Ensuring aged care workers are happy

April 2, 2014 | Aged Care Management

Employees make up a large part of managing an aged care facility, essentially forming the backbone of the business. As such, happy, engaged employees can make all the difference when it comes to the performance of a facility.

Proper aged care is difficult to keep on top of, and requires a strong commitment from all levels of staff – especially managers. By having staff actively involved in their work and incentivised to perform well, facility management can be far easier for all involved.

Staff who are not engaged in their work lose motivation quickly, slacking in areas where care and attention to detail is needed. Due to the delicate needs of those living in an aged care facility, vigilance is needed at all times. Often, simple steps can be taken to keep staff on the right track.

There are a substantial number of options for keeping staff in a facility happy and motivated, including education. While it may seem off-putting at first, teaching staff about the effect their efforts have is a great way to keep them engaged. Topics can range from the latest clinical care standards, to how to engage with those living in the facility.

Teaching employees new systems is another great way to boost engagement, as well as increased redundancy in the event an employee is unavailable.

In addition to educational programs, incentives can do wonders for employees, and have frequently helped to motivate staff in other sectors. Integrating an incentive program could be a great way to ensure consistence employee performance.

When it comes time to benchmark your facility, having a strong staff network will provide the best chance to get ahead of competitors. If you need help benchmarking, Mirus Australia provides a cost-effective and automatic method to supply the necessary results – it's also free.

Aged care facilities are certain to continue growing in importance over the next few years, especially as the global population gets older. Training the correct staff now will ensure aged care facilities are in the strongest possible position moving forward.