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Well-designed performance appraisals provide a formal evaluation system to measure employees’ contributions to the agency while motivating staff and enhancing productivity levels. Despite their prominence and popularity, performance appraisal systems are often a contentious activity within public park and recreation agencies. Appraisal literature has indicated that many of these frustrations stem from issues such as (1) criteria that is not job related, (2) unclear or confusing rating levels, and/or (3) poorly designed processes and inconsistent implementation techniques. Recent research has also suggested many of these issues might be linked to the social dimensions surrounding the appraisal system. The purpose of this study was to build upon the previous appraisal research in public parks and recreation by exploring the role of two process proximal social context factors (employee participation and supervisor trust) on the utility of the appraisal system. More specifically, the cumulative effects of employee participation at various stages (job analysis, instrument development, appraisal interview, and training related to the appraisal system) and employees’ perceptions of their supervisor on employees’ reactions to their agency’s appraisal system were examined. Analyses indicated supervisor trust and employee participation significantly contributed to public park and recreation professionals’ satisfaction with their appraisal system, satisfaction with their appraisal interview, and their procedural and distributive justice perceptions with their appraisal system. Study findings and implications for management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of professionals retiring from public parks and recreation agencies is increasing. This growing number of retirees raises significant challenges (and potential opportunities) for these agencies as they manage this loss of institutional capital. Anecdotal evidence suggests that while some professionals elect to pursue a traditional retirement route by transitioning from full-time employment to full-time retirement, a growing number are choosing to return to the workforce after they retire from their career jobs. Referred to as "bridge" employment experiences, these post-retirement jobs act as transitions between long-term career positions and total retirement. These bridge employment experiences have been found to range from part-time work, selfemployment, and temporary employment to full-time employment. Despite these trends, little work has been done to explore the bridge employment phenomenon within the recreation profession. The purpose of this study was to explore possible predictors of public park and recreation professionals' career bridge employment intentions. Social Cognitive Theory was selected as the theoretical framework for the study to determine the impact of three individual factors (financial preparedness, job satisfaction, physical health) and three environmental factors (social retirement anxiety, career attachment, and professional development opportunities) on career bridge employment intentions. Two hundred and twenty-seven public park and recreation professionals who anticipated retiring within the next 10 years and were currently employed on a full-time basis completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Analyses indicated career bridge employment intentions were influenced by professionals' financial preparedness, social retirement anxiety, career attachment, and professional development opportunities. Interestingly, job satisfaction and physical health perceptions were not found to significantly impact career bridge employment intentions. Overall, the findings suggest that there is a career transition and socialization process that arises as professionals near the retirement phase of their career. The study's findings identified a few areas of concern and/or opportunities for professionals and their agencies. First, professionals who perceived to be less financially prepared for retirement or who had anxieties about disrupting longstanding friendships and support networks within the workplace were more likely to pursue bridge employment. Secondly, the findings suggest that professionals with stronger career attachment and who were more pleased with the quality and quantity of professional development opportunities were more interested in bridge employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-designed employee performance appraisals assume great importance by providing park and recreation agencies with information that can guide administrative and developmental decision-making about their most important asset—their human resources. Despite their importance, an agency's performance appraisal system can often be viewed by employees and management as a frustrating and unfair process. Responding to these issues, a pay-for-performance appraisal system was developed in 2004 for the Elmhurst Park District (Elmhurst, IL) that utilized an employee participation model and was guided by the appraisal literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the employees' longer-term reactions to the implementation and administration of the performance appraisal system over the past 10 years. Data was collected at three points: (1) in 2004, prior to the start of the pay-for-performance workshops (n = 56); (2) in 2005 at the conclusion of the workshops and initial implementation of the newly developed system (n = 56); and (3) in 2014-15, 10 years after implementation of the system (n = 51). Drawing from existing management literature and the utilization of an employee participation model, this 10-year follow-up study sought to address the following questions: To what extent are the employees' (1) overall satisfaction, (2) perceptions of accuracy of the appraisal ratings, (3) perceptions of procedural justice, and (4) perceptions of distributive justice with the appraisal system different in 2014-15 compared to 2005 and the original system in 2004? Analyses indicated that there were significant differences between employees' attitudes toward their agencies' performance appraisal systems in 2004 compared to 2005 and 2014-15. Study findings and implications for management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the characteristics of a professional field is having a means to certify the knowledge and competence of members of the profession. Certification programs can range from specialist-based certifications to those that are more general in scope (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). Supporters of certifications, both specialist and generalist, contend: certifications improve organizational effectiveness by having more competent and productive employees; improve the overall quality of a profession by following an established body of knowledge; help keep the professional current with the literature and trends in the field through the requirements associated with maintaining the certification over time (i.e., continuing