The challenges facilities face with recruiting and keeping staff can be improved with a little creative thinking and flexibility.

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According to Bette McNee, RN, a senior clinical risk management consultant at Graham Company, one of the nation’s largest insurance brokers.

With parents dealing with remote or semi-remote schooling for their children, the challenge to balance work and childcare has become an even bigger issue than before COVID. McNee advises her facilities to try a different approach to staff scheduling to help them balance both, thereby reducing employee turnover.

Communication is key. If facilities listen to and work with their staff and human resources, they can accomplish their goals. The standard five-day a week and every other weekend may no longer be the wise choice. According to McNee,

“Because of the varying school schedules and home challenges, in some cases, working three 12-hour shifts or two double shifts and one regular shift a week will work better than five shifts per week.”

For some, working a three- or four-day job share per week may be more beneficial. McNee also suggests different tiers for per diem staff such as, the more shifts a staff member works in a given pay period, the higher the pay rate. “This encourages per diem staff to proactively find shifts to work and not call out,” she noted.

If facility operators and staff work together on a system that works well for everyone involved, then everyone benefits. Current employees will want to stay and future employees will want to work for you.