Caregiver Retention & Engagement Shines at PointClickCare Summit

Over one thousand people stormed Palm Springs recently for the annual PointClickCare (PCC) Summit. The event was flush with poignant educational sessions and networking opportunities that captivated PCC users and attendees every minute.

While talking with attendees and taking it all in, I couldn’t help but notice the focus on workforce issues in senior care.

I heard a lot about staff retention in long-term and post-acute care while at the event. There was much discussion about the day-to-day struggles that providers face in keeping employees engaged and satisfied so they can properly care for residents and become long-term employees of the organization. I also learned about the strategies that providers are implementing to foster engagement and retention, so they can overcome turnover rates that often reach 50% or more in the industry. Here are a few of the best practices that administrators shared:

• Recognize Your Employees: It’s all about creating a sense of value. Employees who feel that their actions and work are fulfilling and make an impact begin to develop a sense of belonging and thrive. In addition, recognizing them for their contributions and good deeds goes a long way to keeping them engaged and satisfied.
• Celebrate Special Occasions: Each of us has a birthday to celebrate--once a year, every year. Milestones are important and should be celebrated. Consider sending a card, making a personal phone call or give a small gift to celebrate key occasions. Getting company executives involved will also be meaningful to employees.
• Adopt New Technologies: Advances in technology have made the workload on employees less daunting. New solutions give employees tools needed to streamline tasks. An example is mobile documentation, used when caregivers are with residents to lessen the administrative burden so they have more time to do what they love – caring for residents.
• Implement a Mentoring Program: Many administrators and community leaders discussed mentoring programs and how they not only help to onboard and train staff, but also keep them engaged. Creating a leadership ladder can help employees earn the skills and experience they need to move up so they stay and advance, not just maintain momentum.

The use of mobile technology was also a big theme at the event. I attended a breakout session on mobile caregiving led by PointClickCare’s Arlene Strugar and Karey Thigpen, Director of Nursing at Kentwood Manor. Karey shared experiences and best practices about the mobility pilot at her facility, which created higher staff efficiency and effectiveness. As a result, employees were happier. Why? Mobile technology helps with staff engagement. It reduced the extra effort and hours caused by the lengthy, and often manual, documentation process in facilities without mobile devices.

Overall, the Summit attendees were an engaged bunch! Their interest in overcoming workforce challenges was inspiring. Many stopped by to talk to the OnShift team at the Expo, where they could get a taste for the best practices and experiences we have shared working with thousands of senior care organizations to solve staffing and labor management challenges. I found that many communities are still using pencil and paper for HR processes like hiring and scheduling. Paper! There’s no better time than now to learn how technology like OnShift’s can help senior living providers achieve their workforce management goals.