Employee retention begins with onboarding and training, but onboarding standards for the health services industry — including senior living — don’t look great, according to industry experts.
They discussed the ramifications for long-term care operators and others during a webinar last week. Payroll and HR software company Viventium and healthcare education company Nevvon unpacked the results of Viventium’s 2024 Caregiver Onboarding Experience Report, highlighting actionable steps to better engage, motivate and retain caregivers.
The report reflects a survey of 175 administrators and 220 caregivers in November and December 2023 working in the post-acute care industry — assisted living, independent living, skilled nursing, home health, home care and hospice.
Caregivers who said they had a good onboarding experience were 88% more likely to feel secure in their employment, which translates into greater engagement and lower turnover, according to report authors.
But what passes for a “good” onboarding experience is a “shockingly low bar.” Testing for 15 elements common in a strong onboarding experience, Viventium called the findings “disheartening.”
Fewer than half (49%) of respondents said they received a warm welcome, even fewer (48%) said they felt communication was clear and transparent, their questions were answered, and the training was comprehensive. And only 38% of respondents reported receiving detailed information about health and wellness benefits.
Onboarding shortcomings were even more pronounced when broken out by setting.
Facility-based respondents — those in assisted living, independent living, skilled nursing and hospice care — had a lower positive response rate than all respondents combined in the areas of receiving a warm welcome (35% of facility-based respondents answered positively compared to 41% of all respondents), clear and transparent communication (36% for facility-based vs. 40% for all), and questions were answered (35% for facility-based vs. 38% for all).
Optimistic signs
On the brighter side, most caregivers (63%) described their onboarding experience as “good” or “excellent.” Good onboarding, according to the report, correlates to stronger employee-employer relationships, which can drive greater employee engagement, reduced absenteeism and higher retention, according to Viventium Chief Marketing Officer Terra Vicario.
By rethinking the nuts and bolts of onboarding, senior living companies can give caregivers and administrators more time to focus on what matters most. According to the survey, administrators spend an average of 49 to 68 hours to fully onboard a single new hire.
“Time is money,” Vicario said. “The more overlooked issue here is this leaves less time for a more personal and personable approach.”
Best practices
Onboarding that provides clear and comprehensive information, educates new hires on company culture, offers access to resources to set employees up for success, and provides personal one-on-one access with managers are among the best practices identified in the report.
The key to a successful onboarding experience, Vicario said, is making it personal and personable. She recommends providing live support during onboarding, making onboarding part of the workflow through in-person or hybrid options, offering personal support to provide clarity around questions, including managers in the onboarding process, and connecting new hires with team members for support and assistance.
Vicario said a hybrid onboarding experience works best, bringing efficiency to paperwork, providing accessible online communication, offering greater in-person time with leadership, and making onboarding specific to each new hire.
The cost to replace a caregiver ranges from $2,500 to $3,500 — meaning that for every 40 caregivers that must be replaced it can cost a company upward of $100,000, according to Allan Levine, Nevvon senior vice president of growth and revenue.
“The cost to replace,” he said, “is tremendous.”
