February 3, 2015 | Marti Bowman
A couple weeks ago I was sitting in my doctor’s office waiting for my name to be called. I occupied the first few minutes of my wait by flipping through a months-old issue of People Magazine (George Clooney is married!?) Then I moved on to more important matters, trying to understand why chairs in the waiting room are covered in dingy patterned fabric; why the lady across from me is wearing a button down shirt with Mickey Mouse embroidered on it (yes, Mickey Mouse!); what the woman who tried to cut in front of me at the check-in desk (emphasize tried) is talking to her daughter about as they, too, sit in ugly chairs waiting for their turn to see the doctor.
But all of this took about 3 minutes and it was at that point that I took a deep breath to clear my thoughts. Ah, relax. OK, that didn’t last long either, because my mind kept running. You know what consumed my thoughts for the next few minutes until it was my turn to see the doctor (keep it clean, people)? I was thinking about what my experience at today’s appointment would be like. I even said to myself, “I really hope I get to see Patty today.” Do you know who Patty is? OK, if you do know who Patty is that would be really weird, because I was at this appointment by myself, or at least I thought I was... Patty is my doctor’s nurse. She is the nurse who has tag teamed with my doctor for the 17 years that I have been going to this practice. She is the one who greets me, asks me how I’m doing, and covers all the medical basics until the doctor comes in. I can’t say that Patty and I have developed a “let’s go grab a beer after your last blood pressure check” type of relationship, but Patty is someone I look forward to seeing and, perhaps more importantly, she is someone I trust.
Even though you don’t know my Patty, I’m certain that you know a Patty and more likely, many Patties. Patties are the secret sauce to every successful community. They are the caregivers that make each community hum. As Patties and residents spend significant time together, shift after shift and day after day, they develop bonds that aren’t easily replaced. Many residents consider their Patties their family members.
Now what would have happened if Patty, my Patty, was not there to see me that day at the doctor’s office? Well, I admit I would have gotten through it, but you bet I would have been disappointed. This was just one doctor’s visit. Now consider the pain and disappointment in senior care, when Patties ping in and out of communities faster than school kids running out to recess. Long-term care has a problem, with average caregiver turnover rates hovering around 50% and often times even higher. The residents are the ones who suffer when Patties come and go. This turnover problem must be fixed.
There are many reasons why caregivers leave their jobs. Just last month Glassdoor published a list of the top 10 things people like about their jobs and the 10 things they hate. Two gripes that stuck out in my mind? Poor work-life balance and inflexible work schedules.
My recommendation to senior care leaders: make employees part of the scheduling process. Employees value input into their schedules. I know Patty does. Your caregivers are real people with real lives outside of work (gasp!) Start by finding out what their shift preferences are and show them that you are listening. Document their preferences in advance so upcoming schedules reflect their needs as much as possible. Fine-tuned schedules that consider employee preferences lead to greater work-life balance. Who can complain about positive work-life balance? Not many. And as a result, your employees will be happy and it will lead to less turnover. This means your Patties will be there, taking care of your residents, on a consistent basis.
A systematic and accessible approach to managing employee schedule preferences is possible with staff scheduling and labor management software. OnShift’s mobile app for employees gives them the power to submit PTO, set availability, and indicate schedule preferences. Schedulers and managers can also easily communicate with employees and notify them of new schedules and available shifts – so best-fit schedules become a regular practice for higher employee satisfaction.
For additional ways to reduce employee turnover in your facility or community, check out our whitepaper:
See for yourself why thousands of providers rely on OnShift’s innovative software for recruitment, hiring, workforce management, pay and engagement. Request your personalized demo today.
