Recruiting frontline staff for your senior living or elder care communities are incredibly challenging. However, the secret to success lies in strong leadership, a thriving culture, and effective employer branding.
On the Senior Care Growth Show podcast, we recently interviewed senior living HR industry expert Kasey Devine from Procare HR.
In the episode called “Navigating Senior Living Recruiting and Hiring,” Kasey shared several tips to position your senior living community as a top employer.
What is Employer Branding?
Employer branding refers to the process of creating and maintaining a community or senior living organization’s reputation as an employer. It encompasses the values, culture, and work environment that a company promotes to both current and potential employees. This branding is crucial for differentiating a company from its competitors and making it an attractive place to work.
Companies with positive employer brands receive twice as many applications as those with negative brands. Remember, “brand” is a perception about your community, not necessarily reality. A strong employer brand can reduce the cost per hire by up to 50%, while a negative reputation can increase hiring costs by 10%. Additionally, Glassdoor reports that 84% of job seekers consider a company’s reputation important when deciding where to apply, and 92% would consider changing jobs for a company with an excellent employer brand reputation.
A Jobylon survey found that 79% of job seekers consider employer reputation before applying for a job, and 82% of employees would leave their current job for a company with an excellent reputation.
Clearly, employer branding is critical to finding and retaining good frontline staff in your senior living community.
The Role of Leadership in Successful Hiring
Your leadership at the community level plays a pivotal role in your ability to attract and retain talent. As Kasey Devine pointed out in our interview, “Community-level leadership dictates the state of hiring in senior living and senior care. When you have great community-level leadership, it’s pretty good. You see operators that don’t have openings, and when they do, they have a pool of referrals from existing employees because the culture is amazing.”
Recommendation: Invest in developing strong leaders within your senior living community. Leaders who can cultivate a positive work environment will naturally attract high-quality candidates and keep them engaged. This not only enhances your senior living employer branding but also ensures a steady pipeline of talent through employee referrals.
Culture as a Cornerstone of Retention
A strong culture is critical for retaining frontline staff in senior living. A thriving workplace culture directly impacts employee satisfaction, which in turn reduces turnover. As Kasey discussed, “Culture is really, really important in hiring and retaining staff. Strong leadership that can drive a culture will absolutely eat that stuff for lunch.”
Recommendation: Focus on creating a supportive, mission-driven culture that resonates with your employees. Ensure that your culture is communicated consistently across all touchpoints, from job postings to onboarding processes. When employees feel valued and part of something meaningful, they’re more likely to stay and contribute to your community’s success.
Communicating Your Mission Effectively
Your mission and values should be at the heart of your recruitment efforts. It’s not just about filling positions; it’s about attracting people who are aligned with your mission. “Communicating the mission and vision is crucial. If you had the option of doing the same job in four different places, why would you want to work for the one that’s going to make you feel better about your job and make you feel like you’re contributing to society,” Kasey asked.
Recommendation: Incorporate your mission into your senior living employer branding. Use every opportunity to communicate why your work matters and how potential employees can make a difference by joining your team. Highlighting the meaningful impact of their work will help you stand out to candidates who are looking for more than just a paycheck.
Leveraging International Recruitment
In some cases, looking beyond local talent pools can help address staffing shortages. Kasey pointed out that, “there are initiatives bringing in qualified professionals from countries in Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. These professionals can fill gaps in administrative tasks or frontline positions, even remotely.”
Recommendation: Consider expanding your recruitment efforts internationally. By partnering with organizations that specialize in international recruitment, you can tap into a broader pool of talent. This not only helps fill critical positions but also adds diversity and a fresh perspective to your team, enhancing your senior living employer branding on a global scale.
Integrating Marketing into Recruitment
Recruitment isn’t just an HR function—it’s a critical part of your marketing strategy. “Recruitment isn’t just an HR activity; it’s a marketing activity. Your organization has a brand, whether you know it or not. If you’re consistent in communicating your mission and engaging with your community, it can significantly impact your recruitment efforts,” mentioned Kasey.
Recommendation: Treat recruitment as a key component of your senior living employer branding. Use your marketing channels, including social media, to showcase your workplace culture, employee testimonials, and community involvement. A strong, positive brand presence will attract candidates who are excited about the prospect of working with you.
Purpose-Driven Motivation for Retention
Keeping frontline staff motivated in senior living is essential but challenging. “Motivation is transient. The antidote to motivation is purpose. Remind people why their work matters—because people matter. This drives retention.”
Recommendation: Embed purpose into your daily operations. Regularly remind your team of the impact their work has on the lives of residents and their families. Whether through team meetings or internal communications, keep the mission front and center to maintain a motivated and engaged workforce.
Creative Referral Strategies
Your current employees can be your best recruiters. “Get your top half of employees, the ones you would clone if you could, involved in your recruitment efforts. Maybe offer a referral bonus, but don’t underestimate the power of recognition.”
Recommendation: Encourage your best employees to refer candidates by offering referral bonuses or simply recognizing their efforts in meaningful ways. This not only helps you find great new hires but also strengthens the bonds within your existing team, further solidifying your senior living employer branding.
Enhancing your senior living employer branding is key to successfully recruiting and retaining frontline staff. By focusing on strong leadership, a mission-driven culture, and integrating marketing into your recruitment efforts, you can position your senior living community as an employer of choice. Don’t just focus on filling positions—create a workplace where people want to stay and grow.
