Look for same values to predict who will stay
There is no such thing as a crystal ball that will tell you which employees will be with you after a year, but there are ways a manager can tell if an employee is likely to stay with you, says Patricia Jump, RN, president of Acorns End Training and Consulting in Stewartsville, MN.
First, find out if the job applicant has the same values and goals as those of your agency leadership. During the interview, be sure to ask situational questions, she says. "You want to evaluate the job applicant’s values and principles," Jump says. For example, ask applicants what they would do if an elderly client gave them a valuable vase during a visit, she suggests. If they say that they won’t accept it, but do so in a manner that doesn’t offend the client, you know that they are ethical and compassionate, she explains.
Also, ask how the applicant would handle a conflict with a co-worker, a concern about a client’s family member, or observations of behavior changes in the client. "You want to ask questions that allow the applicants to demonstrate their attitude toward people," Jump explains. Make sure your questions are phrased so that you get more than yes or no answers, she adds.
Also, be sure you know why people leave you, Jump says. Every home health manager should make sure that exit interviews are conducted. Although not all employees leave to work for other agencies, it is important to find out why those who go to other home health agencies decide to leave, she says. You may discover that you have a supervisor with whom aides have troubling working, clients or families who are a problem for the aide, or a less flexible work schedule than other agencies.
When you find these problems, correct them so that you don’t unnecessarily lose other aides, Jump adds.
In addition to surveying your employees who leave, be sure to interview the good employees who stay with you. "We know that a sense of being appreciated, a belief that the job is meaningful, and flexibility in schedules or work locations all contribute to an employee’s length of employment," Jump states.
But you need to find out if your good employees believe that these, or other things that increase loyalty, are found in your agency in order to predict if you’ll be keeping these employees, she adds. If they express satisfaction, be sure to ask what else they would like to see. "Some people might suggest inservices that help them manage their home budget or better plan their time, both at work and at home," Jump says.
Your supervisors also should be trained to identify the possibility that an employee is planning to leave. "Look for increasing absenteeism and an increase in problems such as tardiness," Jump adds. "People don’t suddenly elect to leave a job. Their decision usually follows a period of dissatisfaction with the job that shows up as sloppy work and an inattentiveness to the job," she points out.
[For more information about home health aide retention tactics, contact: Patricia Jump, RN, President, Acorns End Training and Consulting, 12021 Shervin St., S.W., Stewartsville, MN 55976. Telephone: (507) 533-6204. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site: www.acornsend.com.]
There is no such thing as a crystal ball that will tell you which employees will be with you after a year, but there are ways a manager can tell if an employee is likely to stay with you, says Patricia Jump, RN, president of Acorns End Training and Consulting in Stewartsville, MN.
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