The senior and retirement care sector is one of the job areas in Canada which reports the highest turnover rates. In the past, the industry used to have a high number of qualified staff seeking for various positions. That made things easy for employers as they could quickly recruit and retain as many as they wanted.
Today however, that has changed and employers have to struggle even to find and hire a few of them. There are many reasons behind this increased levels such as the rapid increase of the aging population, the low pay and high levels of stress.
Below are a few recommendations on how employers in the retirement homes industry can recruit and retain staff in the sector.
Emphasizing on hospitality and creating a culture of coaching
Retirement homes should emphasize on hospitality to members of the community when looking for employees. That will help attract people who are passionate about giving back to the society and who are willing to learn. Once they get the right batch, the next step is to train and empower them with the necessary skills.
In the process, these employees will be able to create a strong connection between them and the senior population in retirement homes. As a result, they will show more commitment to working in these homes and hence reduce employee turnover.
Onboarding through the right ways
Even if they get employees who do not require any form of training, retirement homes should find a way to make them more comfortable by helping them adapt to the general routine of the home. They can do so by appointing someone who will be responsible for offering mentorship and orientation to the new staff.
That will not only help them adapt to the new environment but will also make them feel more appreciated hence they will be more willing to work and stay there in comparison to those who did not receive such welcoming.
Increase employee compensation
As mentioned earlier, one of the reasons why most qualified staff often turn down job offers from retirement homes is because of the low wages. Therefore, another way to recruit and retain them is by improving their compensation.
That can be achieved in various ways such as increasing their salaries, offering them bonuses and recognizing their efforts to the community through annual awards and rewards. That is one way to motivate them to work in this sector and hence decrease the high turnover rates in the retirement industry.
In a nutshell, every sector faces its challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees, and the retirement sector is no exception. Therefore, these problems should be addressed in the right manner, and by making use of the above recommendations, employers will be able to turn things around for the better. For instance, putting someone in charge of the mentorship and orientation process for new employees will help these new workers adapt to the schedule and routine of your retirement home quickly and they will more comfortable working there rather than somewhere where they are left to figure things out on their own.
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