As with many employers, the pandemic paired with a volatile job market has made the usual staffing challenges of Home Healthcare Agencies even worse. To compete in the industry, it’s critical that agencies reflect on their recruiting and retention strategy to make working at their agency as attractive as possible.
The benefit of better benefits
Expanding the scope of your benefits package can create a huge shift in the daily and long-term operations of your organization. Among your staff, it usually leads to increased productivity, less turnover and more retention. A strong benefits package speaks for itself as an extension of the great workplace you’ve created for your home health agency, helping to entice potential recruits by showing that your company cares about its employees.
Incentivizing employees encourages them to become more involved in your day to day operations while being more invested in their work.
Here are just a few of the ways in which a better benefit packages can help home care agencies.
Improved company culture
Company culture dictates almost every aspect of your home care agency; from your customer reviews and client satisfaction to the productivity of your team, your benefits package plays a big role in supporting your company culture. By offering caregivers benefits that matter to them, you encourage a positive attitude throughout the agency, leading to better performance and engagement across the board.
One recommendation we often make is adding an internal recognition system that allows your team members to recognize one another’s work based on the core values of your company. One example allows team members give each other recognition points for a job well done; points accrue over time and can be redeemed for anything from store gift cards to charity donations. While this example may not be as conducive to caregivers who rarely interact with other employees, it is a great concept to consider for your office staff.
Streamlined recruiting
Your employee benefits package can play a huge role in whether or not a candidate accepts a position with your company. Not only do your benefits attract more applicants in general, but you’ll typically find that they allow you to be more selective about the type of person you hire to best represent your agency. Some agency owners have reported that by focusing on building a strong employer brand through their benefits package, their cost-per-hire has gone down because their benefits model is doing much of the work for them.
Higher productivity
Some of the specific benefits that can lead to increased productivity include remote workplaces for office staff, paid time off, continuing education opportunities, and schedule flexibility. Giving your office staff some freedom in how and where they work (wherever possible) can lead to better communication and innovation. Micromanaging staff members sends a message of overall distrust – no one likes their employer to continually watch over them and evaluate their every move.
Less turnover and higher retention
The simple truth is, the more satisfied your employee are, the more likely they are to stay with your agency. Just offering a competitive wage isn’t enough to motivate people to keep working for you. If you offer the right benefits, your company will be able to hold onto your good employees better and attract new talent with ease.
What the law requires
No matter the type of organization you run, there are a few benefits that employers must provide according to federal law. Some states also have their own individual benefit requirements, so make sure you check with your benefits broker or compliance expert to ensure you are compliant. According to the Department of Labor, current federal requirements (as of this writing) include:
- Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- Unemployment insurance
- Health insurance (for companies with more than 50 full-time employees)
- Family and medical leave (FMLA)
Better benefits equals happier, healthier employees
It’s clear that the home health industry is in need of improved benefits for caregivers and office staff alike. Studies show that employees who have access to medical and mental health benefits report lower levels of emotional stress and have less difficulty handling the demands of their work. When home health employers don’t offer useful benefits, the downsides include more stress and burden on their staff causing inefficiencies during the workday, decreased financial stability, and increased financial strain.