State of Training
Report

Training has proven to be one of the most important factors an agency can leverage to influence the compliance, satisfaction, and retention of their care professionals. This Report will act as a guide for providers to drive compliance, while also reversing turnover, and improving care outcomes.

thank you

Thank you to all our 2022 participating organizations for your involvement in the first-ever State of Training Report.

We appreciate the support of many other industry leaders and, of course, all those who dedicated their time to participate in the survey. Your commitment made this Report a success!

Producers and Editors of the
2022 State of Training Report

President, Todd Austin 
Chief Marketing Officer, Kristen Duell 
Managing Editor, Amanda Sternklar 
Project Manager, Megan Kujawa 
Data Analyst, Catie Asbury 
Brand Manager, Kaylee Hatch
Designer, Hannah O’Meara 

Research Methodology

In 2021, HCP surveyed 80,000 employees, asking them to rate their agency across 7 categories. Training received was the second lowest score.

Aiming to address what is considered to be the worst workforce shortage in history, we created the State of Training Report to allow agencies to compare their training with others and benchmark themselves against the competition.

Between July 27th and August 19th, 2022, HCP conducted a survey targeting agencies who provide in-home care services. During the 10-minute online survey, agencies were asked to share more about their challenges, successes, and future goals.

Based on the responses to the 2022 State of Training survey, it’s evident that most agencies are facing challenges related to turnover and lack of engagement. There’s a clear solution, but it’s dependent on your training program and how agencies are prioritizing staff development.

Survey
Participation

Within this section of the Report, you’ll find a high-level overview of the demographics of participants whose data is included, with emphasis on provider type, geographic location, annual revenue, and number of business locations.

1.1 Total Survey Participation

0
Agencies Participated
0
Agencies Participated

Over 335 agencies participated in the 2022 State of Training Report survey. Participant positions included business owners, executive assistants, executive level managers, and more within the home care, home health, and hospice industries.

1.2 Participation by Type of Business

1.3 Participation by Number of Locations

(1 Location) 64%
(2 to 5 Locations) 26%
(6 to 10 Locations) 5%
(11 to 25 Locations) 4%
(26+ Locations) 3%

Survey participants were asked, “How many locations are in your organization?”

1.4 Participation by Revenue Range

Survey participants were asked, “What was your annual revenue in 2021?”

Survey
Results

As care providers continue to combat a historic caregiver shortage, effective training programs remain top of mind for agencies looking to improve their employee learning ladder. The data in this section will provide the resources you need to take a data-driven approach to your own training program. It is designed to help you understand the most common training practices, how effective those practices are, and which challenges are most relevant to your agency. It will also allow you to analyze the top motivators to complete training, the training features and providers agencies are using, and the most common strengths and weaknesses of your peers’ training programs.

2.1 Training Types Used in 2022—Overall

Survey participants were asked, “What types of development and training does your agency primarily use for your care teams?”

Blended learning has become the new normal as agencies are searching for ways to make training easier for their employees and keep engagement high. Blended learning has been shown to be more inclusive for learners (Including different learning styles), provide easier access to training options, and decrease employee turnover.

Online learning has revolutionized post-acute care training, but there will always be times when instructor-led training is the way to go. With blended learning, you’re prepared to offer both. Blended learning includes options for both online and in-service training and is:

  • More engaging for learners
  • Preferred by employees
  • Proven by research to be more effective
  • Only available through HCP

2.2 Training Types Used in 2022—Revenue Ranges

2.3 Training Types Used in 2022—Geographic Region

Download the State of Training Report

The 2022 State of Training Report is available for download as a PDF for offline reference.

2.4 Agencies Using a Learning Management System (LMS) in 2022

A Learning Management System (LMS) refers to software used for training that typically includes documentation, reporting, tracking, and administering of courses and completions. A majority of agencies use an LMS to keep their training programs organized, and for ease and accessibility.

Through centralized content, Learning Management Systems provide consistent learning environments, make reporting & tracking easier, and drive engagement and gamification.

2.5 Top Training Programs

Survey participants were asked, “Who is your primary training and development provider?”

For more information regarding training options for care professionals,

*Formerly In the Know and Home Care Institute.

