When you’re hiring care staff there are a lot of different aspects to look for in a perfect candidate. You want someone who is experienced, organised, and has the right qualifications and skills for your post. But you also need a professional that is willing to go the extra mile for your residents, ensuring that their stay is comfortable. The good news is there are steps you can take as an employer to encourage your members of staff to go that extra mile.
If you’re looking for ways to encourage your existing employees to go the extra mile, try putting these five suggestions into practice.
- Lead by example – One of the first changes to implement is to embrace the ethos you want your employees to follow. Taking a few minutes out of your day to chat with residents and carers will show the level of care that you expect across the whole of the organisation, building a positive company culture.
- Recognise the effort your employees make – While staff will often go the extra mile for residents and because they enjoy the job, praise won’t go amiss. From a quick ‘thank you’ when you spot an employee working hard to creating a more formal scheme that recognises the efforts they’re making, it can motivate your workforce more and keep it at the forefront of their mind.
- Allow for some unstructured time – In such a busy environment, it can be difficult for staff within a care setting to have any unstructured time where they don’t have a list of tasks to work through. But doing so can give them time to build relationships with your residents and quickly lead to them going the extra mile to ensure they’re comfortable.
- Invest in learning and career development – Staff that feel motivated and appreciated are far more likely to put in 100%. Having regular sessions where you can give feedback and plan how you’ll help them further development skills can be a real motivator. Plus, it’s a step that’s important for boosting staff retention.
- Actively engage with residents – Putting your charges at the heart of the business is a clear indication of what’s important to you. Whether you ask residents about a planned menu change or what activities they’d like to get involved with, engaging with them will not only improve your service but encourage carers to do the same.
Of course, while the company culture you build is important for enhancing the service that you provide to your charges, the recruitment process is essential. You still need to find those applicants that embrace your working ethos and are ready to take on those extra tasks, novacare | recruit is the tool that helps you find the right employees for your business and vision.
About novacare | recruit
Novacare | recruit is a cloud based recruitment tool that allows users to track the status of applications 24/7 and also helps to streamline the recruitment process. It is the first recruitment software specifically designed for the care sector.
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