Caring for the carers

THE RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE SECTOR HAS LONG KNOWN ABOUT PERSON-CENTRED CARE FOR THE CLIENT—BUT WHAT ABOUT STAFF?

The pandemic has had a crushing impact on workforce supply in the residential aged care sector. Attrition rates have been at an all-time high due to health reasons, burn-out, or avoidance of the vaccine mandate. Now, leaders are asking the question of how workforce recruitment and retention can be addressed as we head into 2022.

The answer is simple. Healthcare is a human services industry, so we need to take care of the people taking care of the people.

Research studies and surveys conducted over the past 10 years confirm the basic truths about aged care workforce retention.

Workers STAY due to:

1. Altruism. Staff enjoy the satisfaction of helping the elderly vulnerable population, which is related to having sufficient time to develop genuine relational bonds with residents. 2. Teamwork. Positive relationships with co-workers create a positive work experience. 3. Support. Feeling supported and valued by managers is high on the list for staff. 4. Lifestyle. The flexible work hours offered by work in residential aged care suit many people. 5. Career. There are many career progression opportunities in aged care.

Workers LEAVE due to:

1. Low pay rates. When a carer’s income is almost equivalent to receiving the pension, it begs the question, ‘Why work at all?’ 2. Workload pressures. Things like administrative burdens, staff shortages and inadequate skill mix can take time away from the resident-carer relationship, and impact the sense of altruism. 3. Complex care needs. High care needs, especially the psychological burden associated with behaviours of concern, can create a sense of burden, overwhelm and stress. 4. Family pressures. Emotionally taxing family members can become stressful, particularly if there are poor management structures in place for open communication and effectively dealing with complaints. 5. Lack of support. Relationship difficulties with co-workers unsuited to aged care work, or with management due to lack of support and leadership skills, can leave people feeling isolated and frustrated.

In any other year, the conversation around workforce retention would have circled around the usual strategies of increased pay rates, better ratios, and more training or career progression opportunities.

But this is not any year. This is not even the year of the pandemic. This is 2022—the post-pandemic phase—where we ‘live with’ increased psychological burdens related to routine PCRs, recurring lockdowns, fluctuating restrictions, high PPE use, physical distancing, and a rapidly shrinking workforce pool.

We need to act on all the baseline detractors of workforce retention—and get even more creative about stemming the attrition rate, before it’s too late.

How do we get our workforce ready for increased demand and changing expectations?

Building workforce resilience is key to not just surviving these challenging times—but thriving.

Promote wellness in the workplace not just through thirdparty gym memberships and EAP services which are used by only a few, but by infusing a day-to-day lived experience of psychological safety throughout the whole organisation, not just in certain departments.

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Review your operations to increase productivity by eliminating redundant, wasteful practices and optimising efficiencies wherever possible. There is a plethora of technology available to save time and money, but before you go investing in the shiniest bright object, ensure you have considered the unique needs of your organisation and engaged the right professional for implementing change in the most effective way; otherwise you risk spending (or losing) more money down the track.

How do providers become employers of choice?

Invest in targeted marketing campaigns that place your organisation in the eyes and hands of your current and future employees.

Be ‘positively present’ by sharing posts, videos and stories that speak to the great aspects of your workplace, in all the main social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Recognise your employees as inherent marketing officers in your business. Empower and guide them in strategic ways that they can ‘market’ your business for you. It could be something as simple as leaving you a 5-star review on Seek.com or GoogleMyBusiness.

Most of all, genuinely take care of your people taking care of your people.

Qing Ling is Diagnostic Clinician, health generation. For more information, visit www.healthgen.io

Clare Dewan and Associates specialises in providing HR and IR services to organisations in health care, specialising in aged care.

We provide Human Resources and Industrial Relations advice and support you need when you need it. We offer a full range of human resources services to empower your business and to position you as a business leader and employer of choice. This includes a range of HR and IR services comprising of employment contracts, review of policies and procedures, position descriptions and roster reviews, performance management, managing disciplinary issues, representation in EBA negotiations.

We are able to provide your organisation with experts in HR and IR matters. Our people draw on the skills, experience and knowledge of over 25 years working in health care. Whatever you need, our people can help you achieve your organisation’s objectives. We can provide support to your organisation in HR and IR matters when you need it.

cdassociates.com.au

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS HUMAN RESOURCES TRAINING OH&S