Believe it or not, one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry is employee retention.
According to a study conducted in 2021 by NSI Nursing Solutions, the national turnover rate for registered nurses in all healthcare facilities is 18.7%. As time goes on, we predict this trend will continue to grow, but there are solutions to this costly problem, especially in senior care.
Sympaticare, a senior care management company, has compiled a list of strategies your elder care facility should employ to retain employees and create a more dynamic work environment.
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| Our Senior Care Management Company has worked to combat the employee retention issue in the healthcare industry and is now considered an "employer of choice" in New York State. |
Show Appreciation
All employees have a deep desire to feel appreciated for their hard work and effort, especially in the healthcare industry. By creating a culture that celebrates everyone’s accomplishments and encourages healthcare workers to strive for excellence, these employees will feel valued and appreciated.
Healthcare facilities can show appreciation for their employees through:
Providing financial incentives
Offering extra time off
Establishing recognition programs
Rewarding employees for excellent service
As a result of employee recognition, healthcare workers will be inspired to work harder for their employer and stay with the organization longer.
Encourage Collaboration
In order to create a positive nursing home experience for both residents and staff, senior caregivers should be encouraged to work collaboratively as a team. Teamwork is an essential element in taking care of the residents of an elder care facility and showing other employees support.
To maintain order in a team, it’s essential to establish clear and open communication among staff members.
Effective communication can make a positive impact on the team by:
Eliminating errors
Clarifying daily tasks
Resolving conflict
Improve Engagement
Another way to motivate and retain nursing home staff would be to increase employee engagement. However, to improve staff engagement, there must be a top-down approach, where leadership establishes the foundation to create a more engaging company culture.
Improving employee engagement can be demonstrated through:
Conducting employee satisfaction surveys
Making decisions based on employee feedback and survey results
Giving constructive feedback
Checking in on staff members
Promote Growth and Development
By investing in the growth and education of your employees, not only can it improve their technical and people skills, but developing senior caregivers can also enhance productivity, increase employee satisfaction, and contribute to a positive experience for the nursing home residents.
Here are some examples of educational opportunities for healthcare professionals:
Attending seminars
Training programs
Mentorship opportunities
Summary of How to Improve Employee Retention in Healthcare
To foster a positive work environment that will keep healthcare employees satisfied, nursing home companies should:
Show appreciation
Encourage collaboration
Improve engagement
Promote growth and development