Engaging and keeping top-notch employees in healthcare is a part of operating a long-term care community that can’t be forgotten about. Serving your residents becomes more accessible and enjoyable with the right people on your team, but accomplishing it requires taking a long, hard look at your recruitment and retention practices.
Employee satisfaction and healthcare employment aren’t two things that traditionally go together, given that healthcare is a notoriously busy and complex workplace. However, at the beginning of 2023, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News’ annual outlook survey reported that respondents were 31% more optimistic about “prospects for the industry” this year.
Creating an environment that fosters connections and growth is key – but this work starts at the top with directors like yourself. At Culinary Services Group (CSG), we prioritize employee well-being and are always thinking of ways to make our programs fit the needs of staff. We’ve found several effective strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of food service employees.
Listen More Than You Talk
We’ve always encouraged all our food service teams to make a concerted effort to poll residents on whether or not they’re enjoying the food and service in the dining program. We direct the same energy towards our employees by regularly surveying them to see if what we’re doing is working.
Our most recent survey results are comparable to McKnight’s study findings, telling us that CSG staff enjoy working with us and benefit from our program improvements. Here’s a glimpse at how respondents rated the following statements:
- “My work aligns with CSG’s mission and vision”: 4.07/5 stars
- “Knowing I can advance in my career at CSG is important.”: 3.91/5 stars
- “I feel appreciated and valued at my role at CSG”: 3.81/5 stars
- “I feel supported in my role by management and leadership at CSG.”: 3.76/5 stars
These survey results serve as a valuable roadmap to see how we can continue shaping our program to benefit our staff better. By listening to employee feedback, you can shift from an employer-centric approach to one emphasizing active listening and effective communication. At CSG, we trust our employees and value their opinions, so encouraging and providing transparency is one of our top priorities.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” While it may sound cliche, keeping this in mind is necessary in the modern workplace – not only at the organizational level but also at the individual level.
As comforting as a “family” atmosphere sounds, it can lead to unhealthy employee expectations. To avoid creating this dynamic, maintain professional boundaries by encouraging friendly relationships and creating a healthy work-life balance. You can implement guidelines and expectations to motivate staff to have professional camaraderie.
Creating a strong company culture gives employees a sense of belonging, helping them align their vocational purpose with your community’s mission. Whatever that is, every team member should know their role and how they can work with their fellow staff to achieve the common goal – providing residents with the best experience possible.
Aside from in-person connections like daily interactions and team meetings, digital connection is equally as important. To promote a relationship between leadership and staff at CSG, we equip all employees with an app to share pictures of the communities they work in and special dining events, send congratulations for good performance, and remind staff of important announcements and dates.
Support Your Staff
Every employee involved with your culinary program contributes to how well the kitchen and dining room function. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, so investing time in each staff member is vital to assess their needs, progress, and job satisfaction.
Some tips to support your staff are:
- Provide adequate breaks. Working in a kitchen can be tricky, especially during mealtimes. Offer employees the chance to take breaks to rest and reset during their shifts.
- Have “open-book” management. This management style involves creating transparency between management and staff by not restricting access to pertinent information. An open-book leadership style decreases the pressure of a work hierarchy, facilitates collaborative change, and involves all staff in community decision-making.
- Reward staff to show your appreciation. People like knowing they’re valued in the workplace. The more you can provide valuable and thoughtful rewards for outstanding performance, the more likely you are to have a positive relationship with your staff.
- Give regular feedback. Instead of doing performance reviews every year, which can be intimidating, meet quarterly or monthly with each team member to learn how they’re feeling and give constructive criticism about how they’re doing on the job.
- Provide options. Give employees different choices on their schedule, how they get paid, and how they do their jobs (within reason). With more freedom of choice, employees can feel like they have some control over their employment.
Competitive Benefits and Training
Recruiting and retaining quality kitchen employees involves more than supporting your staff and creating a collaborative, encouraging work environment. While these things are important, what benefits and additional resources your community offers help them decide whether the job is worth staying at.
According to survey results, our employees valued PBT (27%) and medical benefits (11%) the most out of our benefits package. However, our on-demand pay system is a feature of our payroll app that employees rave about. It allows them to request funds to be deposited in their account on the same day. These things make life more convenient, allowing them to focus on doing their job without worrying about how to serve their families best.
Partner with Culinary Services Group to Be a Part of Our Efforts to Improve Employee Experience
Are you looking for help with recruiting and retaining kitchen and dining staff? Look no further than Culinary Services Group. While you’re busy leading your healthcare care community, we can help you continue to make your kitchen and dining room work environment a place for growth, advancement, and fellowship. Plus, by partnering with CSG, you can uphold your commitment to improving employee experience through fair pay and appropriate rewards so your employees can do what they do best – provide exceptional food and service to residents.
View our career page and contact us to learn more about our food service management plan options and employee initiatives.
