Low-wage workers such as certified nursing aides and housekeepers are more likely to remain in their jobs if they feel their managers are loyal. So finds a study of turnover at 22 long-term care facilities.
Over an 18-month period, 45% of workers surveyed at a chain of skilled nursing, assisted living and hospice providers left their positions.
Those who left reported a similar job satisfaction rating as those who stayed. But asked about four dimensions of “Leader-Member Exchange” theory — affect, loyalty, respect and willingness to contribute to goals — those who felt their supervisors were loyal to them were more likely to have stayed.
Lead author Michael Matthews, Ph.D., associate professor of healthcare management at Winthrop University, said. Career-minded RNs might emphasize task-related exchanges in the interest of advancement, while lower-wage earners could face more personal stress and need a manager who is “looking out for their best interests.”
“Managers, especially caregiver managers, should pay attention to the types of relationships they are developing with subordinates,” he wrote.
From the November 2018 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News