Hello, hello. Long time lurker, first time poster. I decided to break my silence because I am just dying to just some outside opinions on a new thing the company I work at is instituting. (And I want to post my pet conspiracy theories in the Lost threads.)
Background: I work at a tutoring company that has a very specific method of teaching. Tutors work one on one with students at a center teaching this certain method of reading and reading comprehension. Tutors are randomly “mentored” by supervisors. Sometimes they know they are being observed, sometimes not. They then get a written sheet of constructive criticism and discuss it with the supervisor.
Our new-ish supervisor now wants to start video-taping tutors. The tutors would be taped for one hour working with a student. They would then watch the tape and have to write their own sheet of criticism of themselves. They then have to present the sheet to the supervisor and discuss it with them.
So, what do Dopers think? What would you think of this as an employee?
It sounds like a cutting-edge approach to performance improvement. As long as everyone is aware the video-taping is taking place. State laws vary on that type of thing, but making everyone aware of it seems like best practice, and not doing that seems like a potential legal risk, especially as related to taping kids w/o parents’ knowledge. But if everyone is aware, it seems good.
Does it seem difficult, uncomfortable, potentially unpleasant? Sure. But watching yourself present is a great way to improve.
And with the self-critique along with the supervisor critique, it sounds like they are trying to be fair about it. For example, if you snap at little Johnny, you can explain it was the 7th time he pulled out his cell phone, not the first.
If it makes you really uncomfortable, as it sounds like it might by the fact that you chose to break out of lurkerdom just for this reason, maybe it is because you are really not comfortable with either the company or your particular supervisor. This is a powerful feedback tool, and like any tool you want it in the hands of good, not evil.
I have work experience in HR and as a tutor, just to represent where I’m coming from on this. As a tutor, students filled out surveys on me and a supervisor sits in on one session per semester.
I can’t imagine a more effective technique improvement method. It works for sales professionals, presenters and speakers. Seems to me that it would be effective here too. IMHO.
Wait, do you mean the tutors would watch themselves on tape for an hour? I think I’d quit my job.
I hate watching myself on tape, not to mention it’s boring as hell. I used to work in a call center, where I was considered one of their best employees by many of the powers that be. However, my immediate supervisor changed a few times while I was there, each having their own method of review.
Well, my second supervisor thought it best to playback our calls during our monthly review meeting. I hated it. I was generally too distracted by having to listen to myself than gain anything of value from the call. Furthermore, I found it to be a lazy method for my supervisor to perform her “review.” I found it much more constructive when my other supervisors would personally identity areas of improvement, which I would then focus on (without the “aid” of me listening to the call).
Okay, now to fill in a little more on this. I was previously a tutor at this company, but I am now the office manager. To implement this new practice, we needed everyone to sign a video consent form. I had a lot of trouble getting the forms returned accompanied by a lot of excuses such as “I just don’t like being on camera,” “I get nervous,” and just flat out grumbling from older employees who I am friends with outside of work.
Frankly, I see where they are coming from. They are already “mentored” by supervisors several times a week and so much criticism, constructive or not, can wear you down.
As office manager, I don’t get videotaped, but now supervisors I talk to on the phone from other centers will report me for not using certain scripted phrases we are supposed to work in to all phone conversations (such as “my pleasure”). I think all the employees are just starting to feel nitpicked to death.
As I think about it a little more, an hour does seem a bit long. Investing about an hour and a half while tutors watch the video and discuss w/ supervisor (which will all need to be paid time) in the performance monitoring of an hourly employee on a seemingly regular basis may not be all that cost-effective. As a tutor I know how much I get paid, and how I’m not that hard to replace, which is at least one reason I’m guessing this doesn’t happen to me…As a short-term thing it still may make sense, though.
And are the students signing video release forms, too? IANAL, but I would definitely want to make sure that had been run by legal. I suspect there’s more risk to filming underage customers than employees.
But by and large the resistance mainly sounds like employees who are comfortable doing things they way they have been resisting change to proven practices that may involve them working harder.
When I taught in the classroom, I was videotaped a number of times. It’s an extremely helpful thing to be able to see yourself and catch things that you do poorly and things that you do well, and modify your teaching accordingly.
Sounds like a great idea to me.
I’m surprised about the notion of legal issues - my understanding is that video records for release to the public (i.e. shown on TV or posted on internet) need release forms. Video records for internal use (me and my supervisor watching us) didn’t need releases, and IIRC, none were obtained.
I may be overreacting on the legal thing, but I think the legal issues are different when it’s a private business vs. (I assume) public schools. Also, at least for phone recordings, the laws vary by state. So it may be fine, but if it were me running the business I’d be sure to get it checked out.
I’m probably way off-base here as I know nothing about the type of program you’re discussing. (And, to be fair, my good tin-foil hat is in the shop, I’m having to get by with the backup.)
The first thing I thought when I read the OP was “Taping every tutor, every day is going to give the company a HUGE amount of footage. Are they going to then use that to create an automated, digital version of their employees? TUTOR V1.0?”
After reading the rest of the thread I realise it’s a valid evaluation technique, but still that’s a lot of free(ish) “product improvement” research data.
Yeah, yeah I know. “Adjust the meds, yada yaada yada.”
I HATE, HATE, HATE performance reviews that start with self evaluation. I am my own worst critic, and don’t want my performance evaluation based on my own opinion. This kind of review has, in the past, had me stressed out to the point of thinking that maybe those folks who “go postal” at work aren’t so wacked after all.
Not everyone who is good at tutoring is good at evaluating tutoring.
Not everyone finds the idea of critiquing themselves attractive. There may be concerns about being thought too hard or too soft on yourself, or just an inherent distaste for making a point of telling someone else what is wrong with you.
Some people are very good at absorbing and understanding information and concepts that are given to them, and find it counterproductive to learning to be in an “evaluate and tell what you know” mode rather than a “soaking it in” mode.
I think this might work fine as an optional technique. If those who participate find it helpful, that may encourage others to try it as well. But I believe that requiring the tape-watching or the self-critiquing from those who are reluctant to do so is a mistake.