Veterans in the industry are considering all options in their workplace restoration efforts as senior living companies struggle to attract and retain employees.
Andrew Carle, an alternative and cause faculty member for Georgetown University’s executive coaching program, said during a particular McKnight’s Veteran VIP Conversation at the 2024 McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards event last week that the best employees anyone has now are on the payroll, thus providers may work to keep them.  ,
Operators have to acknowledge the contributions of current team members while developing their skills, according to Carle, a success of the Pinnacle Industry Ally Award, so they can advance to the next level in an organization.  ,
A “huge error” made by providers was no valuing the labor — everything that became glaringly evident during the COVID- 19 crisis, according to A. G. Rhodes CEO Deke Cateau.  ,
Providers, he said, adopted a commercialism position, believing the phrase that the citizen is always best. That, according to Cateau, a success of the Pinnacle Agent of Change Award, created a structured system that neglected to emphasize the importance of the workforce in the care of residents.
” The reality is, the major part of the work force — CNAs and LPNs— they lay on the bottom of that hierarchy”, Cateau said. ” We can do a lot of hotchpotch, but unless we turn that hierarchical structure that we have in our communities, we’re going to be like this”.
Roberto Muñiz, president and CEO of Piscataway, NJ- based Parker Health Group and LeadingAge board seat, agreed, saying it’s time to begin recognizing how important the workforce is to the success of lengthy- term care providers. The success of the Pinnacle Inspiration Award argued that employers should begin verifying the dedication and commitment to their employees.  ,
Clif Porter, senior vice president of government ties for the American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living, said he’s heard success stories from companies who provide the essentials — education and training — as well as “wraparound” companies such as housing, childcare and transportation.  ,
” The nation is experiencing a myriad of innovations.” We have to think differently, approach it differently”, Porter said. ” There is not one answer. It’s not just immigration, it’s not just being good to the employees. We must do it right away.
overcoming obstacles through immigration reform
The necessity of immigration reform was a topic that the leaders all agreed on.  ,
The Value of Assisted Living in America, an update to Argentum’s white paper from 2023, revealed that the industry will need more than 3 million workers in senior living by 2040, with more than 20 million needed across all long-term care settings.  ,
According to Carle, the entire senior living sector on Capitol Hill should be “screaming about immigration reform” due to the sheer volume of workers required.
We can talk about employee relations, compensation, training, and other topics all day long. We’re not going to have enough people”, he said, adding that 80 % of assisted living communities are understaffed, and good employees are n’t going to want to work double shifts every night.  ,
” It’s not going to matter how well you treat your employees. Carle said,” It wo n’t matter until you give them what they really need, and that is more people on your team so they do n’t have lives where they are so stressed out and miserable that they leave or never enter it,” Carle said. ” We ca n’t win until we fix this equation”.
