Nearly 60% of senior care workers have considered leaving their jobs in the last year, with most saying they’d be enticed by better pay and benefits and one-third looking for better work-life balance.
Those were among the findings of a survey by recruitment and scheduling software firm OnShift last week. Direct caregivers indicated a slightly higher interest than other respondents in working outside of healthcare at 17%.
When asked what besides money would keep them in their current jobs, 54% of respondents said better staffing or staffing levels would be a key driver. But in a sign that industry efforts to make long-term care jobs more attractive may be working, 44% indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with how supported they were at work, a 13% increase from 2021.
The survey, conducted in June 2022, included responses from nearly 1,800 senior care professionals, with 34% reporting they worked in skilled nursing settings.
Much has been made in the past two years of the sector’s difficulties attracting and keeping enough staff to avoid exhaustion and burnout and to improve care for residents. The pandemic chased many away, and experts have put forth various solutions besides increasing pay, including tuition assistance.
Increasing staffing would ease the burden of those already working and is the most obvious fix, but also the most difficult.
“Skilled nursing leaders need to remember that it’s important to implement strategies that support workers as people, going beyond the day-to-day aspects of the job,” said OnShift Executive Vice President Peter Corless. “For example, offering complimentary meals, health and wellness services, and tuition and student loan reimbursement programs can be key to demonstrating care and support for workers.
“Additionally, two-way communication channels can empower people to share their thoughts and feedback so leaders can then act upon them.”
Plenty of concern still
Asked for the most significant challenges they are facing, respondents ranked feeling stressed and burned out the highest (49%). That level matched last year’s survey results, even with a 38% decrease in fear and safety concerns due to COVID 19.
And despite the increase in feeling supported, 57% of respondents said they have considered leaving their jobs in the last year. Among that group, 52% said they would leave for better pay and/or benefits. Improved work/life balance and better career growth opportunities were the next two reasons they’d leave.
Nearly a third indicated “other” as reasons for wanting to leave their job.
“Open-ended responses largely pointed to staffing levels, poor workplace culture, high mental and physical stress, and poor relationships with managers as reasons for potentially leaving their job,” according to the survey text.
The answers about job satisfaction are reflective of several findings of the McKnight’s 2022 Mood of the Market survey, which found 60% of skilled nursing leaders had “seriously considered” leaving their jobs amid nearly three years of pandemic conditions and the sector’s widespread staffing challenges.
In the OnShift survey, after better staffing, respondents also said additional perks and benefits (32%),more frequent recognition for work contributions (25%), improved work/life balance (22%) and improved communication with management (22%) would entice them to stay in their job.
Similar to last year’s survey results, when asked which perks are or
would be most valuable, bonus pay for working difficult shifts ranked highest (40%), followed by a rewards and recognition program for contributions at work (26%), a more flexible work schedule (24%), and additional time off (23%).
