WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
also has to interact eff ectively with dining, housekeeping, environmental services, and more. “They would give us real-world content issues,” she says. Through group discussions, the employ-
ees also learned from each other, she says. “You see things from a diff erent perspective. You see why we do things the way we do.”
Tips: • Keep awareness of career ladders front and center for all employees. McPher- son applauds Vi’s clearly articulated ca-
reer paths and support for professional growth. A look at what could be next on the career ladder during interviewing or onboarding could make the diff erence.
• Communicate, collaborate, and delegate: McPherson believes in giving others a chance to be leaders—giving the same kinds of chances she got. When it’s ap- propriate, don’t jump in or microman- age; give people a chance to create solu- tions. “Employees want to be challenged, especially the new generation coming in,” she says.
• Off er tuition reimbursement—but with no strings attached. In some other set- tings, such as hospitals, tuition reimburse- ment may come with a commitment to stay on the job for a few years. That may not be necessary, McPherson says; in her experience at Vi, she was free to go, but she says employees end up staying by their own decision, because they want to continue working there.
Off ering experience as an entryway Reuben Canty, executive director at Com- monwealth Senior Living at the West End, in Richmond, Va., got inspired when he went to this year’s Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference, in San Antonio. He had seen that it was a challenge to hire and retain “passionate, quality associates”—but at the conference, he learned that this was a problem all over. Some encouragement by Tommy Comer, Commonwealth’s chief human resource offi cer, to actively seek out talent outside the industry through network- ing and school visits, also helped. Brainstorming led to the idea to partner
with the Richmond-area Henrico County public school system, which has a strong Career and Technical Education program. “It has a great reputation,” Canty says. Students in the practical nursing program
need clinical experience—and that’s where West End came in. “We partnered with them and allowed them to use the commu- nity as a clinical site,” Canty says. “So the community has direct access to their new graduates, and we can provide employment once they become licensed.”
The students have several options for
their clinical experience, so Canty had to do some outreach and education. But it worked: “There’s a strong clinical rotation here,” he says. Canty considers his career path a happy
accident: He had a degree in applied health science and an LPN and was mulling going back to school with the goal of becoming a chief nursing offi cer, when his wife saw an ad for senior living employment. He moved up to administration within a few months. After several years’ experience at other providers, he has been at Commonwealth as executive director for four years.
Tips: • “It’s a good idea from a workforce per- spective, and good for your adminis- tration, to make contact with nursing schools. When you start a program, it takes a good three weeks to develop a relationship, communicating, having onsite meetings…then you begin to see the fruit.”
Reuben Canty Executive director
Commonwealth Senior Living at the West End
• Get the right people on board. The pro- gram at Commonwealth Senior Living at the West End involves about four staff members, Canty says: the executive direc- tor, director of nursing, assistant director of nursing, and the business manager.
• While having good programs can attract employees, Canty says, it’s in the on- boarding that retention starts. Introduc- ing associates to the company culture, the founder’s story, and mission and values is where he sees new hires catch the spark.
“It’s a good idea from a workforce perspective, and good for your administration, to make contact with nursing schools. When you start a program, it takes a good three weeks to develop a relationship, communicating, having onsite meetings…then you begin to see the fruit.”
20 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
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