Recruitment Problems
Have you ever wondered why staff turnover is so high within the Care Sector? A survey carried out by the National Care forum in 2008 showed that 40% of Care home Staff leave their position within one year of taking up the post, and this jumped to 60% who leave within two years.
A more recent, smaller survey in 2012 suggests the figure may be considerably lower, possibly around 20% in care home staff, with domiciliary care staff turnover up at 28%.  Either way staff retention has always been a problem within our industry and it is a difficult problem to fix.
At Peninsula Care recruitment is our business. We run a Domiciliary care agency, as well as a Nursing agency. We try to put a real focus on our employees in order to help with staff retention. We still have employees who have been with us right from our inception in 2009, and others since, who have been with us well over the average time for the industry. It made me wonder what it is that Peninsula does differently, as to how we are able to retain staff, and have a steady stream of new applicants. By maintaining a continuous recruitment drive, we have at least two new employees to cover each one who may move on. I have made up a list of the things Peninsula does to help keep staff happy in their jobs.
Professional Development – We encourage employees to further themselves and their career opportunities when they can. By offering subsidised places on QCF Level 2 & 3 qualifications in Health & Social Care, our staff are able to gain qualifications to move up the ladder in the industry. We have had numerous employees finish their level 3 and go to work as senior carers for Peninsula, and secure permanent placements elsewhere. These courses are offered on a part-time basis, just one day per week to ensure they still have good earning potential with the agency. They pay for the course on a weekly basis straight from their wages over a long period of time, so that the payments are minimal.
Team Meetings – By holding monthly meetings for our Domiciliary care staff, they have the opportunity to meet up with each other as well as office staff and raise any issues or concerns they may have about the job. It helps us to find out the small issues before they get any bigger. Once one member of staff speaks up, others generally air their problems as well. You should never underestimate your staff, as the front line staff are often the ones with the best ideas on how to make things run more smoothly and efficiently.
Away Days – We try to arrange events so that the staff can socialise outside of the workplace. Nights at the ice hockey, Christmas parties, or bus trips. Everything helps. When staff form friendships with colleagues, they are happier at work, and in turn more productive and more likely to stay in their job. This August Peninsula are running a bus trip to Dublin for all staff interested.
Variety Р We have the luxury of being able to offer staff shifts in a number of different care homes and different care settings. Although not always possible for our clients, even rotating staff between units gives them a new challenge and a change of scenery. It helps to keep them fresh, and discover other areas of work which they might enjoy.
Club Seats – We are signed up with the Odyssey Arena to have special access to tickets for all events before they go on general sale. We offer our staff the opportunity to buy these tickets, which seems to go down very well with them. It may be a simple perk, but every little gesture makes a difference.
