Workforce Challenges Take Center Stage at LeadingAge National Leadership Summit
LeadingAge National’s annual Leadership Summit returned in person to the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC this March, providing members from across the country with the opportunity to hear from experts – and each other – on shared challenges and potential solutions to the issues affecting the spectrum of senior care. Top-of-mind throughout the event was the changing workforce and how providers can shape and frame their efforts to successfully attract the talent they need to ensure high-quality care for the seniors they serve.
Surveys of the workforce featured in keynote addresses confirmed what many providers have observed in their own communities: the U.S. and its workers are aging, and as the pandemic has raged on, priorities have evolved for new “recruits.” Today’s workers, noted Society for Human Resource Management President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr., do not just want perks and job security; instead, they are looking for higher pay and a clear path to advancement in their careers. Rather than the ability to work remotely, those surveyed in late 2021 prioritized flexibility in how they work. And, perhaps most importantly, those searching for a job today desire not only sympathy, but also true empathy from their employers as they work to become successful in their careers and personal lives.
The summit’s in-person sessions offered provider members and other stakeholders the chance to share the practical solutions and innovative approaches their organizations are taking to address these demographic shifts, including – but certainly not limited to – robust internship programs with local colleges and high schools; planned, guaranteed overtime for employees who would otherwise need to work two jobs; integrating discussions about advancement into onboarding; improving resident-staff relations; and being mindful of generational differences in anxiety management when developing training and organizational policies.
Be sure to join LeadingAge NY at its in-person Annual Conference and Exposition from May 23rd to 25th at The Saratoga Hilton and Saratoga Springs City Center for additional opportunities to connect with experts and your peers from across the state on the latest in workforce news and senior care. For more information, visit the conference webpage here.
Contact: Annalyse Komoroske Denio, akomoroskedenio@leadingageny.org, 518-887-8866