Recruiting and retaining employees always has been challenging, but it is increasingly so. In senior living, executives often scramble to get and keep key positions filled, frantically backfilling openings while barely keeping current employees satisfied, all in high-stress environments.
To discover whether a simpler way exists to address those challenges, Big Buzz surveyed 100 executives in senior care and healthcare to discover the root cases, paradoxes and benchmarks in recruitment marketing for those industries.
Dig for the root causes
It’s important to uncover the root causes of recruitment challenges so we are better apt to develop lasting solutions rather than quick fixes.
Our survey respondents mentioned multiple times the difficulty of finding qualified staff members, the lack of clinical applicants and the overall scarcity of candidates with the necessary experience and work ethic. Of course, this affects operators’ ability to provide quality services and care.
One solution is to create an ideal candidate description before writing the job description or ad. Focus on the meaning of “qualified” for each candidate. In the job ad, lead with a strong brand and solid cultural messaging (mission, vision, values) to attract like-minded people to the organization.
Industry benchmarking: Average annual budget
When we asked your peers for their organizations’ annual budgets for recruitment marketing, the mean was $88,600, excluding two high-end outliers at $20 and $150 million.
Twelve percent of respondents had a $0 budget for recruitment marketing. The general rule is to invest 6% of top-line revenue into total marketing efforts, including recruitment marketing.
To determine what percentage of total marketing budget should be allocated to recruitment marketing, align with your team on a one-page marketing plan and divvy up budget by priority in reaching the organization’s big important goal.
Industry benchmarking: Most common benefits
When we asked about the most common employment benefits offered in senior living and care and healthcare, under “other,” one respondent mentioned pet insurance and another said attendance bonuses. To determine how best to allot organizational budget to employment benefits, consider surveying current employees to gauge what is important to them, and then align assets accordingly.
Implementing those strategies and more can help organizations build a more satisfied, engaged and committed workforce.
Download the full e-book here for additional insights.
Wendy O’Donovan Phillips is CEO of Big Buzz, a marketing agency that for more than 15 years has helped senior living marketing and sales teams nurture leads to increase occupancy, grow and scale. She is the author of the book “Flourish!: The Method Used by Aging Services Organizations for the Ultimate Marketing Results,” and in addition to being published in McKnight’s Senior Living has been a regular contributor to Forbes and has been quoted in the Washington Post, ABC News and Chicago Tribune.
The opinions expressed in each McKnight’s Senior Living marketplace column are those of the author and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Senior Living.
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