I
dentifying and implementing human resource
s
strategies is a top priority for administrators in any organization, but it can be even harder in a challenging industry
like
home care. From trying to tackle the high caregiver turnover rate to staying in compliance and much more, administrators and HR pros have to put
in
the extra time
and effort
.
Based on research,
HR pros and administrators
primarily
need the ability and competenc
y
to connect human resources’ initiatives to strategic business initiatives and goals
in order to succeed
.
To be effective, leaders
must
manage
several variables that impact the
ir
organization's ability to achieve its strategic objectives. They must
also
develop qualitative and quantitative approaches to effectively and efficiently attract, hire, engage, and retain the best human capital.
Questions to Ask to Align Initiatives With Your Agency
Here are some questions to answer in order to
help you
align
your
HR initiatives with your agency’s objectives:
- What metrics will satisfy both C-suite and HR executives?
- What will get the best people on board?
- How can our learning programs be linked with our business KPIs to improve a smooth transition to value-based care?
- How can employee performance evaluation and management be used as a developmental tool?
- How will we best plan and execute our HR strategy?
- How will we measure and evaluate our results and make adjustments when needed?
Having the above in mind,
we understand that it can
be
hard
to choose your HR initiatives
.
N
ot only
must
you
align
them
with
your agency’s culture, but
you
must
also consider all HR and industry
-
specific trends. After reading
HHAeXchange’s Homecare Predictions for 2020
, we
’
ve gathered a few
current
HR trends
that you may not have focused
on just yet
and
addressed
how to
best
align the
m
with the
se
predictions.
Human Resources Trends in 2020
Offering Flexible Work
It
’
s no secret that flexibility at work has certainly been a main theme of the last year
(or several)
, with flexible workspaces increasing
in
organizations, both
large
and
small
.
Even though this might
be
more common among
s
tartups and
tech companies, home care doesn’t fall
far
behind.
It’s
also
probably no surprise
that the
top reason
s
home
care
employees leave
include
s
a desire for
different
work
hours
and a more flexible schedule
. Home care can be unpredictable, and caregivers often feel a lack of stability and clarity regarding their schedules and responsibilities from week to week.
If you
provide
your caregivers the opportunity to customize and tailor their work environment to best suit their work preferences,
it
will
help improve their productivity and satisfaction
and
help you
reduce
the high caregiver turnover rate.
This will
ease their
worr
ies
about whether they’ll be able to get enough hours to make ends meet or get a schedule that
corresponds
with their
personal responsibilities and
any
other jobs.
Getting all your caregiver data
–
from patient assignments and preferred hours to time tracking
–
centralized in one place can help you build effective schedules that work for you and your caregivers. You’ll also need to make sure your home
care
workers can access this information easily and as early in advance as possible. This maxim
izes
clarity, minimizes stress, and enables room for necessary changes and conversations.
Adopting Data Analytics
The adoption of data analytics will continue rapidly in the years ahead. Using data analytics and big data, HR professionals
and administrators
can make data-driven decisions in order to attract
and
retain top talent
as well as
ensure a
success
ful
transition into value-based care
. In human resources, leveraging a data-driven approach to people analytics allow
s
companies to discover valuable insights on workers' performance
,
satisfaction
,
and
the
factors
that
influence their productivity, efficiency, and motivation at work.
This year
,
your company
will have
endless
opportunities
to
us
e
analytics
to
identify
patterns and trends on employee absenteeism, employee turnover rate, leave frequency, engagement level,
and much more
.
Prioritizing Employer Branding
Persuading the best talent to join your company is a challenge in today’s competitive labor market
, but it is even more complicated in the home care industry
(
even though it’s the fastest-growing industry
)
. Your
agency no
t only
has to boast a 5-star reputation to hire
the finest
members
for your
team
but
must
also
make sure to retain them
. In 2020, companies
and agencies
have to invest
i
n the
ir
biggest assets
,
and that includes
invest
ing
i
n
your
employer brand.
T
ak
e
into consideration
what sets
you
r agency
apart from others and the way
s
you will
market
yourself
to prospective employees as a unique workplace.
W
hether it is a commitment to offering flexible work benefits programs, social responsibility,
or something else,
agencie
s that have identifiable traits and qualities in their value propositions to employees are likely to succeed in attracting the best new talent.
If you
haven’t
incorporated the following HR programs into your agency
recently, you may need to start with these:
- Update your employee handbook.
Does My Company Need an Employee Handbook?
Personalize Your Employee Handbook This Year
- Audit your HR forms for 2020.
The Ultimate Home Health Care Audit Survival Guide
- Evaluate your payroll software.
The Impact of HCM on Your Home Care Agency’s ROI
- Implement training for quality care.
HR Best Practices for a Smooth Value-Based Care Transition
- Enhance the onboarding experience.
C
reat
ing
a robust onboarding
experience
program
can
actually help
you in the long by helping your new employees have a smooth transition into your agency
.
L
isten
to
The Basics of Effective Onboarding
to learn about the
five elements of an effective onboarding plan, from paperwork to peer mentorship
.
- Assess your benefit offerings.
5 Types of Voluntary Benefits Employees Want
- Check out new pay options.
5 Ways a Daily Pay Benefit Supports the Changing Workforce
- Revise and update your job descriptions.
Help! How can HR handle the new “Ok Boomer” trend in the Workplace?
Final Thoughts
HR professionals have to assess every action and initiative in terms of links to overall business objectives. These professionals should be honest with th
emselves and others about whether or not an activity is worth implementing. The rise of multi-generational
and
hyper-connected employees and
the new
value-based care
model will push leaders to work closely with HR.
H
onesty and transparency are
among
the best ways to make sure human resource
s
and business objectives align strategically.
This information is for educational purposes only, and not to provide specific legal advice. This may not reflect the most recent developments in the law and may not be applicable to a particular situation or jurisdiction.