It will be no surprise to you when you hear about the recent reports coming out about long-term care turnover rates.  Simply said, they are high!  The puzzling part is why so many long-term care facilities are having issues with understanding the warning signs and devising a plan to control those turnovers.

It is true that most hires do not stay at one job for long, contrary to in years past when they would stay at a facility for 10, 20, 30 years.  This seemed to make a big difference in how patients were treated, there were less compliance issues, and the hiring costs were almost obsolete.  Today, it is a very different story, with new hires only averaging two to three years at any position.

Even with these facts against you, there are still some common causes that cause turnover.  When you understand these causes, you can take action to prevent this costly problem.  Here are a few things to look for, and are likely causes to your high turnover rates:

  • Job satisfaction is critically to the workforce today. The younger generation of workers want to know that they are making a difference in the work they do.  In long-term care, you can help foster this satisfaction by making sure you understand what your new hire is looking for.  Help them create bonds with other staff and patients, give them opportunities to grow and advance, and give them the work-life balance they crave.
  • It is important that your pay rates be competitive in the long-term market, but more importantly you must make sure that you are providing a wide array of benefits. Every hire will have their own set of requirements they are looking for regarding pay and benefits.  Make sure you give them a choice.
  • Culture has become one the top reasons a new hire will leave a company. It is imperative that you portray your true company culture during the hiring process.  This will prevent new hires from leaving shortly after starting because of misrepresentation.

Don’t become another statistic regarding turnover rates.  Consider the warning signs and make the necessary changes to tip the scale back in your favor.

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