2.6 Median Hours of Training Offered—Overall

Onboarding Hours: 8
Ongoing Hours: 9.1

Each agency has a unique combination of training requirements, based on state, federal, accrediting body, and payer source regulations. HCP Training (formerly In the Know) monitors these regulations continuously and builds each agency a highly customized training curriculum. Please feel free to view your state regulations here and discuss any additional training needs with your HCP Training advisor.

2.7 Median Hours of Onboarding Training Offered by Position

2.8 Median Hours of Ongoing Training Offered by Position

2.9 Median Hours of Training Completed Per Care Professional in 2021—Overall

0
Hours of Training
0
Hours of Training

2.10 Median Hours of Training Completed Per Care Professional—Business Type

Survey participants were asked, “How many hours of training did your staff complete in 2021?”

2.11 Top 5 Training Priorities for Agencies in 2022

Compliance training
Client and employee safety
Required continuing education
Infection control
On-the-job training

Survey participants were asked, “What are your organization’s top priorities in training and development, including for office staff?” 

Other priorities included:  

  • Communication and other soft skills 
  • Specialized disease/chronic condition training 
  • End-of-life care 
  • Leadership skills  
  • Employee mental health  
  • Diversity training  

Based on the data, it’s clear that agencies are focusing time and attention on helping their employees meet all the necessary requirements for training. While required training should certainly be the priority, 57% of turnover happens in the first 90 days of employment and going beyond this can help to foster a stronger culture of engagement and satisfaction. 

Once required and mandated training is complete, the next steps include:  

  • Offer soft skills training – According to the 2021 HCP Benchmarking Report, 77% of employers think soft skills training is just as important as technical skills, yet only 33% actually offer soft skills courses. Get started by offering courses in critical thinking skills, professionalism and work ethic, enhancing attention to detail, and more. 
  • Allow employees to specialize in their interests – When employees have the chance to focus on their interests and commit to further education, it’s a clear incentive for them to stick around your agency. If they’re passionate about what they’re learning, and you’re enabling that

2.12 Top 5 Training Weaknesses in 2022

Key Takeaway

Lack of engagement in training has become a growing issue for agencies across the country. According to figure “2.15 Top 5 Results of Increasing Staff Development and Training”, there is a strong correlation between an increase in staff development/training and more engaged care teams. In short, the message of these two graphs combined, is that the more prominent of a career ladder we can build for our employees, the more likely they are to be active and engaged with training. 

2.13 Training Increases Over the Last 12 Months—By Industry

Survey participants were asked, “Has the amount of development and training you offer increased in the last 12 months?”

Key Takeaway

Across the board, post-acute care agencies have increased their training efforts by over 20%, underscoring the importance of staying on top of training for client and employee satisfaction.  

As we learned from the annual Home Care Benchmarking Report, 98% of agencies were negatively impacted by workforce shortages, and about 57% of employees will end up leaving the agency they work for in the first three months of employment.  

Based on the number of agencies that are proactively working on their training offerings, it’s clear that is a strong correlation between training and retention.

2.14 Key Indicators Used to Measure the Impact of Staff Development and Training

Survey participants were asked, “How do you quantify the impact of staff development and training?”

Get a comprehensive look at our HCP Training Platform

Learn why the majority of participants in the 2022 State of Training Survey choose HCP Training for their staff.

2.15 Top 5 Results of Increasing Staff Development and Training

Better staff performance
More engaged care teams/increased job satisfaction
Increased patient/client satisfaction
Increased skill development or job advancement of staff members
Improved survey, audit, or accreditation outcomes

Survey participants were asked, “What have you experienced as a result of an increase in staff development and training?”

Agencies that have increased staff development and training efforts over the past year have seen a significant ROI in five key areas. Placing emphasis on building a strong learning environment with continuous room for growth has give care professionals the chance to become more competent and enthusiastic in their roles, leading to higher client and employee satisfaction (which ultimately leads to higher Net Promoter Scores).

Companies with high Net Promoter Scores grow at more than twice the rate of their competitors on average, and as long as the workforce shortage continues, employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) will be particularly important, because it can help you measure and improve your ability to recruit new employees through your existing employees.

eNPS helps you generate more employee referrals by tracking how well current efforts and new initiatives are working to make employees more likely to refer others. Employees recruited through existing caregivers typically have the lowest turnover rates of any recruitment source. If you would like to find out how your Employee Net Promoter Score compares to that of the industry, contact Home Care Pulse at [email protected] or 877.307.8573.

