In the world of social care, one of the top aims for providers is retaining skilled, compassionate teams. Not only does this ensure continuity of care, but it also helps to build trust and foster a stable environment for those receiving care and support. However, many providers face high turnover rates, often amongst recent joiners, that can disrupt this stability.
A well-structured, people-driven retention strategy with consistent feedback methods addresses these challenges, ultimately helping care providers improve both employee satisfaction and care outcomes. Feedback from your teams will inform your strategy, allowing you to focus on the areas that will positively impact.
Here’s a look at some of the most effective elements that make these retention efforts successful:
High Engagement
One of the hallmarks of a people-focused retention strategy is high engagement from retention interviewing. A high completion rate demonstrates a genuine interest from employees in sharing their experiences, indicating they feel heard and valued. High engagement shows that employees are more likely to provide honest feedback, which in turn makes the data gathered during these interviews richer and more actionable. At Cohesion, we report 70%+ uptake with exit and retention interviews conducted by our retention specialists.
People-Driven Interviews
The use of engaging, people-driven telephone interviews sets a retention approach apart from surveying. Unlike the impersonal nature of an online survey, a conversation enables the interviewer to dig deeper, clarify responses, and understand the nuances of each answer. This method creates a safe space where employees feel more comfortable sharing their experiences openly, leading to more valuable insights. By focusing the retention process around real conversations, organisations build rapport with their teams and gather a more comprehensive view of staff concerns and aspirations.
Social Care Specialists
Having experienced social care specialists conduct these interviews is beneficial. These individuals are trained in retention techniques and understand the unique challenges and stresses that come with working in various social care settings. Their expertise enables them to ask the right questions, actively listen for key details, and pick up on subtle cues that others might overlook. This specialisation is what allows for a more accurate and empathetic understanding of the issues that matter most.
Insightful Reporting
The value of retention data lies in its depth, which is why insightful reporting is essential. Beyond numbers, comprehensive reports will include real comments and examples that help you to understand the “why” behind the data. A blend of quantitative and qualitative information equips decision-makers with the insights they need to design effective, targeted retention strategies.
Trusted Third-Party Feedback
Partnering with an external party for retention interviewing brings the advantage of unbiased, candid feedback. Employees often feel more comfortable sharing honest thoughts with an impartial third party, which can lead to more actionable insights. This outside perspective helps management understand what’s really going on within their organisation.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking allows organisations to see how they measure up against other care providers. This comparative data not only highlights areas for improvement but also showcases where the organisation is excelling. It also helps to frame the key findings, highlight areas for improvement and set realistic targets. As social care specialists with extensive sector benchmark data, this stands us apart from other solutions.
Enhanced Retention Tools
Using supportive retention tools, such as values-based assessments can identify development opportunities and support early discussions between new starters and line managers. Our data shows that frontline team members want access to learning and development early on into their new role – and where this is not understood, discussed and aided, retention is negatively affected. This is particularly true in the first few months, and where the person is new to working in care.
By adopting people-focused strategies, social care organisations can foster a workplace where employees feel valued, leading to better retention and improved care quality.
Let Cohesion help you achieve these benefits – contact our retention experts today.
