The new year can offer new inspiration for home healthcare providers to refine processes that will help achieve growth in 2019. Establishing a culture that fosters this growth starts with self-examination. Motivational speaker and organizational consultant Simon Sinek has an excellent quote on the importance of creating a meaningful corporate culture:

“Every single company on the planet knows WHAT they do. Some companies and people know HOW they do WHAT they do. Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do.”

Simon Sinek
Author and Motivational Speaker

Start With the ‘Why”

I meet a lot of agency owners and clinicians during presentations around the country and I remind them that the best way to build a culture that motivates people is to start with the ‘why’. Organizations that can answer the question of why they do what they do can use that as the foundation for their culture. Sinek describes this process as the “golden circle”. Understanding the organization’s ‘why’ makes it easier for the organization and the people who are part of it to accomplish the ‘what’ and ‘how’ that provides the unique value that results in growth.

Different Generations Think in Different Ways

There are as many as five generations in the workforce right now, and that means the odds are high that organizations have employees of varying ages. This is particularly true for home healthcare providers. Each generation thinks and acts in different ways. Those part of Generation X want to be managed in a way that is different than a Baby Boomer, Millennial, or someone part of Generation Z. One way to gauge your organization’s ability to speak to the needs of your employees across generations is through engagement surveys. Try performing a survey of your employees to identify the core values they all share. It can also be helpful to engage with colleagues (other providers) about the kind of culture they have built, and see if it is possible to adopt that model.

Understand Trends in the Industry

Staffing challenges will continue to be a problem in 2019. Higher employment rates have created opportunities for job seekers. The American Association of College Nurses found that 13 percent of newly licensed RNs changed jobs after one year. Another 37 percent were ready to change jobs in their first year. By 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new RNs to meet the demand for nurses and replace older nurses who retire.

Embrace New Technologies

New technology can simultaneously boost an organization’s culture and attract and retain employees. It is important to ensure providers establish an online presence with a company website, social media pages, and a profile on a popular job board. It is helpful to create videos that showcase the company culture, and if possible feature employee testimonials. Digital marketing efforts are extremely helpful in recruiting employees, and human resource management software can be useful to track employee activity and stay engaged to protect the corporate culture.

Creating a culture that attracts and retains employees does not have to be a daunting task. Once the leadership team has identified the organization’s values (the ‘why’), it is easy to incorporate those values into the recruiting process. Ask candidates about their personal values and then gauge how well they will align with the organization’s values. Once that is done, align the organization’s values with performance reviews and compensation. It is important to evaluate these steps frequently to ensure success. When the process is executed correctly, organizations should put it on display.