CHICAGO — Creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where employees have a sense of belonging isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also good for the bottom line.
That’s the message shared by the senior living executive members of a panel at the 2023 National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care Fall Conference, who discussed how to effectively provide opportunities to enhance employee morale, increase productivity, improve resident satisfaction and outcomes, and contribute to an organization’s bottom line, all under the auspices of creating DEIB — diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging — programs.
Based on employee surveys and focus groups, Trilogy Health Services President and CEO Leigh Ann Barney said that senior living and care workers view DEI as a higher priority than does the rest of the general population. That isn’t surprising, she added, considering that healthcare workers get into the industry to help people.
But companies and organizations have to put the work into creating a culture that not only will attract new workers but also will appeal to consumer demands coming with the baby boomers, who are a more diverse group and are looking for communities where they will feel comfortable.
“Our industry is at a crossroads,” Barney said. “We’re going to see more diversity from our residents and their needs and what they’re looking for. We need that same diversity of thought in our leadership in the industry so we’re prepared for that.”
Moderator Sarah Dirks, Pinnacle Quality Insight vice president of business development, shared results from a survey done with Great Place to Work that revealed senior living and care organizations are losing 85% of staff members each year, costing an average of $275,000 in net operating income. New hire turnover is the highest, comprising 40% of that number.
Barney said that DEIB is not a sprint, but a journey. Trilogy sought outside help from a local university and other organizations to assess its employee demographics through surveys and focus groups. Then the company turned to their employees to lead efforts to achieve their DEIB goals.
“We wanted to build it into the fabric of what we already have at Trilogy,” Barney said. “We wanted to enhance what we already did.”
For Trilogy, the effort turned into employee resource groups that focus on what employees wanted DEIB to look like within the organization. Under executive sponsorship, the groups communicate about a specific topic to create efforts to help other employees and residents. Employees took ownership of the effort, which has led to a 77% retention rate among workers who participate in a resource group.
Part of Harrison Street’s DEIB focus is on emotional health organizations, which Jill Brosig, managing director and chief impact officer, said ties back to critical needs — to be accepted, important, included, respected and secure. That focus, collectively, she said, creates an emotionally healthy organization that attracts a more diverse workforce and helps with retention.
Measuring success
Barney said that the measure of success of DEIB is earning the trust of employees to participate. When employees see that their feedback is being used to improve offerings and not as a punishment, then they are more willing to share those data. And sharing the results — along with an explanation of how those results led to change — will affect turnover rates and lead to a more stable employee base.
“You do these things because it’s the right thing to do and it helps you provide better care for your residents, but there is a financial impact to it and you can measure that out through your metrics,” Barney said. “Building that trust, letting the team know this is something important to the organization, you are going to start small and roll it into the fabric of what you are already doing and be consistent.”
The “elephant in the room,” Brosig said, is the current societal pushback against DEI.
“It’s the right thing to do, but we have to demonstrate why it’s the right thing to do,” Brosig said, adding that research exists showing that the more diverse a group is, the richer the thought and the better the performance. “I don’t want anyone to think we’re doing this to hit a quota or check a box. We’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do, and we want to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity.”
Barney advised attendees to take some initial steps and use internal resources to start building DEIB into an organization’s culture.
“There is a real need to do this — not just as an organization but for our industry as a whole to continue to be successful and to grow,” Barney said. “It takes time and effort; it takes intention, but it doesn’t take a lot of resources.”
The NIC Fall Conference lasts through Wednesday.
