It’s no secret senior living communities across the US struggle with staff recruitment and staff retention. Rural and urban markets alike invest large amounts of dollars and resources to attract people to come work in communities. Once recruits apply, interview and get hired, the dollars continue to rise with next big investment, training.
Training is key to a team members success in any organization. The investment of community resources to train newly hired staff adds up quickly impacting the bottom line. Leadership places great effort to recruit, hire and train new team members. Disappointment is understandable when turnover occurs.
Turnover effects are costly! A community can struggle to maintain consistency in programing, cause added strain on existing staff, and pull valuable time and energy from Leadership away from core job functions. All which can impact care and services provided to residents.
Many who work in a senior living community describe the job as a ‘calling’. Staff share stories of the love and compassion they have for the residents they serve. When team members ‘WHY’ (reason for serving) is in alignment with the community mission and culture, great things can happen. But it takes effort to connect with a team members ‘WHY’. It takes an investment in people.
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
John C. Maxwell
Below are a few tips for community Leaders on investing in people!
- Be a Coach – After new hire training, new team members can be nervous and afraid to ask for help. As a leader you may notice things that others don’t. Take action in those coachable moments and lead new team member to success.
- Time – Invest time NOW in the people you have. The time you put in now to mentor and demonstrate is generously returned when valuable trained team members stay.
- Connect – New and current staff are people first. They have hopes and dreams, they have goals and they connect with a common goal within the community culture. Take a moment to get to know staff as individuals, understand the ‘WHY’ and connect.
Operating a senior living community is an incredibly complex business with many emotional variables. Because of the many complexities that arise in the day to day operations, Leaders can get caught up in the issue at hand and not see the big picture when it comes to investing in staff. Time to coach, time to mentor and time to connect bond staff at a deeper level to the mission and culture of the community. When staff are engaged and connected, retention rates can improve and communities can regain valuable resources.
For more tips to invest in people, connect with us at ResurgenceSolutions.com