Page 20 - 2017 Edition Staff Handbook

Guidelines
If I had to sum up homeschooling in one word, it would be freedom... to customize, to create, to choose.
Counselors should be resourceful and know how to find information as needed for families. Keeping up with HLA policies, procedures and information on the HLA website is critical to ensuring families are given correct information. Counselors should be willing to cross train in other counseling areas, stay up to date with new policies and procedures, and put them into practice when applicable. HLA is growing and continually changing to meet the needs of a growing and changing homeschooling movement. Counselors should be willing to learn and adapt to changes.
Counselors should demonstrate the ability to prioritize their workload, including rush situations and quickly update notes in the call log and request manager. Attempts to contact families such as leaving messages or sending emails should be documented and dated. Requests should be canceled after 14 business days if no response from parents and 3 attempts to contact have been made. Counselors should make detailed notes in the call log or request manager concerning conversations such as any complications, changes, or specific decisions being made concerning a student or situation. Counselors handling specific tasks are expected to pay careful attention to details and ensure documents and notes are accurate. All information should be dated and initialed.
Counselors are expected to attend and participate in HLA-sponsored events as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, curriculum fairs, staff meetings, company- wide meetings, and other HLA-sponsored events. Counselors are expected to work at least one large, out-of-town curriculum fair per year as needed.
Counselors need to make sure the booth is adequately staffed during busy times to assist families. Slow times can be used to review any new curriculum at the fair or attend workshops. Counselors should communicate with one another when leaving the booth for breaks, workshops or when visiting other booths and are expected to take turns as needed to ensure adequate staffing at all times.
Since the counseling team is located in remote offices, Slack will be used for daily communication and collaboration. While each counselor has their own specific area or expertise, counselors should work as a team assisting one another as needed to ensure we are providing the best possible service to our families. Cross training, sharing resources and knowledge, and brainstorming ideas is a very important part of the team environment. We also encourage and strengthen one another through friendship and prayer.
Written and oral communication is essential to effectively convey, receive and process information. Counselors are expected to utilize Slack to stay connected to team members, team leaders, office staff, and leadership. Counselors are expected to be available on Slack while checking emails, making calls, etc...especially when working during normal business hours. Counselors are expected to communicate effectively with the team leader concerning workload, trends noticed, etc., and to keep Pingboard updated and notify the receptionist concerning scheduling and availability.
Counselors are encouraged to think of ways to improve the services we provide to homeschoolers. Counselors are on the front lines and have the most exposure to our families through daily conversations and at conventions. Thinking of ways to continually meet the needs of homeschooling families and how to better serve that community will allow HLA to continue improving services and to stand out among others. Counselors should be service minded and willing to fill needs to better serve families and HLA. Counselors should be willing to look for the answers to questions and help determine solutions to difficult situations as they arise and share this information with team members.
HLA strives to be as flexible as possible concerning vacations and time off. Communication is critical. Counselors are expected to communicate to office and counseling staff concerning work schedules so that our families are adequately served. Counselors will be paired with another team member to ensure RMs, call log and other counseling- related areas are covered when team members are out of the office for extended periods of time (more than 2 days). Vacation responders should be used when out of the office for more than 2 days. All vacation days and full days out of the office should be posted on Pingboard. Counselors are expected to check Pingboard for other team member schedules before taking vacation time. Counselors are responsible for ensuring their area will be adequately covered while on vacation. If you will be checking email while on vacation, please specify on Pingboard along with who is covering for you. Ex. Out of Office - Will check emails - Lynn is covering me.