By: Greg Eash, Chief Operating Officer, equivant Corrections
Most agencies acknowledge the importance of a sound classification process – but many of these same agencies often do not have adequate staffing to ensure the right process is administered properly. This is a common challenge for practitioners around the country. So, what’s the best next step to take when you know what needs to be done, but don’t have the staff to make it happen? Read on for a variety of best practices found at the intersection of technology and humanity in order to build efficiencies into your classification management process.
Use technology in the right way
Technology can be leveraged to ensure that crucial tasks are not overlooked. For example, setting up timing mechanisms that create reminders when tasks need to be completed is a great way to make sure that important activities are not missed. Tasks such as classification reviews, disciplinary reviews, housing changes, and wellness checks are all activities that occur regularly in a facility. How are those tracked? Are there reminders that they need to be completed? Is that a manual process? By finding ways to prioritize and automate these important benchmarks, you can set your entire staff up for success.
Optimize your staff’s time
Using technology can create efficiencies in operations that can free up time for staff to perform certain tasks that require manual human interaction. Activities like classification interviews, disciplinary hearings, and other similar tasks require staff involvement. These activities cannot be replaced with technology. However, when you utilize technology to create efficiencies in tasks that can free up staff for the responsibilities that require their dedicated personal time and attention, it allows them to more thoroughly and effectively complete those tasks.
Leverage practitioner experience
A technology platform that actively builds out efficiencies is a must, but technology built without a practitioner’s perspective is useless. At equivant Corrections, our team is made up of former practitioners who have been in your staff’s shoes. We leverage this experience to implement updates, changes, and improvements to our software every single day in order to better help your team do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Finding a partner who understands your day-to-day operations is vital to helping your agency implement efficiencies – especially given the current staffing challenges taking place nationwide.
There’s no doubt that technology has the ability to make amazing things happen in professional settings every day. But do you feel as though your agency is taking full advantage? If not, reach out to our team at equivant Corrections. We’re here to help you find opportunities for efficiencies and improvements that can be implemented into your workflow immediately.
