Over 300,000 caregivers have left the workforce since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While numbers are starting to improve, it’s nowhere near enough to meet America’s growing need for extra caregivers.

As you hire new staff, you want to increase the likelihood of candidates accepting offers, turning up to their first shift, and staying with your company long-term. Even more importantly, you want to make sure you’re signing up the best candidates available. 

Recruiting is both time-consuming and expensive, so it’s vital to make the process as efficient and effective as possible. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to stack the odds in your favor.

Improve Your Job Listings 

Review your job descriptions: Do they contain all the information potential caregivers are looking for? Do they list the wages, and are those wages attractive? What about the benefits? 

Are you clear about the qualifications and experience you want support workers to have? If there’s anything that’s not strictly required for the job, remove it from the listing — you don’t want to put off qualified and talented support workers.

Ask for brutally honest feedback about your listing. Does it read as a job worth applying for? Do you come across as a pleasant workplace? Remember, this is a candidate’s first impression of you. Make sure it’s a good one.

Market Yourself 

There are over 450,000 home care providers across the US, so caregivers have got plenty of choices. You’ll need to market yourself well to stand out from other companies and attract the most qualified candidates.

Ask for worker testimonials, and share them on your website, blog, and social media accounts. On your careers page, highlight your positive company culture and any benefits or training opportunities.

Pay attention to online reviews from existing caregivers and address common complaints. Job seekers can see through flimsy promises, so commit to real improvements. 

For example, if numerous reviews mention poor on-shift support, implement better communication channels with management and mentors, and make care plans easy to access. With time, your online reviews will improve, and you’ll become a more attractive workplace to caregivers.

Use Multiple Recruitment Channels

While job boards like Indeed are a great starting point, you should also consider listing jobs in colleges, at industry-specific events, and through word of mouth. Social media is another important avenue. An employee referral system can be an effective way to drive more interest, too. 

Track where most of your successful candidates find your job listing so that you can put more energy into that source. Over time, you’ll work out the most effective recruitment channels.

Recruit and Onboard Quickly 

Most candidates will apply for multiple jobs, so by recruiting quickly, you’ll increase your chances of hiring them before they receive other offers. Plus, it will reduce your workload while creating a more positive hiring experience for caregivers. It’s a win-win situation.

To speed up your recruitment time, review and streamline your recruitment process. This will allow you to move quickly without rushing any decisions. For example, can you create a rubric for evaluating resumes? Or standardized interview questions? 

After you’ve made an offer, be proactive about paperwork and onboarding. Verify documentation as quickly as possible, and let new hires know their start date so they can rest assured that they have guaranteed work.

Confirm that whoever is in charge of hiring has enough time to dedicate themselves to the task. If necessary, delegate some of their work to another team member.

Create an Excellent First Shift

The first shift sets the tone for a caregiver’s entire career with you. A positive experience will decrease the likelihood of them accepting a competing offer while also enabling them to work at their best.

Message them before their first shift to ask if they have any questions, and check in with them afterward as well. Pick their first clients carefully, and consider pairing them with a more experienced caregiver in the beginning. Perhaps most importantly of all, make sure they feel like they’re part of the team from day one.

Make Your Company a Place New Recruits Want to Work

According to one study, nearly a third of new workers quit within the first six months on the job. After all the effort you’ve put into recruiting and training your new caregivers, you want to keep them. Worker experience needs to be a priority. 

To keep caregivers happy, be as flexible as possible with your scheduling. Invite them to specify their availability via your workforce management app so you can build a schedule that works for them as well as for you. Confirm they have everything they need for their shifts and can easily track expenses, such as gas. The record-keeping process should be as simple as possible.

Consider supporting your caregivers as they undergo additional training, and make sure a manager is always on hand to support them if they need it. On-time paychecks and prompt responses to any issues are the bare minimum.

Workforce management isn’t always easy, but home care software can help. Our software will allow you to schedule in minutes, while taking into account caregivers’ availability and clients’ needs. Documentation management is simple and secure, giving everyone access to the information they need (and nothing more). Time-keeping, expenses, and accounting integration will keep your business running smoothly, while the caregiver version of the app will help ensure your team members’ needs are met.

To discover how ShiftCare can support you and your staff, try our home care software for free.