The Caregiver Retention Strategy that Works in 2020!

Caregiver turnover is expensive, and no home care agency would ever wish to lose their skilled resources. As per the surveys, it is much less expensive to keep a productive caregiver than it is to recruit a new one.

So, what you can do when there are a lot of options available for caregivers in the market? It would be nice to be able to offer a raise to every caregiver amid the pandemic, but when your home care business is hardly generating revenues like it used to, that is not going to happen anytime soon.

Also, your competitors that are always on a hunt for skilled resources would be hindering your caregiver retention actions with all those lucrative offers.

You need to understand that salary is not the star player in retaining your best employees. Although it may affect their thinking for a while, a combination of factors will decide whether your caregivers will stay or leave.

Here we have put together a plan that will help you retain your best caregivers in 2020 regardless of the current scenarios.

Creating Professional Development Opportunities

As per a recent survey, around 90 percent of employees said that they would certainly stay with their current organization if they are investing in their professional development.

If your caregivers are seeking additional learning opportunities, it is your responsibility to assist.

Several areas can be considered from employees’ growth perspective. Whether it is training or certification, you must ensure that your caregivers are always learning and growing within your organization.

The current scenario has provided ample opportunities for agencies to train their caregivers to handle diverse situations and to manage quality care as well as safety for the clients.

Ensure caregivers are engaged in training as per the CDC’s guidelines for maximum safety. They will then be fully prepared once the state reopens and your company begins to work at full capacity.

Act on Your Caregivers’ Concerns, on time

If your agency is taking too long to respond to the concerns of your caregivers, it is showing them that you may not value your employees. They may search for a better career opportunity in the market.

Agencies must emphasize the fact that every feedback and concern of the caregiver is resolved within a fixed timeline. This would not only build trust over your dedicated workforce but keep caregivers loyal to your agency for a longer employment term.

Most of the caregivers and other staff members switching their jobs are generally the employees that do not trust their organization anymore. In other words, they are not sure whether they have reliable career growth & job satisfaction for the next couple of years.

Appreciate their Work

If your caregivers are not recognized for all the hard work, they put into their position especially during these tough times, just forget about retaining your skilled resources.

Around 65% of employees in any organization accept the fact that they will surely switch their job if they continue to feel unappreciated. If your management is not appreciating your dedicated caregivers, it is a big concern that should not be ignored.

Just like you organize training sessions for your caregivers to improve their performance on the field, it is equally important to work on your management and staff members.

Teach them to recognize the warning signs that showcase the caregivers that are undervalued and ensure they work precisely on the same. Ensure your caregivers are:

• Enthusiastic to learn
• They are always on time
• Showing zeal about the company’s new projects or initiatives
• Offering suggestions & ideas

Organizing employee appreciation programs every month and rewarding the best performers of the month could be a game-changer for your organization.

If your management can work on employee appreciation and recognition, you will surely witness a substantial decrease in your caregiver churn rate.

Ensure your Caregivers are not Overburdened

Any employee would certainly feel pressured when they are working more than their specified hours. If you think that your caregivers are being productive by spending a couple more hours, you are wrong.

Overworking employees is not a long-term strategy for the success of a home care business. Your overworked employees will not smartly manage work and deliver the right level of productivity at your establishment.

The ones that are overburdened with work would surely make mistakes that are not just ordinary mistakes rather huge blunders.

It is okay to walk the extra mile some of the days, but if it is becoming a routine for your caregivers you should investigate the matter.

Caregivers leave Managers, not Companies

Your management style affects how engaged your caregivers are at their job. In return, it will prove how likely they will stay at your company.

Your agency’s managers are the people responsible for ensuring every process is streamlined and are continuously monitoring the concerns of the employees.

If they fail to manage efficiently and are not able to appreciate employees or raise their concerns, you have not chosen the right management for your agency.

If a manager understands the needs of their employees and is concerned about their issues, employees will stay longer.

Now, the question that arises here is- how to discern if your caregivers are not happy with the managers?

You can quickly figure out how your caregivers feel about their managers by collecting regular feedback. Often caregivers do not want to admit that they are unsatisfied with the management team due to embarrassment. They would prefer to change jobs than voice their opinion.

It would be great if you consider anonymous feedback and work precisely on the areas mentioned by your caregivers to ensure they are not getting overburdened and are recognized for their hard work.

Conclusion: You Do Not Need to Pay More; you Just Need to Pay More Attention!

Monetary benefits could be a game-changer when it comes to retaining your caregivers, but not always. The caregivers who feel appreciated, are always recognized for their hard work and know there is room for their career development are the people who stay loyal to the company long term.

Keeping your dedicated employees satisfied is the best strategy to rather spending huge bucks on hiring the new ones.

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