education unit requirements); enhance professional recognition and lifelong learning among professionals in the field; and, lead to increased pay/salary and/or career advancement opportunities for professionals (Chipkin, 2010; Smith, 2013). Despite these claims made by certification supporters and advocates, little empirical research has been conducted on the specific impact of certifications within the field of park and recreation. In response to this need, the purpose of this study was to explore the possible links between a generalist certification (i.e., the CPRP certification), specialist certifications, and job self-efficacy among public park and recreation professionals. Job self-efficacy is a concept introduced in Bandura's social cognitive model (see Bandura, 1997) and is described as one's perceived performance capabilities for a specific activity. Three hundred and forty-seven public park and recreation professionals completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Analyses identified significant differences in employees' job self-efficacy levels between CPRP professionals and non-CPRP professionals while no significant differences were found between specialist certified professionals and those without a certification. Complete results of the study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The number of dual-career couples, workers with eldercare responsibility, single-parent families, and working parents with young children has become increasingly common in the American workplace (Breaugh & Frye, 2008) and has led to increased work-family conflicts for the park and recreation professional. In response to these workforce changes, family-friendly employee benefits programs (FFEBP) are becoming more readily available and offered by public park and recreation agencies. Guided by these challenges, this study sought to explore the link between FFEBP and job attitudes (organizational commitment) and employee motivation (self-efficacy) among public park and recreation employees. Specifically, the effects of two FFEBP (dependent care supports and flexible work arrangements) were assessed on organizational commitment and job self-efficacy outcomes. Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1991) was selected as the theoretical framework for this study due to its relevance to a variety of human resource management functions that occur within an organization and its application within employee motivation and commitment contexts (Gibson, 2004). Four hundred and fifty-six public park and recreation professionals completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Analyses identified significant differences in employees' job self-efficacy and organizational commitment levels between agencies with family-friendly employee benefits programs and agencies without these programs. Specifically, the findings from this study suggest agencies with dependent care supports or flexible work arrangements benefit programs have employees who are more committed to the agency and generally have higher levels of motivation (i.e., job self-efficacy) than employees working in agencies without these programs. For administrators, these results suggest the potential of FFEBP in creating a strategic advantage for agencies by recruiting and retaining higher performers within an agency and by establishing a more productive workforce. However, despite the potential value of these benefits, careful planning and internal assessment is needed prior to implementation of a FFEBP. Complete results of the study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-designed employee performance appraisals provide agencies with information that can guide administrative and developmental decision-making about their most important asset--their human resources. Administratively, performance appraisals serve as the formal evaluation tool used by managers when making decisions about distribution of pay increases. Developmentally, performance appraisals assist agencies in identifying issues such as employee training needs, selection, and promotional opportunities (Milkovich & Newman, 2005). Despite its importance, an agency's performance appraisal system is often viewed by employees and management as a frustrating and unfair process. These frustrations are largely attributed to performance appraisal instruments that are not job related, have confusing or unclear rating levels, and are viewed as subjective and biased by staff (Mathis & Jackson, 2006). A study was undertaken to respond to this issue by identifying the steps involved in creating a pay-for-performance system for a public park and recreation agency. This case study (1) identified a systematic procedure for creating performance appraisal instruments, (2) described the appropriate training necessary for those conducting a performance appraisal interview, (3) implemented the performance reviews using the developed instruments and the results of the appraisal training, and (4) determined how much of a merit increase is to be given for different levels of performance. Emergent themes from focus group interviews with employees identified differences between employee attitudes toward the original pay-for-performance system and the newly developed system, highlighting the value of employee participation in the development of the appraisal system. Results of the case study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee turnover is an unavoidable part of most public park and recreation agencies. Agencies must become increasingly concerned with understanding the repercussions of an employee leaving an agency as they attempt to strategically assess current and future economic and human resource plans. This exploratory study considers the issue of turnover within a cost analytical framework and proposes a model for park and recreation agencies to accurately quantify their employee turnover costs. Specifically, the study incorporates Cascio's (2000) costing model of turnover to explore the costs associated with the departing employee and the placement of a new employee. Building upon Cascio's (2000) model we include variables to examine the potential drop in performance and overtime payment required as a result of turnover. Using the proposed model, an exploratory study was conducted within the public park and recreation profession. Turnover data was collected from park and recreation professionals within the state of Illinois. Findings suggest that the separation costs are about two to three times larger than replacement costs making it increasingly important for managers to control unused vacation and sick pay, losses in production and overtime paid to existing staff. Significant differences in pre-employment testing and training costs were found between recreation staff and operations/support staff. The findings and application of the costing model are discussed with suggestions made for further development of turnover cost models that can be applied in public park and recreation settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]