Best of the Long-Term Care and Senior Living Blog 2016

On my drive into work this morning, I found myself wondering how we are already more than half-way through January 2017. Seriously, where has the time gone?! I have mixed emotions about the time flying by. I'm a little behind on my resolutions (ugh, don't judge) but at the same time, I'm very excited about what 2017 has in store. 

2017 is off to a great start and although it is moving quickly, we wouldn't be in the great place that we are without the growth and achievements of 2016. For example, OnShift's blog has truly become a hub for need-to-know issues, practices and strategies for workforce excellence in long-term care and senior living. Our stable of expert authors provided a continuous stream of posts to help providers get the most out of workforce strategies, tackling issues like the workforce shortage, Payroll-Based Journal Reporting, scheduling tips, employee engagement, labor cost management, and so much more.

I am excited to share with you our top ten blog posts from 2016. I hope you enjoy reading them and look forward to our blog contributions in 2017!

1. Four Steps to Eliminate Staffing Gap Risks in Senior Care

Staffing gaps are a real concern for senior care providers and can put your organization at risk—disputes over staffing levels can even lead to legal action. While senior care organizations strive to provide the best quality care to residents, many organizations face staffing challenges and for that, we recommended these four steps. 

2. Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Payroll-Based Journal 

You had questions, we had answers! It was and continues to be a priority for OnShift to cover the ins and outs of PBJ reporting. In this blog, we addressed some of the common questions we encountered about PBJ. Here are the questions (and answers) that were top of mind for providers.

3. Managing Millennials in Senior Living: Give Them What They Want 

Need we say more? Learn how. 

4. Five Payroll-Based Journal Gotchas and How to Avoid Them 

Questions swirled about the new Payroll-Based Journal mandate in 2016. Our team of experts identified key success factors and how to avoide the “gotchas” as senior care organizations evaluated their PBJ reporting options. 

 5. Six Recruiting Tips to Overcome the Workforce Shortage in Senior Care 

We’ve heard it time and again—the workforce shortage is here and it's continuing to grow. Competition for talent is fierce!  Here, we delivered advice for rethinking recruiting and engagement strategies with these 6 tips to overcome the shortage.

6. The Payroll-Based Journal July 1 Start Date: What it Really Means

As the July 1^st PBJ reporting start date approached, stress levels rose. OnShift's Peter Corless provided some necessary comfort to those concerns as he laid out the steps that skilled nursing providers could take to submit on time.

7. OnShift & Argentum Partner to Address Workforce Challenges in Senior Living

In February, we announced our partnership with national senior living association, Argentum. We’re nearly one year in on a three-year initiative to address the senior living workforce. Here’s a look back on where it all began and where we are going.

8. Three Amazing Ideas for More Efficient Scheduling 

Scheduling in senior care can be complicated. Between filling vacant shifts, monitoring overtime and managing labor costs, things can get off track. OnShift's Mike Pumphrey shared some quick tips for more efficient scheduling. (P.S. - OnShift's staff scheduling and labor management software can help!)

9. Secrets to Successful Open Shift Management in Senior Care

If there are gaps in your schedule, it may seem like there is no solution but to look outside of your organization for more resources. Don't fret, there are some things you can do to leverage your in-house staff first. In this post, our readers loved these tips and we think you will too! 

10. How to Manage Employee Use of Social Media in Senior Care 

Last, but not least, we tackled social media use in the workplace in long-term care and senior living. Specifically, there’s concern around patient privacy when it comes to the use of social media. Check out these real-world strategies you can use in your community.

And that's a wrap! There you have it, our best of 2016 blog posts. There will be much more to come in 2017. Stay tuned.