Staff recruitment and retention in the field of social care is a widely recognised issue. Data provided by Skills for Care shows that registered nurses within social care settings have the highest turnover of any job role at 32%.
We asked experienced Social Care Manager, Rob Price, where he thinks the challenges lie and why he feels getting the right high-performance culture in place is key.
“One of the key objectives of Social Care Providers is to ensure that people in residential care have the best quality of life. The recruitment and retention of a dedicated workforce who work as a team committed to a common cause is paramount. Staff need to be supported in:
- establishing a team ethos, and
- developing a vision for their specific establishment by widening their knowledge of good practice and forming contacts with comparable establishments
In addition, the care environment is extremely demanding so the retention of staff who possess the necessary qualities to meet the demands of their role, and who are motivated to achieve high standards and show a willingness to participate in relevant training and development, is virtually impossible without getting the right culture in place first. The Sycol programme helps staff to re-evaluate their role and constantly seek ways of improving their involvement; they become more active within their working setting and become increasingly confident by remaining aware of the core values of their role.
Getting the right culture of continuous improvement in place empowers staff and encourages all staff to claim “ownership” for the quality of their working environment – thereby creating a greater sense of “home” for the residents. Staff are happy to accept their share of responsibility for the physical and psychological well-being of residents.
Ultimately, the right culture increases staff confidence when considering residents needs by extending their participation in running the home. It helps staff expand their awareness of resources in similar settings and in the wider community.”
Rob Price is a trainer/consultant within the Social Care Management sector. He has over
30 years of social care experience including management roles both within community settings and in residential units for adults, children and adolescents with a main focus around mental health. Rob had also lectured extensively in Health and Social Care at colleges of Further Education and at Bangor University. He has a broad training in mental health and adopts an eclectic approach to therapeutic interventions which acts as an influential factor on his working methods as a trainer and consultant.
If you’d like to find out more about how Rob is implementing the Sycol programme within social care and education please fill in the form below or email us at enquiries@dev-lms.sycol.com.gridhosted.co.uk
Image courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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