I am not telling you anything new when I write that Elder Care has one of the highest staff turnovers of any industry. The Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service states that CNA turnover is over 40%, while personal care and dining staff is even higher. Yikes!
But this problem is then compounded by a major issue with hiring. Ninety percent of providers say staff recruitment remains difficult (AHCA), and quite honestly, the other ten percent must be smoking something.
It is a difficult environment, and one that is likely to become even more so given the increased demand for elder care resources. The challenge for leadership is to create a culture that encourages retention and strong employee branding. One highly effective way to do this is through the Gift of GAB (Goals, Attitude, Behavior).
Net Worth vs. Self-Worth
The Gift of GAB primarily works on the basis that improving employees’ self-worth is significantly easier and more effective than improving their net worth.
In a highly cost-conscious industry, it is virtually impossible for leaders to significantly improve employee net worth. While some facilities offer sign-on bonuses of up to $5,000 for qualified CNAs, this does nothing to retain them beyond a limited time, and indeed, you could argue that sign-on bonuses encourage turnover.
The wage for frontline caregivers is generally not much above retail or hospitality, yet the challenges—physical and emotional—surely deserve a much higher hourly rate, which you are unlikely to be able to pay.
So what can you do to retain good staff? The answer lies in intentionally working to improve employee self-worth, which will prove significantly more effective for retention and recruitment.
The Gift of GAB
The Irish are famous for the Gift of GAB, which some people say is our ability to spew out voluminous torrents of words without pausing for breath! However, the Gift of GAB I wish to address today—one that will help you create an even better work environment while improving employee self-worth—is GAB as an acronym for Goals, Attitude, Behavior. In this article, we will address the power of Goals to enhance culture and employee self-worth.
Goals: Macro and Micro
Much is written about clear goals and vision and how to develop them. It is my belief that it can be boiled down to one simple Macro-Goal: What do we want to be famous for?
At the C-suite level, the question can be expanded to:
“What is it we want residents and families to say about us when talking about our facility?”
This question gets you away from corporate speak to what people really say—and what you want them to say.
Corporate speak:
“We are committed to delivering excellence in person-centered, high-quality care.”
Seriously, would a family ever use this phrasing?
Family speak:
“They treat him like family. I know they care.”
The latter, I would suggest, is what you really want to be famous for.
The power of the question is that it can apply to each individual in your facility:
“What do I want to be famous for?”
“What do I want residents to say about me when they see me coming?”
“What do I want families to say about me when I’m not in the room?”
Good introspection around this question will help each employee to be more focused and, ultimately—as we will see—more valued.
Micro-Goals – The C.H.A.P.S. Concept
Here we look at five Micro-Goals (C.H.A.P.S.) that will help each employee deliver on their “famous for” objective.
In my workshops, I ask how attendees feel when they achieve a goal. General responses are: great, happy, relieved—a sense of achievement, motivated.
Goal achievement activates positive neurochemicals—dopamine, endorphins, etc.—in the brain. This applies whether we achieve a large goal or a small one. We simply feel better.
The English author Anthony Trollope wrote:
“A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labors of a spasmodic Hercules.”
This Irishman suggests that:
“A small daily goal, if truly done daily, WILL substantially improve employee self-worth.”
The logic of the five C.H.A.P.S. Micro-Goals is that they provide a win-win for you and your employees. They are:
- Compliment
- Hear “Thank You”
- Address by Name
- Positive Words / Phrases
- Smile
Compliment
You know how you feel when you are complimented—motivated and appreciated. Your self-worth grows. So let’s take this knowledge and set it as a Micro-Goal.
“My Micro-Goal today is that I will deliberately compliment one staff member.”
What happens when you achieve your Micro-Goal? You hear yourself compliment a colleague, your brain recognizes that you have achieved a goal, and you get a small dopamine boost—you feel better.
But what about the person you have complimented? They feel appreciated.
It is a win-win situation where you are building employee self-worth.
Hear “Thank You”
Set yourself a daily goal: I will hear “thank you” from a colleague.
Now, quite likely you were told “thank you” a few times yesterday, but it just went over your head. If, however, you set yourself a goal to do something positive for a colleague, when you hear “thank you,” what happens?
“Hey, I’ve achieved a Micro-Goal.” Dopamine hits. I feel better.
But what about the person saying “thank you”? They appreciate you more. You’ve done something to build their self-worth.
It’s a win-win.
Address by Name
If you wish a person to feel connected, address them by name. The most impactful word when you are in conversation with me is “Conor.” (My parents couldn’t afford two ‘n’s back in Ireland.)
The most impactful word when you are in conversation with frontline staff and those who report to you is their name. You are ‘seeing’ them. They feel valued.
When you achieve this daily Micro-Goal, it is another win-win.
Positive Words / Phrases
We have all been at meetings where Danny Downer and his twin sister Debbie Downer suck the energy out of a room with negative commentary.
The converse can also apply.
When you set yourself a daily Micro-Goal to use positive words and phrases—Amazing, Brilliant, Cheerful, Delightful, Energetic (I could keep going!)—you can change the atmosphere.
From my work, I know that over time, the environment and leadership style you create may well be described using those very same words.
It is a win-win because you intentionally and deliberately set and achieve a Micro-Goal that builds employee self-worth.
Smile
“The shortest distance between two people is a smile.” — Victor Borge
And ain’t that the truth?
When you achieve the Micro-Goal of putting a smile on a staff member’s face, you are building connection and their self-worth.
In another article, I can explain how to do this, but guess what happens if you implement the first element of C.H.A.P.S.—a simple compliment.
It will put a smile on their face, make their day, build self-worth, and substantially improve your chances of retaining that employee.
Final Thought
As a leader, you can address high turnover rates by concentrating on employee self-worth rather than net worth.
Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks – is happily exiled in Chicago where he has been force fed more corned beef and green beer than he ever had in Ireland. Conor has worked with clients from Harley-Davidson to Helsinki, from Memphis to Madrid. His mission is to improve People, Performance and Productivity with a Smile. He wants to be famous for leaving clients with a smile on the face, a spring in the step and memorable, actionable takeaways to improve the workplace. cc@IrishmanSpeaks.com
