RECRUITMENT
Recruit, Reward, Retain
Brian Boxall-Hunt, CEO at maritime charity The Royal Alfred
Seafarers’ Society, assesses some of the challenges the adult social care sector faces and the importance of staff recruitment and retention in supporting the best standard of care.
Dedicated and well-trained people are the key component that keeps the adult social care sector operating smoothly and they ensure those in need of assistance are provided with the support they need. However, there is currently a skills shortage within our industry with high numbers of job vacancies impacting a care provider’s ability to meet the needs of those that depend on its services.
The average job vacancy rate for a care home with nursing was 8.9% between 2017 – 2018, equating to an estimated 25,000 vacancies at any one time according to a Skills for Care report. This, combined with the fact that the workforce in care homes with nursing services had an average of 8.7 years of working in social care, presents obvious concerns about shortfalls in staff when we face an ever-increasing need to attract talented people to the care sector to support an ageing population.
The key asset to any successful care home is a strong workforce, and long- serving staff play a huge part in building this. These people are integral to a care home environment because they foster relationships and trust with residents over time, getting to know them on a personal level, and can therefore tailor care to individuals based on this knowledge. Long-serving staff are also incredibly valuable when caring for residents living with dementia as they create a sense of familiarity, reducing confusion.
Here at The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, we strongly believe in the value of retaining staff by nurturing them throughout all stages of their career. We’re proud to say that each year we host Long Service Awards, celebrating
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those who mark their ten-year or more anniversaries with us. Some of our employees even boast 30 and 50-year careers with the Society, including our Lead Activities Coordinator, Louise Boxall, who will be celebrating 30 years at the Society this year. The question is, how can one retain staff for this long?
“The key asset to
any successful care home is a strong workforce, and long-serving staff
play a huge part in building this. ”
Staff training is just one example, that is an investment in both employees and residents. We are lucky at The Royal Alfred in that we can employ an in-house trainer, Sharon Hicks. The Society has found having someone on site extremely beneficial and enables on the spot training which can be delivered as and when it’s needed. In 2018, the Society reached record 100% training levels for mandatory training, meaning staff were supported in their development, with training suited to their needs, while ensuring the care for residents is of the highest quality.
Undertaking regular staff surveys and feedback is another excellent tool to help develop the workplace. This allows opinions and ideas to be shared and guarantees dialogue between
employees and senior managers, highlighting any gaps in the provision of care from the ground up. At the Royal Alfred, there is an established line of reporting for staff who understand the management structure and receive mentoring from colleagues to help with their progression. We find this structure also motivates employees to develop their skillsets and provides not just a job, but a clear career path.
Along with this support, care homes must also consider staff benefits to entice employees to stay such as a good pension plan, flexible working hours when needed, uniform contributions and allowing staff to partake in group activities and events, which creates a positive environment in the workplace through team-building and social occasions.
Overall, it’s clear that our sector depends on dedicated people and, as care providers and employers, we must do all we can to recruit and retain talented staff. Creating a working environment in which an employee feels valued, listened to and supported in their professional development is key to creating a workplace fit for retaining long-serving staff. The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society encourages others in the adult social care sector to nurture their workforce and retain staff for long periods of time, supporting the sector and helping to combat the exit of dedicated care professionals. In supporting this goal, we can safeguard the sector against gaps in skills and ensure an excellent standard of care is delivered to those that need it most.
www.royalalfredseafarers.co.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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