Recruitment is important but retention is critical. In a context of caregiver shortage, keeping the good caregivers is paramount to the success of any agency.
And to conclude our month-long series, I will hold a free webinar next Tuesday on caregiver mentoring titled “How to Save Real $$ in Homecare with Caregiver Mentoring.” Register here if you want to learn more.
Caregiver mentoring works because caregivers like what it offers them. Here are 4 benefits of starting a mentoring program for your new caregivers.
- Break the isolation
For newly hired caregivers, having a mentor promotes a sense of belonging to the agency. Breaking the isolation of working alone in clients’ home, new caregivers have someone to call with questions and for support.
Mentors play an important role to connect new hires to the agency. Because of regular in-home visits, weekly phone calls and occasional texts, the new caregivers and the mentor forge a relationship which plays a big role in the feeling caregivers have towards their employer. A good mentor helps caregivers feel more connected to your agency.
2. Just-in-time training
Forget the fire hosing at Orientation day. The once and done approach is not productive and you know it. Dumping tons of information within 3 hours and hope your new employees will feel energized to work for your agency is naïve at best.
Mentoring is not just about making employees feel good. It’s also ensured caregivers have the necessary skills and knowledge to do their job well. It requires an individual skills assessment. By noting the gaps, you can establish a list of training needs. The mentor has a roadmap for on-the-job training.
On-the-job training is particularly beneficial to caregivers who are new to the profession. Think of millennials (those aged 35 and younger) who don’t the benefit of a lifetime of personal or professional experience. They want training and are more loyal to the agencies which provide it. On-the-job training creates strong professional skills. In turns, confident caregivers boost clients’ satisfaction.
Janie Webb a Client Coordinator in Michigan is excited about the prospect of providing mentoring to new caregivers. “For me, the most important aspect of mentoring is that the new hires will be working alongside somebody who knows what is expected and how to deliver quality work.”
3. Help weather the bumps in the road
Mentoring is credited with decreasing early job turnover. It also demonstrates commitment professional development. Experienced caregivers looking to grow their skills become mentors.
By investing in mentoring you demonstrate your commitment to your employees and caregivers take notice. In turns, caregivers develop a sense of loyalty because they know you invest in them. So when things get rough in the life of a caregiver, they might think twice about not showing for the next shift. Mentors also act as early detection systems. They pick up on difficult experienced by new employees and bolster their support to the fledgling ones.
4. Mentoring is also a great recruitment tool.
Caregiver mentoring is a powerful way to demonstrate that you “love your caregivers.”
You can legitimately boast that you provide on-the-job support and development opportunities. This might be a unique benefit in your local market and an attractive one to new caregivers. A retention tool which works double duty and helps with recruitment? No, you are not dreaming.
I can’t wait to share more during our webinar next Tuesday on “How to Save Real $$ in Homecare with Caregiver Mentoring.”
