Staffing shortages and high employee turnover rates continue to plague the long-term care industry, but a new analysis of hundreds of facility caregivers and administrators suggests many of these challenges begin with onboarding. The report also suggests several simple interventions facilities can make to their onboarding processes to improve employee satisfaction — and, ultimately, boost retention.
While 68% of administrators rated their onboarding process as either industry-leading or ahead of the competition, only 21% of caregivers described their own experience as excellent, according to the report from post-acute HR service company Viventium. That difference has a significant impact on future job satisfaction, according to Terra Vicario, chief marketing officer at Viventium.
“This perception of a positive vs. negative onboarding experience turned out to matter quite a bit,” she said during a McKnight’s online forum event in May. “Our report discovered that … those who had a positive onboarding experience would go on to have a much more positive view of their employer and are much more satisfied with their day-to-day work.”
Employees who reported going through good or excellent onboarding, for example, rated their chance of advancing their career at their current workplace as more likely. They also reported a “very” or “somewhat” good work-life balance at a 90% rate, as opposed to only 24% at organizations with weaker onboarding processes.
Simple interventions Vicario suggested to help improve employee satisfaction included clear communication and personal involvement. She noted that employees are likely to perceive their onboarding as more successful when a direct manager is involved or when administrators take the time to welcome them and get to know them on a personal level.
She also highlighted the importance of having resources available for workers who speak English as a second language, enhancing training, adding flexibility and digital tools for completing necessary paperwork and adding transparency to the payroll process — especially in the critical early days for a new hire.
From the July/August 2024 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
