form

Employment Support and Retention Plan Form

Employment Services Authorization Request Form 

VR Employment Services Manual 2019