Retaining your caregivers will continue to be a hot topic in the home care industry well into 2024. With caregiver turnover rising to 77% in 2023, according to Home Care Pulse’s Annual Benchmark Report, and the year-end typically bringing dissatisfied workers to seek alternative employment, it’s vital to recognize the emotional and physical sacrifices that caregivers make for their clients and show appreciation for their dedication.
Showing your staff how valued they are, especially during the holiday season, will not only aid in your caregiver retention in the new year but will subsequently lead to greater client outcomes as your clients value a friendly and familiar face.
Here are 5 obtainable ways to show your caregivers just how vital they are to your agency this holiday season:
1. Host a Holiday Party or Gathering
Your staff rarely have time to mingle as they spend more of the day with clients and on the road. By fostering an intimate and festive environment filled with cheer, your staff can relax, learn more about their coworkers, and build a sense of camaraderie.
2. Offer Competitive Compensation, Benefits, and Bonuses
Not only does recognition come in the form of a verbal thank you or a high five, but it also is shown monetarily. Ensuring you pay your staff competitive wages and provide them with a broad benefits package will ensure they don’t begin job searching. If possible, the opportunity to give bonuses to exceptional employees will surely be remembered as well.
3. Offer Support
The role of caregiving is not for the faint of heart. Each visit presents new challenges your staff faces emotionally. By offering support to your caregivers, whether with mental health or therapy offerings or one-on-one time with you to share their struggles, extending a listening ear can go miles regarding your staff feeling recognized and appreciated for their emotionally charged work.
4. Small Tokens of Appreciation
Consider gift cards, lunches, or small gifts as a thank-you to your staff. You can even consider gifting an oil change or carwash, as commuting is vital to the role of a caregiver. Not only does offering to pay for an oil change alleviate a financial burden on your staff, but it also aids your employee’s dependability.
5. Ask What They Would Appreciate
Employee recognition comes in many shapes and sizes. What may be valuable to someone, such as words of affirmation, may not resonate with another staff member. By polling your staff and opening a dialogue, they can tell you exactly how they prefer to be recognized this holiday season, eliminating the guesswork on your end and allowing you to show up for them how they’d appreciate it most.
Employee retention and ensuring staff feel recognized is a yearlong effort, but the holiday season is the perfect time to ramp up the joy in your agency and start the new year strong with staff who know just how valued they are.
For more information about AxisCare’s caregiver retention-focused features, book a demo with one of our experts.
