With an aging population living longer, assisted living and memory care facilities are struggling to keep pace. Today’s caregivers can face increased stress levels and ultimately, employee burnout, which is a reason behind much of the assisted living employment turnover.
The fact is the demand to increase the assisted living and memory care workforce is only going to grow. Government statisticians report that an additional one million workers will be needed by 2026, which is an increase of 50% since 2014.
On top of that, Americans who are 85 and older are projected to more than double in the next 30 years, making them 4.5% of the population in 2050 in comparison to 1.8% in 2010.
Couple that with the fact that applicants are in short supply for almost every position, even outside the long-term care industry, and it creates a tricky situation.
The result? Most of today’s senior care facilities are experiencing the same challenge: finding and retaining trained caregiver and administrative staff.
So What’s the Retention Solution?
Though the hiring and retention situation for memory care facilities may seem bleak, employee turnover may actually lead to a better care facility. Here are 5 examples of what you can do – and how to potentially benefit – from ongoing employee turnover:
1. Hire the Right People
It may sound pretty obvious, but keeping employees starts with hiring the right people. Administrators and hiring managers can ask candidates behavioral interview questions to find out how they react in certain situations. Interviews – even virtual ones – can be used to show potential new hires around your care facility so they understand your workplace culture.
2. Understand Who You Are
If you find yourself consistently losing good employees, you’re probably not attracting the right people. Qualifications aside, anyone who isn’t a good cultural fit won’t stay long. Work to change your hiring and onboarding processes to only identify candidates who truly fit in with your corporate brand culture. This could mean anything from recruiting in new and different places, to instituting group interviews.
3. Review your Compensation Package
If you want the best – or keep the best – you have to offer the best. In terms of talent, you get what you pay for, so evaluate your compensation and benefits strategy on a yearly basis. When determining compensation for your employees, it’s good to do market research on wages, and research a competitive salary range based on similar jobs in your local area.
4. Check Your Reputation
If you’re losing good people, where are they going? Finding out what motivated your employees to go to another facility may be humbling but it’s also an incredible opportunity for growth. Was it money? Perks? A toxic work environment? Learning from your competition and making adjustments can slow your turnover rate.
5. Partner with an Experienced Medical Recruitment Firm
Sometimes it’s best to let the professionals handle a challenge. And in this case working with a recruitment firm experienced in the senior living/memory care industry can often help to not only uncover great job applicants – but help you to hire those that will stick around. And thanks to their wide applicant network, a medical staffing agency can offer a wide range of qualified candidates you won’t find otherwise.
Contact Horizon Healthcare Management Today
Horizon Healthcare Management is a nursing staffing agency for memory care workers that puts our clients’ goals first. We provide exceptional RN, LPN, and CNA staffing in Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, and beyond. If you need to hire memory care workers on a permanent, temporary, per diem or locum tenens capacity, contact our medical recruiters today.