On August 23rd, 2021, the health industry celebrated Health Unit Coordinators Day. While people in health and human services have always been appreciated, that praise skyrocketed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to their heroic and selfless actions. And as retirement community staff training providers, we particularly appreciate the lengths that senior living teams go to in keeping their residents and co-workers safe.

Because of COVID-19, celebrating team accomplishments has been difficult as organizations observe social distancing and keep group meetings to a minimum. One way of giving back to co-workers that doesn’t require in-person gatherings is through virtual team-building and continued education opportunities. In recognition of Health Unit Coordinators Day and in the spirit of highlighting retirement industry care teams for their accomplishments, we’ve put together a list of how retirement community staff training can be an excellent and meaningful way to celebrate your senior living teams.

Training opportunities foster engagement

Providing retirement community staff training might sound like added work to some, but it can actually have a very positive impact on co-worker engagement. In a recent article from Thrive Global, workplace training that is introduced as part of company culture shows co-workers that their thoughts on workplace processes and happenings are appreciated, teamwork is rewarded and encouraged, and that career advancement is available. By providing retirement community staff training opportunities, your co-workers should feel like their career goals are valued and supported, which can in turn lead them to being more invested in providing great care on a daily basis. All of these sentiments show co-workers that not only is their time appreciated, but that they as individuals matter in the collective success of the company. This can lead to better co-worker retention, a more positive workplace environment, and potentially a deeper grasp of important senior care training courses.

Take parties and retirement community staff training virtual

For anyone on your staff that is still working remotely or would rather celebrate group accomplishments outside of an in-person setting, virtual gatherings are a great way to lift group morale. Many team-bonding activities can be done over video conferencing apps such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams for a safe option to connect with co-workers. There are also many retirement community staff training opportunities are available online, giving co-workers flexibility to complete training at a convenient time, and even in the comfort of their own home.

Company-sponsored retirement community staff training can keep your team prepared – and feeling appreciated

A unique circumstance of the pandemic was that many healthcare workers were called upon to step in and help manage COVID patients, regardless of previous training and which departments they currently worked in. A recent Forbes article suggested that one of the ways companies can keep co-workers engaged through new training opportunities is to train across departments. Not only does this help co-workers to have a better understanding and appreciation of what their peers experience on a daily basis, it also helps to provide more comprehensive training in the event that co-workers would need to support other departments in emergency situations – much like what happened with COVID-19.

SeniorLivingU can help make retirement community staff training easy and affordable

Headquartered in Hershey, PA, SeniorLivingU serves as a support system and retirement community staff training provider for organizations and individuals within the senior living industry. Our website provides a full e-commerce storefront for registered account members to easily purchase new retirement community staff training courses and other helpful senior living resources as they see fit and as often as they like. You can also visit the FAQ page for some helpful tips on how to navigate our materials. To learn more about SeniorLivingU, the services we provide, and how we can provide the best retirement community staff training resources for your organization, contact us today. We look forward to helping your team with the retirement community staff training you’ve been looking for.