Four Strategies to Solve the Caregiver Shortage

The long-term-care industry has been one of the hardest hit by the recent pandemic, and its nurses and caregivers have faced increasingly stressful work conditions. As a result, many of them are searching for employment elsewhere. A recent study has revealed that nursing homes have lost 210,000 jobs during the pandemic, and job growth in 2023 is projected to be slower than previously anticipated.

The loss of employees and the sluggish job growth have caused HR departments to face an uphill battle of filling open positions. In this article, we aim to discuss the caregiver shortage HR departments are currently grappling with and provide four strategies to combat the caregiver shortage. 

Pay Them The Big Bucks

With so many senior living facilities vying for new hires, it's essential to come up with creative ways to entice the best candidates to choose you.

Ask yourself:

• Are my current employees leaving due to better-paying jobs elsewhere?
• Have I considered how much I am paying my employees? 
• Am I doing the due diligence to have a firm grasp on what our competitors are offering? 

One of the most effective tools in attracting top talent is by offering comprehensive compensation. A competitive salary is not only important in drawing in candidates but also in retaining them for the long term.

Offer a Health Benefits Package That’s Hard to Refuse

It's crucial to understand the significance of providing health benefits that are not only competitive but also affordable. This, of course, has become a big hurdle for senior living employers as the cost of health insurance continues to soar. But that doesn’t change the fact that health insurance tops the list of the most important benefits for employees. 

According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an astounding 96% of Americans believe it is vital to find a job that offers affordable health insurance while 89% preferred obtaining their health coverage through an employer than through other means.

This speaks volumes, and you should listen. Dig deep and find the perfect health care insurance at an affordable rate for your new and existing employees. 

Make Applying a Breeze

Oftentimes, the biggest hurdle for job applicants is the application process itself.  You don't want to add to their frustration by making the process lengthy and cumbersome. Remember, applicants have already invested a lot of time in finding your business, so it's important to respect their time and effort.

By utilizing an effective applicant tracking & recruitment solution (ATS), you can build a great candidate experience by:

• Allowing candidates to save progress on applications and return at a better time
• Allowing candidates to easily schedule interviews
• Allowing candidates to search and complete applications anywhere and anytime from their mobile device

In addition to benefiting applicants, an effective ATS also supports your managers by allowing them to track applicant progress, effortlessly post jobs online, streamline background checks, and more. With an ATS, you can provide a seamless recruitment experience that helps you attract top talent and while streamlining the process for your HR team. 

Onboarding Done Right

Recruiting top talent is like a never-ending game of tug of war. Even if you manage to gain some ground initially, the battle doesn't stop there. The same goes for retaining great employees - just because you hire them doesn't guarantee they'll stay for long.

According to a recent survey, 64% of new hires will leave their new position because of a bad onboarding experience. By having a strong onboarding solution, you greatly increase the chances of your new employees sticking around for the long haul.

What Makes a strong onboarding solution you ask?

New employees must understand a workplace's culture, support systems, processes, and structure during the onboarding process. Without this knowledge, confusion can arise and lead to a quick exit.

It's equally important for an onboarding solution to make new employees feel welcome and prepared from the very beginning. This means connecting them with everything they need to start strong and providing a process that is easy to use and creates a positive and lasting impression.

Now Get Going! 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the recent pandemic is going to loosen its grip on the senior living industry anytime soon. At the current pace, nursing homes would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2027. 

But the good news is there are many solutions to help get past this massive hurdle. By combining these solutions into one comprehensive tool, you can help your business stand apart from the competition and begin building a workforce of rockstar talent.