We get it: You are running a business that is demanding and unique. You probably do your own payroll, human resources, office administration, compliance ensurance, and much more.

On top of everything you already have on your plate, Sarah, one of your caregivers, just handed in her letter of resignation – she is the 3^rd one this month. This means that you will likely be short-staffed, and you may need to turn away patients.

Let us assure you, you are not the only one facing this. There is currently a shortage of home care workers, and it’s worse than you might think. A recent study released by Home Benchmarking revealed that the median turnover rate for caregivers reached an all-time high of 82% in 2018, a turnover cost of $6.5 billion a year.

As the Baby Boomer population ages, with the number of people in America between 66-84 reaching an estimated 60 million by 2030 (U.S. Census), the home care industry will likely face difficulty recruiting and retaining a large enough workforce. Despite home health and personal care aides being among the fastest-growing occupations (The Bureau of Labor Statistics), these are jobs that most Americans don’t want.

This leads to the question: How can you keep your turnover rate down and fill these jobs?

The first step is to recognize the variables associated with your home care worker retention. This will help your agency retain employees in a time of severe shortages and avoid needing to turn away patients. We have simplified this challenge into an outline since we know you are busy.

Why your caregivers usually leave:

1. Different hours
2. Higher pay
3. Different clients or patients
4. A better manager

Now that you have the major variables associated with the problem clearly identified, it’s time to tackle these issues and break the turnover cycle.

“Secrets” to break the cycle:

1. Higher salaries and guaranteed hours

How can you get that done?

• Fix the “scheduling monster”
• Raise wages and get your payroll in tip-top shape

Read how one of our clients was able to tackle this problem!

2. Increase worker satisfaction

How can you get that done?

• Provide feedback more frequently
• Keep your caregivers skilled and in the know

Read Caregiver Development: Investing in Your Biggest Asset to learn more about keeping your employees more engaged and with you longer.

Let’s be honest, there really aren’t any secrets. The real “secrets” needed for increasing employee retention and reducing turnover are recognizing why your workers are leaving and amending those issues. To further understand how you can decrease your turnover rate, download Viventium’s e-book 5 Ways to Tackle Turnover in Home Health Care 2019.