This collection of insights looks into the changing landscape of the aged care workforce in Australia, and how it differs from the broader health sector.
The top reason why people are drawn to work in aged care is the desire to interact with, and to care for, elderly people. This was steadily growing until 2016-18, but has decreased a little since then. Is this significant? Yes, because the top three attraction factors in most health and community sectors are all organizational attributes rather than the desire to work with a specific client group.
What can providers do to encourage staff to work in the aged care sector?
The three top reasons people choose to work in aged care are:
1. Working with clients
2. Good reputation
3. Good location
How you can use this information to help attract people to work for your service:
Consider how you can maximize the time your staff have to work with older people receiving care:
– Are there opportunities to introduce new technology to streamline administration and reporting to increase the time available for direct care?
Promote the opportunities that make working for your service great! These may include:
– Work and career progression opportunities
– Secure, permanent work
– A strong culture of workplace health and safety
– Consistent rostered hours
– A great social club that offers opportunities to spend time with colleagues
– Flexibility in choosing shifts that suit each individual employee
– High levels of service satisfaction
– Strong connections into the community
Promoting your reputation may lead to:
– Word of mouth recommendations to work in your service from colleagues and family members
– Developing future employment aspirations in younger generations
– People choosing to join your organization through their own experience of caring for a loved one
– Individuals with experience in other care sectors joining your organization
What are the benefits of your location? Let potential employees know. People may be looking for a location that:
– Is close to public transport
– Has free or cheap parking available onsite
– Is close to shopping centers, the local primary school or other places of interest
Source: Aged Care Workforce Industry Council
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