Working within assisted living facilities is tough work and requires a particular personality type to deal with the ups and downs of residents as well as employees. Many facilities have come under fire for their treatment of residents and the actions of their workers. One way to ensure a harmonious environment is to establish a healthy company culture.
Offer Better Pay, Incentives and Benefits to Employees
When your employees are happy and well taken care of, your residents will be too. Offering competitive pay rates upon hiring and quality benefits packages will help you to bring in better, more qualified employees. This alone can improve the culture of your business. Additionally, offering incentives based on attendance, resident satisfaction, and quality of work can help to maintain positive employee morale. Just be careful that your incentive plans focus on the things that are important to your brand and your business – be wary of unintended consequences of poorly thought out incentives!
Create a Culture of Respect, Communication, and Innovation
Whenever you get a bunch of people from different age groups and generations under one roof, there is bound to be conflict. Having a transparent process and set procedures for dealing with issues is essential in maintaining a positive atmosphere. Keeping channels of communication open is of the utmost importance. Be sure everyone from staff to residents feels like their voice is being heard.
Keep Residents Involved in Facility Updates and Changes
If your facility is going through renovations, operational alterations, or staffing changes, make sure your residents are aware beforehand. Unexpected changes can cause stress and confusion for residents, which in turn will put pressure on your staff. Ensuring that your residents remain informed of changes can be as simple as holding weekly or monthly meetings. Make sure you have staff available to address any concerns residents may have and be prepared for one on one meetings when anonymity is requested.
Provide Continued Training and Educational Opportunities
The better trained your staff is to handle any situation, the fewer issues will arise. Providing on-going training to your staff will ensure even those that haven’t been through extensive schooling will know what to do when an issue comes about. Also, offering tuition reimbursement to those that want to pursue higher education related to your business will help with employee retention as well as morale.
Develop a Diverse Activities Schedule
The more engaged your residents are, the happier they’ll be. Hiring a full-time activities director that schedules and organizes a diverse set of activities will have a tremendous impact on the morale of both residents and employees. Some of these activities should take residents outside of the facility to ensure they feel like active members of their community. Make sure your residents have a say in the activities you’ll be offering.
