Scheduling challenges & their impact on caregiver turnover: insights from HomeCare Roundtable

In the ever-evolving landscape of home-based care, industry professionals continually grapple with various challenges, chief among them being personnel issues. This was the central theme of a recent webinar titled “Scheduling Issues & the Impact on Caregiver Turnover,” a HomeCare Roundtable sponsored by AlayaCare. The insightful discussion featured industry experts Courtney Penn, Chase Potter, and Shihwan Chung, who shared valuable perspectives on tackling these challenges. 

Hannah Wolfson – HomeCare Roundtable Moderator 

Courtney Penn – Client Growth Lead, Transcend Strategy Group 

Chase Potter – Vice President of Professional Services, AlayaCare 

Shihwan Chung – President, MedTech 

Watch the full webinar below.  

Unmasking the recruitment and retention conundrum 

Courtney, during her talk, offered an eye-opening perspective on the often-misconstrued problem of recruitment and retention in the home-based care industry. She noted, “When you think you have a recruitment problem, you may in fact have a retention problem.” This notion challenges prevalent perceptions, urging us to view the issue through a different lens. 

Retention problems, Courtney explained, are sly and often masquerade as recruitment problems. While recruitment provides immediate gratification by filling vacant positions, it doesn’t address the root cause of why those vacancies exist in the first place. Understanding this nuanced concept is pivotal in formulating effective strategies to tackle personnel issues. 

The role of technology: an enabler, not a replacement 

Technology’s role in the home-based care industry was another crucial topic discussed during the webinar. Shihwan reminded attendees to keep technology’s role in perspective. He emphasized, “Technology is an enabler, it’s a tool… this is a people’s business.” It’s a vital distinction that while technology can significantly aid in operations, it doesn’t diminish the importance of human relationships in the home-based care industry. 

Scheduling software: a potential solution? 

Chase turned the spotlight onto scheduling software, a tool often overlooked in its potential to affect caregiver turnover. He argued that good scheduling software should “empower schedulers to make decisions and deepen relationships with caregivers and clients.” 

Highlighting the significant turnover statistics in the industry, Chase suggested that improving scheduling software could be a key piece in the puzzle of retention. By enabling better decision-making and fostering stronger relationships, scheduling software can potentially improve caregiver satisfaction and thereby reduce turnover. 

The insights shared by Courtney, Chase, and Shihwan not only shed light on the complex challenges facing the home-based care industry but also sparked new ideas for potential solutions. As we move forward, it becomes increasingly clear that understanding the intricate dynamics of recruitment and retention, harnessing the power of technology, and optimizing tools like scheduling software will be critical in shaping the future of home-based care. 

Check out the full webinar below: