What is your level of staff retention for 2013? How many of your high quality nurses, therapists, or clinical managers resigned this past year?
An article in the December 21, 2013 issue of USA Today described two different surveys that show that many workers are planning to leave their jobs in 2014, and distrust of their bosses is the biggest reason.
Would you take a bullet for your boss?
More than 70% of people who were asked that question in a recent survey conducted by bodyguard David Simmonds, whose job it is to do just that, said no way would they stand between someone with a gun and their boss.
Another survey — this one conducted by British recruitment firm Staffbay — found that of 15,000 workers 87% wanted to leave their current role and would be job hunting in 2014. When asked why, 53% said: “I don’t trust my boss.”
What exactly don’t they trust? Many respondents said they didn’t trust them “to do the right thing by them and their career.” Others felt they weren’t valued at all.
In a 2012 study, US Government data reported that healthcare jobs turned over at 28% percent. Between 43% and 75% of nursing aides turn over each year, studies have found, compared to a 27% rate for all healthcare and social-assistance jobs in 2012, notes WSJ. And the 2013 Private Duty Benchmarking Study from Home Care Pulse showed that personal caregiver turnover was 52.5% in 2012, up from 49.8% in 2011 and 46.2% in 2010.
What do Nurses Want Most in Home Health Care?
A study conducted by Leading Home Care asked a group of home health nurses and their managers what was most important to them creating a great place to work.
While the nurses listed:
- Feeling valued and appreciated
- Doing meaningful work
- Having a servant leader for a boss
The Nursing Managers thought their nurses most valued:
- Meaningful work
- Pay and benefits
- Appreciation and recognition
While the managers felt that pay and benefits were second on the list for nurses, the nurses themselves put pay and benefits seventh out of seven. What they really want is to be valued and appreciated by their managers.
Look First to Your Managers
In his best selling book, “First, Break All the Rules”, Marcus Buckingham of Gallup said, “… people leave managers, not companies. So much money has been thrown at the challenge of keeping good people … when in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue. If you have a turnover problem, look first to your managers.”
Several years ago we were working with a large home health agency that had a recruiting and a retention issue. We worked with their leadership team to develop a strategic recruiting and retention plan. We first filled all of their current job openings. Then we focused on retention and the solution was the creation of an ongoing Leadership Development Institute to help their managers develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be the kind of bosses that nurses want to work for.
There is plenty of data to show that as the economy improves, more and more home health workers will consider changing jobs. Now is the time to make sure your agency has in place strategies to create a great place to work, and to retain your top talent.
Now’s the time to consider talking with Leading Home Care about creating your Strategic Recruiting and Retention Action Plan .
