In order to attract employees in this age group and keep them, communities should let students know during the recruitment process that they can start as a dining assistant and over time advance into other roles, such as a chef, executive chef, dining services manager, and director of dining—or even jobs in the industry not related to food service, like human resources, nursing, or marketing. When these kinds of possibilities are highlighted, students start thinking about how working for a senior living community can be part of their future. “People want to see what opportunity is


available down the road, not just the job that’s available,” said employee retention expert Cara Silletto of Crescendo Strate- gies, which helps senior living organizations around the country reduce employee turn- over. “We no longer see many of the roles within our [communities] as a career job where people stay in that one role forever. Instead, a lot of our new hires see it as a stepping stone and they want to see what the next stepping stones are.”


Engaging a young dining workforce Attracting young employees to a senior liv- ing community is only the first step toward building the industry’s future workforce. Organizations must also engage these work- ers in such a way that will inspire them to stay in the profession long-term, rather than leaving as soon as they graduate. The following are some ideas for nurturing this important group of employees:


Provide immediate opportunities to advance. Younger workers won’t stay in the industry, or even at a specific community, if they don’t see a clear—and immediate—opportunity for growth. In order to meet this need, employers can create levels for their entry-level workers based on their performance, so students can start to see the possibilities for growth within months of entering their jobs, instead of waiting for years. “If you’re going to have a server, for


example, it should not just be a server is a server is a server. Instead there should be what we call competency levels—so there should be a Server Level 1, Server Level 2, and Server Level 3,” said Silletto. “These levels should not be based on tenure or


seniority, but on their competencies, what can they perform in their job duties, and even what soft skills they have.” Silletto warned that not doing this can


quickly lead to dissatisfaction among young employees. When they feel like they’re ready to level up, they’re not going to wait if there’s no clear opportunity available to them. “If you don’t give them opportunities to bounce internally, they will bounce outside of the organization,” she said. “Young people today do get bored easily because we live in a fast-paced world with access to information and entertainment at our fingertips, so we just don’t have a workforce today that is patient and tolerant for waiting. And that’s not a bad thing because they are often driven to do better.”


Offer relevant perks. Large perks like tuition assistance can be especially attractive to students, so some senior living organizations provide this benefit to help their workers advance their job skills, as well as their knowledge of gerontology. But communities that do not provide help paying tuition can still offer a valuable perk


by compiling a list of local scholarships and grants available to college students. That way, young employees who are busy juggling work and school can have financial aid information at their fingertips. Also, smaller perks can go a long way


toward building employee loyalty and making students feel appreciated. Organi- zations can offer discounts on movie and event tickets, gas, and oil changes, as well as the opportunity to earn extra time off. Workers will value these kinds of perks and will remember them when weighing their employment options. No matter what perks organizations offer,


leaders should remember that in order for them to seen be as a benefit, they should have continued relevance—which requires knowledge of what workers want. “Especially with this group of 16-to-24-


year-olds, we cannot assume we know what they want. You have to ask them what they want and probably one size doesn’t fit all,” Silletto said. “You can create some standard perks, but the more flexibility and choice you can offer people, the better.”


AGE OF SENIOR LIVING


WORKERS IN FOOD SERVICE 46%


Younger than 30 Years


30 to 49 Years 50 to 60 Years


65 Years and Older


27% 22%


Promote work-life balance. One of the most appealing things about working in senior living dining compared to the restaurant industry is the flexibility. Employers should promote this benefit by showing students they can work flexible shifts that allow them to have time for their studies, as well as their recreational activities.


Get to know employees. Just like older employees, members of the younger generation want to know that


their


employers care about them. Asking students about what’s going on in their lives—from big exams to college applications to prom— as well as their concerns about work can help demonstrate that they’re important. “I think it’s very important for managers,


5% Food Service


Source: Argentum Quarterly Issue 1 2018, “The Senior Living Employee.”


supervisors, and directors to get to know their employees. You need to know a little about them on a personal level to see what their issues and concerns are every single day,” said Eugenia Capobianco, assistant di- rector at Friendly Home, a Friendly Senior Living community. “It shows them that you care and you build a relationship—and it’s all about relationships.”


MAY/JUNE 2018 ARGENTUM.ORG 35


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