Home Instead Dudley & Sandwell Recruitment Event Blog
WMCA Operations Officer, Jamie Bloomfield, recently visited Sedgley Concord market to speak to Susan Love, Director of Community Engagement at 'Outstanding' Domiciliary Care provider, Home Instead Dudley and Sandwell.
Susan was delivering a 'Recruitment in Care' event, with Sedgley market being one of many sites across the borough where these are delivered.
Susan states, "I have been the Director of Community Engagement at Home Instead for 9 years. Having previously been a Registered Nurse and teacher of Health and Social Care, I wanted to help run a care company that provides a more personal approach to management, which makes the team feel valued and cared for".
Susan's tips for creating a community feeling within the workplace, resulting in retention of staff-
When asked to expand on this 'personal approach to management', Susan explained that from day one, the Founders of Home Instead Dudley ensure they set time aside to have a coffee morning with all new employees to discuss the values and standards expected of Home Instead CAREGivers and care.
Susan believes this builds a relationship, alongside other methods such as; recognizing birthdays and work anniversaries, a table full of sweets and treats for 'those days that aren't going great', as well as Whatsapp groups where the CAREGivers not only share information about work, but also organize social events to develop that 'team togetherness' and 'sense of community' that increases the chances of retaining staff within a career in care.
Interviewing candidates-
When interviewing candidates, Susan states that Home Instead are more interested in a persons caring personality, than just qualifications.
This focus on a caring personality is assessed through personality screening questions, which include questions such as an applicants hobbies and why they are interested in care as a job etc.
Susan says this screening and face-to-face interview is in place due to her belief that, 'We can teach a person to care, but we can't teach a person to be caring, that should be there naturally".
Marketing-
While at this recruitment event, the Home Instead stand had leaflets displayed, ranging from activities that clients can do at home to guides for 'clients dealing with loved ones with Dementia'.
Susan explains this is important to 'grab people's attention as they walk past, as well as giving them an idea of the different parts of care that Home Instead are involved in, while giving them something to take home to consider'.
Additionally, another tool that caught the attention was the use of Wesley, who is employed under the governments Kickstart programme and was supporting promotion through handing out Home Instead flyers to the passing public, outside of the market
Home Instead not only use the local markets as venues for their recruitment events, they also find themselves going to local shopping centre job fairs, job centres, putting on local coffee mornings and presenting at local schools, colleges and universities, for the 'next generation of care workers'.
As an I Care Ambassador, Susan is passionate about recruiting appropriate CAREGivers into the sector and believes that delivering presentations in schools and colleges, about the experience of working within an Outstanding-rated Care company, is a vital tool to attract appropriate candidates
Home Instead Dudley have also formed fascinating links within the community including the Black Country Women's Aid, Dudley Job Centre, local libraries, church groups, older people’s forum and local retail outlets etc.
Additionally, Home Instead recently sponsored a local dog show and worked on recruiting candidates there too, while receiving positive exposure in the local press.
Furthermore, Home Instead regularly hold recruitment events on Zoom, presenting the benefits of working for them, as well as within care, allowing them to reach a larger audience of potential candidates through virtual systems.
Alongside this, they are active on social media, regularly updating their Instagram page with positive stories from their staff and gearing a lot of their posts towards 'shining a light' on the positive aspect of choosing a career as a CAREGiver with Home Instead
Retention-
As part of their retention plan, Susan explains how, once an employee has decided to leave, Home Instead don't 'cut-ties'.
"We ensure we don't 'cut-ties' with the member of staff, we will do an in-depth exit interview, known as ‘the good good-bye’ and invite them out for dinner to say thank-you for everything they have done.
We have found that this has, in the past, resulted in them returning to Home Instead, if they decide to make a return to care".
Networking-
Additionally, with Home Instead offering Domiciliary Care services to clients, Susan also feels it is important to network with local Care Home providers.
"We have some very special relationships with local residential homes, care homes and assisted living facilities. We have delivered Dementia Friends sessions to their staff and over the last 9 years have attracted Care Home Staff into Domiciliary care and Domiciliary CAREGivers have moved into home care.
We also support some Clients who have chosen to live in a residential setting, however, continue to have the desire to go out into their local communities and enjoy special times creating memories".
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