MILLENNIALS MAY BE THE ANSWER TO THE EMPLOYMENT GAP
Some good news is that millennials could provide a solution to staffing woes. Millennials are:
Nearly twice as likely as baby boomers to choose a career in nursing.
60% more likely to become registered nurses than Gen Xers.
Interested in jobs that have a real purpose.
A driving force behind workplace change.
Willing to leave if they’re not happy with their job, its perks or don’t have a flexible work environment.
Millennials are constantly seeking purpose in their careers while wanting to know how their jobs help them advance in the workplace. This challenges long-term care facilities to reach out and engage millennials to fill staffing positions.
Doing so requires organizations to treat this generation differently from its predecessors. Long-term care facilities can appeal to millennials through employee recognition programs that show appreciation for their work and contributions. Other ways to attract and retain these workers is to provide a work environment that encourages collaboration, offers on-the-job socialization among staff and provides millennials latitude to make decisions.
GPOS HELP RELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN
Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) offer proven staffing solutions for long-term care. Their established relationships with staffing agencies can fill short- and long-term needs for skilled nurses, aides or other positions. These agencies employ millennials and others who have experience working with long-term care residents.
For facilities that want to hire employees directly, GPOs can handle the background checks and other human resources (HR) processes so administrators can focus on other priorities. In addition, GPOs can provide training and recommend programs to help mitigate compassion fatigue, fostering higher retention and helping improve a facility’s bottom line. Even a 10% reduction in turnover can save tens of thousands of dollars per facility.