Sponsored by WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Why It’s Time To Redefi ne The Senior Living Employee Experience
Mark Woodka, CEO, OnShift A sk any senior living provider
about their workforce challenges and they’ll likely tell you some
variation of the following: attracting more talent, minimizing employee turnover, elim- inating excess labor costs, and improving the continuity and quality of resident care and services. These are the same struggles I’ve heard
from providers over the years. The diff er- ence today is the strong consensus that these issues have increased dramatically and will continue to escalate. So, my question to you is: what is your organization going to do about it? I subscribe to the notion that doing the
same thing over and over again and ex- pecting a diff erent result is unproductive. However, often times when I speak to ex- ecutives about how they will tackle their workforce issues, I hear about the strategies they’ve had in place for years. I fear that these ‘old’ strategies are not the answer for future success.
Employees have more options I believe it’s time to fundamentally change the relationship organizations have with their employees. The success of your orga- nization depends on it. But with increasing competition for talent and a growing num- ber of job openings, your employees have options. You have to ask yourself, “why do our employees like working here?” and “why would they leave?” Many providers cite a minimal wage in-
crease as the main reason employees leave. With so many employees living paycheck to paycheck, this reason is valid. However, it’s not the only reason. For many employees, the root cause for leaving an organization is rising levels of stress which ultimately lead
to burnout and turnover. You can see it, and if you listen, you will hear it.
Employees aren’t listened to Due to the endless cycle of recruiting, hiring and onboarding, employees are often asked to do more with less. It’s easy for leadership to become somewhat removed from the daily lives and struggles of their employees. But it is important to slow down and take the time to listen. I spoke to one caregiver who was work-
ing multiple jobs, putting herself through school, and balancing family obligations. She had a lot on her plate. Because of this, her work availability was pretty well defi ned. She made this clear to her manager but was assigned shifts that she could not work time and time again. She left after two months to work for another provider that off ered more scheduling fl exibility. Several other senior care employees
have shared that they don’t always have the supplies to do their job. Others report that working with agency staff can be challeng- ing, sharing that residents didn’t even want them in their home. These are important issues that leader-
ship within your communities needs to be aware of so they can be addressed.
Employees feel undervalued But, some of the most gut-wrenching sto- ries I’ve heard are from employees who feel undervalued and not appreciated for their hard work. In many instances, they feel insignifi cant to their managers. One person spoke of how their manager fails to acknowledge them when they pass in the hallway. This is unacceptable. We must do better. It starts by listening to employees, following up on their feedback,
thanking them for their hard work and of- fering the support and resources they need to live better lives.
Starting the change now Many senior living organizations have already begun to transform the employee experience, supported by software like On- Shift’s. With OnShift, they not only off er their employees access to earned income, between paychecks, but also simply and rou- tinely gather employee feedback, starting on their fi rst day. Relieving fi nancial stress and off ering actionable insights into issues, com- bined with a systematic rewards and recog- nition program, has been a game-changer in fostering a culture where people want to work. These providers realized something need-
ed to change in order to improve. And guess what? It’s paying off . Man-
agers and staff communicate more. They collaborate on solutions. And, employee satisfaction is up and turnover is down. How can you beat that?
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