Although staffing can be difficult all year long, it can be especially difficult around the holidays. Few people are looking to start a job around the holidays that requires you to work holidays, and as a result, things can get even harder heading into the holiday season. This blog will discuss talent acquisition for senior living during the holidays and how you can help your community stand out.
How to Successfully Hire at the End of the Year
Since assisted living staffing around the holidays is often very difficult for everyone, it’s important to set your community apart from others. Healthcare workers and those working in the assisted living industry in particular have a lot of options, and you want to make sure that you are recruiting the best candidates. Addressing their concerns related to working the holidays up front can also help them feel better about making a decision about starting a new role.
Get a Leg Up on the Competition
As we mentioned before, assisted living recruiting can be tough. In order to stand out from your competition, try advertising the perks that are included at the holidays. Advertise the extra pay that you offer on the holidays, as well as any treats or appreciation items that you offer for working on the actual day.
Use Up Your Hiring Budget
Depending on your needs, you may want to put some of your remaining hiring budget into an incentive. Try offering a sign on bonus for your most needed positions or shifts, or offer a bonus to anyone that gets hired in November and December. Your candidates might be more inclined to start around the holidays if they are getting paid extra to do so.
Help Them Manage Their Holiday Time
Highlight and offer flexible scheduling for the holidays. Maybe you can offer split shifts, shift changes or switches to make it easier for them to participate in their own holiday plans. You can also offer ways to help make things easier by offering discounted pies and baked goods for them to purchase and take to their holiday gathering.
Utilize Your Current Team
Many of your current coworkers likely know or are friends with others that work in the industry. Encouraging them to refer their friends can be a great way to address your holiday staffing needs. Offer an extra incentive for coworkers that refer a candidate that gets hired. You could offer a small bonus, a gift card, holiday treats, or a ticket to a large holiday raffle basket.
Appeal to the Caregiver in Them
As a part your advertising and interviewing process, talk about what a difference they can make to the residents on the holidays. Highlight the fact that it isn’t a typical day at work and that they will be able to spend the day engaging with residents and enjoying holiday traditions with those that don’t have any loved ones present.
Tips for Effective Recruitment All Year Round
While this blog is about talent acquisition for senior living during the holiday season, you should be recruiting year round. Here are a few tips for effective recruitment strategies and practices that will help you attract better candidates now and throughout the holiday season.
Make Applying a Breeze
Potential applicants are busy with their careers, families, hobbies, education, and more. Applications should only take a few minutes to complete, since your goal at this point is gathering information. Detailed applications that require information that’s already on someone’s resume may turn off qualified applicants.
Don’t Limit Yourself to the Senior Living Industry
The senior living industry can be very insular, and many hiring managers don’t look outside of this niche field. There’s a lot to be said for hiring beyond the senior living industry, though. For one, you have the opportunity to train new employees to your exact specifications, resulting in more effective care.
Talent Acquisition for Senior Living in the Age of Social Media
Encourage engagement with your social media followers by posting jobs on Facebook and LinkedIn. In addition to your website, post jobs on Indeed and other hiring sites to reach a larger applicant pool. Pay attention to your reviews on sites like Glassdoor, too. You should be cognizant of your reputation in the senior living industry and actively address any negative employee feedback.
Take Advantage of Your Industry Connections
It’s always good to stay in close contact with your industry connections and referral sources. Maintaining a good working relationship will help them feel confident in referring to you and can be a great resource when you need some help. Thanking them for their support throughout the year and especially at the holidays is a great way to do that. Thank you cards, baked goods and holiday treats go a long way!