It’s likely your agency is among the many struggling with recruiting and retaining caregivers as demand for services grows. With the increased need for in-home care services for seniors over the coming years, setting yourself apart as the home care agency to work for is increasingly important as being the provider of choice. During this month’s webinar, our Director of Operations, JC Weber, will share some data-supported knowledge regarding successful strategies in recruiting caregivers who stay.
According to a Pew Research Center study, we’re just over halfway through experiencing 12 years of significant growth among the population of seniors 65 and older. As a home care provider, how are you preparing for reaching and supplying caregivers for these 10,000 Baby Boomers hitting retirement age every day? Unlike several generations before, an increasing number of seniors are seeking care in their homes as opposed to live-in facilities. Hiring smarter won’t just give you the advantage over competitors in the quality of care you provide, it will help curb caregiver turnover – making your ability to take on additional clients even more manageable.
What sources are you turning to in your efforts to overcome the caregiver shortage and caregiver turnover issues threatening most home care providers? In 2016, most home care agencies surveyed provided job ads on Indeed and Craigslist as their top sources of caregiver candidates. Meanwhile, leaders in home care listed using an effective Employee Referral program as their primary source for finding their best caregivers. In the 2017 Home Care Benchmarking Study, it also shows caregivers hired through referral sources have a significantly lower turnover rate.
Having caregivers who are loyal, good caregivers and promoters of your business requires some effort on your part. The good news: this work is not only an important investment in your valuable caregivers, it’s easily integrated into home care agencies. The first step is to hire and continue developing a shared purpose. If they share your agencies purpose and are connected to both your business and the work, they will be an excellent representation of what sets you apart. Second, provide them with continued opportunities for growth through additional training. Third, take care of your caregivers. Even the simplest forms of gratitude go a long way in helping caregivers know they are appreciated and valued. The combination of these efforts leads to caregivers becoming promoters of your business. Not just in gaining more clients, but also finding more quality caregivers.
Just as keeping your clients satisfied is related to how long you continue providing them your services, keeping your caregivers engaged and happy in your business has an overall impact on how long they work for you. Visit with your caregivers to see where you might be able to improve their job satisfaction. Work with a third-party company, such as Home Care Pulse, to give them an unbiased ear to both provide positive feedback and concerns. You’ll find, through encouraging and rewarding positive behavior, your agency will increase its ability to keep caregivers longer and have a greater advantage in meeting the challenges of caregiver supply and demand.
This is a nice one. Thank you for sharing with us. Keep posting.
PapayaCare – Assisted living.
I think that is why more seniors prefer to care at home because as saying goes there is no other place like home there is a positive effect on feeling at home and this will give them quick recovery from an illness that is why home care solutions are there choice now.