To calculate your NPS, take the percentage of clients who are promoters and subtract the percentage who are detractors. Dividing the result by 10 will give you your Net Promoter Score on a scale of 1-10.

2.16 Agencies Using KPIs to Evaluate The Success of Their Training in 2021

Yes
39.1%
No
41.2%
Unsure
19.7%

Survey participants were asked, “Do you identify, track, and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) or other data to use in evaluating the success of your training program?”

2.17 Methods Used to Track Training Completion in 2021

Survey participants were asked, “How do you track training completed?”

2.18 Top 5 Obstacles to Getting Staff to Complete Training

Employee Turnover

Employee turnover before completion of training.

Inefficient Training

Lack of efficient training that doesn’t create excess hours of learning.

Unengaging Training

Lack of adaptable training that can be updated to maintain learner interest.

Ineffective Orientation Training

Lack of effective orientation training for staff new to the industry.

Unfocused Training

Lack of focused training for special circumstances (i.e., new/unfamiliar disease processes, difficult behavior management, etc.)

2.19 Top 5 Motivation Methods Used to Complete Training

Survey participants were asked, “How do you motivate your staff to complete training?”

*(on social media, through company announcements, etc.)

2.20 Percentage of Agencies Accredited in 2021

Yes, Accredited Organization (45.4%)
Yes, Accredited Organization (45.4%)
No, Not an Accredited Organization (54.6%)
No, Not an Accredited Organization (54.6%)

Survey participants were asked, “Are you an accredited organization?”

2.21 Top 5 Accrediting Organizations Used in 2021

The Joint Commission

Accreditation Commission for Health Care

Community Health Accreditation Partner

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

Better Business Bureau

2.22 5 Most Important Training Program Features

Survey participants were asked, “What features do you look for when selecting a training program?”

Other features included:  

  • Accreditations integrations 
  • Engaging videos 
  • Admin-friendly platform 
  • Multi-language platform 
  • Relevant Topics 

Modern learners, according to PulseLearning, have approximately 8 features that they look for when they log into their training program. These include real-world applications, social interactivity, online training library, mobile accessibility, intuitive navigation, dynamic multimedia, visual representation, and gamification.  

It’s important that agencies strike a balance and focus on the features that are important to their employees (like mobile accessibility), as well as the features that are important to them (like pricing).  

2.23 Agencies that Use Training as Part of their Core Values & Performance Reviews

Yes
79.1%
No
20.9%

Survey participants were asked, “Do you include development and training as part of your core values and performance reviews?”

Summary

According to the 2022 State of Training Report, agencies are continuing to experience challenges when it comes to employee engagement and turnover. While there isn’t one way to solve all training-related obstacles, we’re learning everyday how to overcome challenges to keep care workers in the industry and create an engaging atmosphere that’s focused on professional development.

With more training-related data becoming available in the post-acute care industry, it’s our responsibility to evaluate what other agencies are doing, how employees are responding, and what next steps can be taken to provide a better work environment and care experience.

This year’s survey shows the commitment of post-acute care agencies to creating a better training environment for employees by utilizing learning management systems, increasing overall training hours, reimbursement for training hours, and analyzing employee performance.

The only way to improve is by focusing on the data, understanding your shortcomings, and making improvements based on what has been proven. Carry these insights with you into 2023, and our industry will make great strides toward more comprehensive training that solves some of post-acute care’s biggest challenges.

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DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

Download the 2022 State of Training Report!

In 2021, we talked to over 80,000 care professionals, and they told us their #1 complaint: training.  

The good news: it doesn’t have to continue that way.  

The data in this report will give you perspective from some of the most successful agencies across the country, identify where you should be investing time and money in training, and help you understand how a successful training program can help you hire and retain more care professionals. 

This Report provides the resources you need to take a data-driven approach to your own training program. It is designed to help clearly outline the most common training practices, how effective those practices are, and which challenges are most relevant to your agency.  

Access the Report