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4 Practices Senior Care Organizations Can Adopt From The #1 Place To Work In America

April 5, 2019 | Jenna Berris


Workforce best practices to adopt from the top place to workHilton has earned a slew of local and national awards for their workplace culture over the past few years and most recently earned the title of #1 in Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For®

As senior care continues to compete with the retail and hospitality industries, it’s important to not only do what they’re doing, but do it better.

Based on the awesome feedback Hilton received, here are four practices providers can implement, and even take to the next level, to better attract, engage and retain employees.

Launch A Next-Level Leadership Development Program 

70% of not-for-profit senior living CEOs are expected to retire in the next 10 years. Offering career development opportunities for employees is not only an excellent way to attract and retain employees, but it’s crucial to developing the next generation of leaders within your organization.

Hilton wastes no time in developing future leaders at their company and hires specifically for their Management Trainee positions. The 18-month program uses a 3-phase approach to give the trainee exposure to all departments, train them in their specialization and then eventually place them in a hotel upon completion.

Senior care organizations don’t have to look far to find employees to place in such programs. A large portion of direct-care workers are millennials - a group that wants the opportunity to grow in their career and move up the ranks. Providers should build out structured career paths and encourage employees that are interested to come forward and work with their managers on a plan. 

Welcome New Team Members In A Memorable Way

According to their Great Place To Work profile, 98% of employees say they felt welcomed when they joined the company. Those first few weeks, even months, set the tone for an employees’ tenure. There’s a huge opportunity to use this time to kick-start engagement and boost retention, especially since we know that 40% of employee turnover in senior care happens in the first 90 days.

Many providers have begun reaching out to employees before day one with a note saying they are excited to have them on the team. One provider literally rolls out the red carpet to make new employees feel like a star when they first walk into the community.

It's important to continue the positive experience with an engaging and effective onboarding that encompasses mentor programs, frequent check-ins and new hire surveys that can uncover and fix any issues early.

Make Your Mission Part Of Everything You Do

According to the profile, 96% of respondents said they feel good about the ways they contribute to the community and take pride in what the company accomplishes.

That makes sense. Hilton has some great corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in place to help local communities and make a positive impact on the environment. Senior care, however, has this do-good aspect built into their day-to-day business. And what we learn from Hilton’s profile is that today’s workers want to contribute to the greater good and the opportunity to do just that earns you rave reviews from employees.

Providers can use their mission to stand out against the competition and recruit quality candidates; as well as make it front and center throughout the employee lifecycle for better engagement and retention. Doing so keeps everyone aligned and working toward a common goal, and most importantly, committed to quality care and service every step of the way.

Treat Everyone With The Same Level Of Respect 

Finally, 96% of respondents said, “I am treated as a full member here regardless of my position.” Regardless of rank, providers should make each employee feel valued for their contributions to the organization. The easiest way to do that is through rewards and recognition. When employees feel their hard work is noticed and appreciated, they tend to perform even better, be more engaged and stay with their employer long term.

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About Jenna Berris

Jenna Berris is a Content Marketing Manager for OnShift.

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