When it comes to senior care, operators face many conflicting priorities. Government regulations require tracking and reporting various activities, and the safety and health of residents is always a top concern. However according Laura Katz Olson, an expert in public policy and aging and a caregiver herself, food and staffing should be at the top of the list.
Olson is also quoted as saying, “The driving force of quality care is the staff. Communities that commit to excellence by providing relatively high wages, great healthcare benefits and opportunities for advancement for staff members, are more likely to be rewarded with minimal turnover, which means that staff members are more likely to be familiar with resident needs and care about meeting them.”
I can’t say that Olson’s comments about the importance of a good staff surprised me. After all, employee engagement is a win all around. Engaged employees are less likely to leave, and consistency in staffing can equate to better care of residents. According to research by Gallup only 30% of employees are engaged at work, which is a problem because productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction are directly tied to the level of employee engagement.
Olson mentions some ideas for attracting the right employees, such as competitive wages, good benefits and career development. But what else does it take to attract and retain the best staff, especially millennials, which are now the largest portion of the workforce? What are millennials’ expectations and how can you meet them?
While millennials are obviously individuals and should be treated as such, they have been shown to have different preferences than previous generations when it comes to life at work. To engage millennials, you’ll need to adjust your approach. Here are a few ways to attract and engage millennials in the senior care workplace.
According to recent survey by OnShift and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, about 78% of recent hires in senior care were millennials. Smart employers will adjust their strategies and policies to make the workplace millennial-friendly. Engaging employees will do more than just reduce turnover--engaged employees create an environment where residents and their families feel happy and comfortable.