Recruitment Reality Series: Amazon is Stealing Your Caregivers
In the Know
The median caregiver turnover rate has set a new record. The number is staggering: 82% in 2018.
According to the most recent Home Care Pulse Benchmarking Study, the median caregiver turnover rate has set a new record.
The number is staggering: 82% in 2018.
In her new “Recruitment Reality Series,” Caregiver Training Advisor Victoria Brown explores the challenges you face, finding and keeping quality caregivers in the new “gig-economy.”
Victoria says . . .
The tremendous challenge of maintaining an adequate caregiver staff is reaching levels you may not have imagined possible.
While there are multiple causes and influential factors, this series begins with the most well-organized singular competitor for your employees: Amazon.
Who cares about Amazon?
Why should home care providers, hospice organizations, assisted living facilities and other caregiver employers worry about an online retailer like Amazon? The answer is simple.
- 157 fulfillment centers in 34 states,
- A surge in demand for delivery drivers resulting from the new one-day delivery model, and, most importantly,
- $15/hour for every single employee.
They also offer health insurance and retirement benefits. According to a myCNAjobs report, 12% of caregivers have interviewed or worked for Amazon in the last year. With their heightened focus on recruitment and ever expanding the business, that number will undoubtedly continue to climb.
What can you do?
- Pay them more! I know this may not be the answer you wanted to see first, but with so many of your caregivers facing financial hardship, you must make this a priority to compete. The same myCNAjobs report identifies 22% of caregivers as single parents. Even if they love you and hate working for Amazon, they will go whenever they can best provide for their families. Furthermore, 61% of executives reported turning down business due to their inability to maintain the necessary staff for expansion. Offering more money is the easiest way to recruit staff over the competition. Think of a small loss on your margin as a worthwhile trade for long term growth. One last statistic drives this home: 19% of caregivers reported they can’t earn enough to stay in the profession. 19%! Recouping those losses is imperative.
- Offer training! Your caregivers need and want an established training program. Eighty-five percent (85%) reported wanting more paid training to myCNAjobs and 71% said they must feel they’re continually learning to stay with an employer. You can’t afford to fall short of the expectations of 71% of your staff. Offering informative and easily administered training gives them the knowledge they need and allows them to find the fulfillment they crave. Offering specialty training programs, such as our Alzheimer’s Specialist Certification, gives them a sense of progress and expertise they won’t find in a factory setting.
- Form human connections! Ninety percent (90%) of caregivers say they chose the profession to help people. Caregivers are “people people”. They aren’t satisfying their desire to help in an Amazon factory. Amazon notoriously falls short here. This is your biggest opportunity to win the battle for employees against them. A quick glance at the 1 Star reviews for Amazon Fulfillment Associates on Indeed is telling. “Typical day consists of packing thousands of units for this miserable company that treats you like fodder.” “10 hours of extreme hard-work with ZERO appreciation.” “Treated like a robot.” You can do better! You’re in the industry of helping people. You’re also a “people person”. Bond with your caregivers. Learn about their families. Host monthly coffee talks or company yoga classes. Finally, if they leave you to work for Amazon, let them know you’d happily have them back if it doesn’t work out. You aren’t the only one worried about high turnover. Amazon can get them, but their high-stress low appreciation environment isn’t thriving at retention either.
Get started with training!
If you’re looking for a complete caregiver training solution to help you
recruit, engage, and retain caregivers, we’d love to help!
In the Know’s easy-to-use and mobile-friendly e-learning solution
comes with 160 unique training modules to help your caregivers grow.
Contact Victoria today for an e-learning demo or quote!
