The current long-term care employment climate presents some very real employee retention challenges for employers. Organizations struggle to build the trust and confidence of their workforce as they try to live up to promises of improved conditions with a leaner infrastructure. For a variety of reasons, organizations may move too quickly to plan and accommodate for future needs. While each organization finds itself in different situations, the need to attract and retain key talent is the same.
The psyche of today's health care worker has changed as well. A worker's commitment is to their profession instead of to an organization. Alternative work arrangements (independent contractor, job sharing, and outsourcing) have created new options. Low unemployment and good economic times have brought better career prospects and the pendulum has swung in favor of the job seeker. Compensation, while important, has become secondary to the employees' desire to affiliate—to know how they will fit into the organization.
A number of strategies and options are available in creating a retention plan. They fall into the categories of employee relations, compensation, benefits, scheduling and workplace enhancements. What follows are suggestions for a retention toolkit. There are various options in each category and a brief description of each. Choose from these to create a customized menu that fits your culture.
| TOOL |
DESCRIPTION |
| Employee Relations Tools |
| Focus groups |
8-12 employees, neutral facilitator, maintain individual confidentiality, follow-up on discussion items to preserve credibility. |
| Exit interviews |
Summarize and quantify results over time, spot trends, issue recommendations. |
| Compensation Tools |
| Adjustments to salary structure |
Base on marketplace movement, competition, workforce supply, economic factors. Adjust amounts of minimum, midpoint and maximum. Adjust percent of pay increases for various performance levels depending on desired results. |
| Lump sum payout |
Employee is at or near the top of the salary grade; receives one-time payout for the entire year. This results in slower movement in the grade and allows time for the salary structure to advance. It saves money because amount is not added to base. |
| Training payback agreements |
Employee agrees to pay back training tuition funded by organization if they leave voluntarily before a contracted period of time; employee signs prior to receiving award. |
| Spot cash awards |
Use to award a special accomplishment or project work. There are no guarantees of continuation of awards; surprise element has a great impact. |
| Benefits Tools |
| Alter waiting period to qualify |
Shorten or eliminate waiting period on group coverage. |
| Tuition reimbursements |
Increase percent of reimbursement or range of courses covered. Reimburse for books and fees. |
| Introduce new programs |
LTC insurance, legal insurance, financial planning, life insurance benefits for the terminally ill. Organization pays all or part of the costs. |
| Scheduling Tools |
| "Total Compensation" statements |
Issued to each employee annually; states value of all compensation and benefit plans, company paid taxes, vacation, etc. "Hidden paycheck" theme. |
| Sabbaticals |
Paid or unpaid; can be earned after attainment of service level. Encourage research projects, areas of special interest. Return to same or different position in the organization; prevent burnout. |
| Job sharing |
Split workday, shift or week. Clear expectations and good communications between individuals are a must. |
| Workplace Enhancement Tools |
| Meaningful new hire orientations |
Infuse culture of the organization; communicate values and create a road map for success. |
| Timely performance appraisals |
A basic that is often overlooked. Tie managers' raises to meaningful, timely appraisals. |
| Effective dispute resolution |
Institute a fair hearing process to restore a feeling of control to employees and reduce third party claims and legal expense. |
| Effective career-paths |
Review career options regularly, provide tools needed to get there. Strengthen management development program, commitment to training. Create career ladders within job families. |