How to recruit your care team

The task of recruiting and retaining top-notch care professionals is a challenge many  care businesses grapple with. The success of your domiciliary care business hinges on the quality of your care professionals, who play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional care to the care recipients. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore five essential strategies to help you recruit the right talent, improve your employer brand, and ultimately provide the best care to your care recipients.

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Crafting job descriptions that attract top talent

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Your job descriptions serve as the initial point of contact between your business and potential care professionals. A well-crafted job description goes beyond listing responsibilities – it's a persuasive tool to attract the right candidates, think of it as your CV of your business. Consider this example: instead of merely stating "providing personal care to clients," you can say "providing compassionate personal care that enhances the quality of life for our elderly care recipients."

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Actionable Takeaway:

• Tailor your job descriptions to emphasise the value of working in domiciliary care, highlight unique benefits, and specify key qualifications clearly.
• To illustrate, you can include phrases like "join our dedicated team of care professionals committed to making a difference in the lives of our elderly care recipients" to convey a sense of purpose. Moreover, clearly state qualifications and certifications required, such as "NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care." This helps potential candidates gauge their suitability. And above all else, be clear and open about the benefit’s package for the role, being transparent is the first step for potential employees to trust you as an employer.

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Next Step: Access a template for a compelling job description to get you started on the right track.

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Maximising Online Platforms for Recruitment Success

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In today's digital age, casting a wider net is crucial in recruiting top talent. Online platforms, including job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, offer an extensive pool of potential candidates. Let's consider an example: creating a job posting on LinkedIn allows you to target candidates with specific qualifications, experience, and interests.

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Actionable Takeaway:

• Utilise job boards, social media, and professional networks to reach a wider pool of candidates and streamline the application process.
• For instance, you can use LinkedIn's advanced search filters to find care professionals with relevant skills, such as "registered nurse" or "experienced carer." This digital approach not only broadens your reach but also makes the application process more accessible, as candidates can easily apply with their LinkedIn profiles.

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Next Step: Implement an applicant tracking system (ATS) such as Greenhouse or BambooHR to efficiently manage incoming applications, keeping the process organised and accessible. Forbes has listed the best ATS for 2024 here.

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Article continues below this video

Birdie spoke to real Care Professionals at Alina Homecare to see how they find using Birdie:

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Establishing your domiciliary care brand as an employer of choice

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Your brand is the perception potential candidates have of your domiciliary care business. It's not just about providing care; it's about creating a fulfilling work environment. Take an example from major corporations – they invest heavily in showcasing their culture and values to attract top talent. In the same way, your brand should reflect your commitment to care professionals.

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Actionable Takeaway:

• Showcase your company's mission, values, and employee testimonials on your website and social media to attract candidates who align with your culture.
• Ensure your social media accounts are present, and shed light on your internal culture and employee voice. According to Seenit, 88% of millennials care about culture as a deciding factor in choosing a job. How are you showing what it’s really like to work at your company? Utilise your social media platforms and conduct ‘a day in the life’ post with photos and videos of what it’s like working for your agency. Examples of this form of content can be found here.
• Consider creating a video testimonial from a satisfied care professional, sharing how your business has positively impacted their career and personal growth.

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Next Step: Learn more about creating engaging employer branding content to effectively communicate your brand identity. Access a free guide on employer branding here.

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Conducting interviews that reveal the best fit

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Interviews are your opportunity to assess whether a care professional aligns with your organisation's values and can provide exceptional care to your care recipients. Structured interviews with clear questions and scoring criteria based on the job description are essential in finding your perfect candidate.

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Actionable Takeaway:

• Implement structured interviews with well-defined questions to assess candidates' soft skills and empathy, crucial in domiciliary care. Ensure there is consistency with questions for all interviewees to allow you to compare fairly. For instance, you might ask, "Can you share an experience where you had to navigate a difficult situation with a care recipient? How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?" This allows you to evaluate their problem-solving skills and empathy, qualities essential in domiciliary care.

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Next Step: Share a list of sample interview questions and scoring criteria to help you get started with structured interviews. The Care Workers’ Charity has supplied a list of recommended questions to ask interviewing care professionals.

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Read also - What you risk in poor retention

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Retaining and developing domiciliary care talent

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Once you've successfully recruited care professionals, your focus should shift to retaining and nurturing them. High staff turnover can negatively impact care continuity and the well-being of care recipients. Implementing a comprehensive onboarding programme is a critical step. Did you know that a structured and clear onboarding process and training plan for new employees can lead to increased retention rates amongst your team? Any new care professional joining your team needs guidance, training, and a supportive environment to thrive.

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Actionable Takeaway:

• Create a comprehensive onboarding programme that includes training, mentorship, and ongoing support, to boost retention rates. For instance, consider pairing new care professionals with experienced mentors who can provide guidance and emotional support. Offer regular training sessions from basic life support to unconscious bias training, both in-person and online sessions, to keep their skills up-to-date. This investment not only ensures your care professionals feel valued but also enhances the quality of care provided to your care recipients.

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Next Step: Provide resources on developing an effective onboarding plan and recommend training platforms to help new care professionals acquire essential skills. Florence Academy provides care professionals with comprehensive and CPD-accredited courses, you can check them out here.

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Recruitment is a vital pillar of your business's success. By crafting compelling job descriptions, leveraging online platforms, building a strong employer brand, conducting effective interviews, and nurturing your care professionals through onboarding, you can ensure a steady supply of compassionate and skilled individuals. Remember, the quality of your care professionals directly impacts the quality of care received by your care recipients. Embrace these strategies and empower your business to thrive in the landscape of domiciliary care provision in the UK. Let’s go!

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Want to read more on this? Click the button below to read our article ‘How to retain your care team’.