Managers in the care sector are the hidden champions behind the scenes, ensuring everything runs smoothly for both staff and people cared for and supported. Their leadership, guidance, and ability to create a positive work environment directly impact the quality of care provided. Our previous article provided a firsthand account of life as a frontline worker when the manager is absent or over-stretched. In this article, we’ll unpick the wider impacts and challenges experienced with retaining managers.
The Role of Managers in the Care Sector
A great manager wears many hats: leader, problem-solver, motivator, and even an occasional therapist! They handle strategic planning, resource allocation, regulatory compliance, and staff well-being. They set the tone for workplace culture, foster teamwork, and ensure that high standards of care are met. A strong manager can transform a stressed-out team into a motivated one, leading to happier staff and, most importantly, better care.
The Impact of Managers on Frontline Workers
Support and Guidance: Managers provide essential support, ensuring frontline workers feel valued and empowered. A simple “How was your day?” or acknowledging that “Today was tough but tomorrow will be better!” can make a world of difference. Regular supervision, training, and emotional support help maintain staff well-being and prevent burnout.
Clear Communication and Coordination: Effective managers keep everyone on the same page, reducing confusion and improving efficiency. When communication breaks down, so does the quality of care.
Recognition and Motivation: Everyone loves to feel appreciated! A good manager ensures that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, boosting morale and job satisfaction, which ultimately improves staff retention and service quality.
The Domino Effect of a Missing Manager
When a manager is absent, things can unravel quickly – as we heard firsthand in our last article. Here’s what can go wrong:
Lack of Leadership: Without a guiding presence, teams can fall into disarray. Inconsistencies creep in, morale dips, and care standards decline.
Increased Workload: In some cases, staff members step up to fill the gap, gaining valuable experience. But for those already at capacity, the added pressure leads to stress, exhaustion, and high turnover rates.
Reduced Support: Without managerial support, frontline workers can feel isolated, impacting their mental health and job satisfaction.
Compliance and Safety Risks: Managers ensure services meet strict regulations. Without them, standards slip, putting both staff and the people cared for and supported at greater risk.
Coping Mode and Burnout: When there’s no manager, staff often operate in “coping mode,” just getting through the day. But this isn’t sustainable – long-term stress leads to burnout, increased absenteeism, and a revolving door of carers, which disrupts continuity of care.
The Challenge of Retaining Care Managers
Managers are so crucial. Why can it be hard to keep them?
Overwhelming Workload: Juggling multiple responsibilities such strategic planning, compliance, and staff supervision all at once is no easy feat.
Thrown in at the Deep End: Many new managers inherit teams where there’s been no leadership for some time. Instead of easing in, they’re immediately firefighting unresolved issues.
Backlog of Problems: Investigations, disciplinary actions, outdated training – the to-do list can be overwhelming from day one.
High Support Needs: Frontline staff require ongoing supervision and guidance, which is difficult when managers are already stretched too thin.
Extensive Knowledge Requirements: Managers are expected to be experts in everything – from medical care to HR policies to regulatory standards. The pressure is immense and can be daunting to say the least.
Care sector managers are the backbone of high-quality care, offering leadership, structure, and support that frontline workers rely on. Their absence creates a ripple effect of stress, confusion, and declining standards, ultimately impacting those who need care the most.
Addressing the challenges in retaining managers – by reducing workload pressures, offering better support, and ensuring they have time to settle into their roles is essential to maintaining a stable, effective care environment.
After all, when managers thrive, so does everyone else.
As a trusted third party, we facilitate open and confidential conversations, ensuring that managers feel heard while providing your organisation with the real, actionable feedback needed to drive meaningful change.
If you’re looking to better understand and support your management team, we can help. Contact anna.possee@cohesionrecruitment.com to learn how we can capture these valuable insights and strengthen leadership retention.
