Senior care operators are always looking for ways to attract and retain talent. As the current talent pool is rather shallow and with limited time to dedicate to rethinking hiring practices, let alone retention strategies, what are operators to do?
Every organization wants to hire the best talent, yet only some are able to consistently achieve this. Many times, it’s because they are offering things that other companies don’t.
In a recent survey, 91% of Gen Z employees with multiple job offers said the technology used by a prospective employer influenced their job choice.
In today’s increasingly digitized workforce, not only is it the types of digital tools and technology a company invests in, the processes and strategies implemented around them also say a lot to potential candidates about what a company values.
So how can senior care organizations invest in technology which best supports staff in their current tasks while also attracting new talent with a digital infrastructure that can grow with the organization?
Make sure technology is easy to use
iPhones don’t come with a manual. Apple trusted their product is so easy to use that owners of any age successfully onboard themselves. Users are up and running in no time and using their devices to help make their life easier.
Technology in senior care should be the same.
New hires don’t want to struggle with learning new technology; whether that is because there is a lack of training in the onboarding process or the technology is antiquated or poorly designed. Training on digital tools and systems needs to be part of the onboarding process and the same tools need regular evaluation to ensure it is up to date and providing the value needed.
Furthermore, considering turnover rates stand at 94% and it takes roughly 49 days to hire a replacement, administrators can’t afford to implement a technology which has a long onboarding process.
When a technology is simple and intuitive to learn, the more immediate returns and less cost when a nurse leaves.
Make sure it saves time and effort
Technology is supposed to make life simpler and easier. Today, many solutions can automate mundane, repetitive, time-consuming tasks that take so much time out of one’s day. How much time? On average, about 3 hours – every day.
Automated processes and workflows should be set-it-and-forget-it solutions which free up precious time, allowing care staff to focus on their residents. After all, your staff got into nursing to care for people, not complete administrative work.
Make sure it’s accessible
With the increase of cloud-based technology, we’re all used to being able to sign into accounts from any web-enabled device to access accounts and information with ease. Mostly from our phones.
Why shouldn’t senior care staff have that same accessibility?
While remote work isn’t a possibility for the majority of senior care staff, having the ability to access certain tools and programs from any device (and the most accurate up-to-date information within) can be beneficial to staff who work between multiple locations and on multiple teams.
Make sure it works
Nobody wants another project. Implementing technology that does not work correctly, only completes part of a task, or does not work as intended with other systems, creates more work.
In some instances, malfunctioning technology can have real-world consequences should Private Health Information (PHI) be misused, audit trails not be created, or a chart not be correctly completed. Non-compliance with regulators can have detrimental effects on a senior care facility, and the technology used to maintain compliance needs to be reliable 100% of the time.
Make sure your staff like it
Who will be using the technology you have? If you’re looking to acquire new technology (or evaluating the ones you already have) asking the staff who use it the most what they like, don’t like, or would like to have can be key in keeping staff happy.
Asking for their input not only shows that you value their opinion, but that you want something that works for them. Asking for feedback from employees and prospective candidates can also bring new solutions or tools to light as previous experience can help inform new decisions.
An investment in technology is an investment in your staff
Implementing tools and strategies which enable employees to be more productive, leads to a happier, more engaged workforce.
Technology, its uses and benefits are rapidly evolving. Not staying at the forefront of change means current and future employees may choose to work for a company that values technology and the role it has to play in the future of work.
To retain and attract top-tier talent, senior care organizations need a robust IT and tech strategy while staying current with trends.
