From The Great Resignation To “The Great Onboarding?” (2022)

While 2021 was the year of The Great Resignation, will 2022 be the year of The Great Onboarding?

It’s been about 8 months since the term The Great Resignation was coined and entered our terminology. It refers to the mass exodus of workers, including those in Senior Living, from their current jobs due to the stress of the pandemic. The ongoing pandemic has given workers plenty of time to rethink their careers, work/life balance, working conditions, and company culture.

Qualtrics XM Institute research reported in December 2021 that 72.4 million U.S. employees (52 percent of the workforce) are likely to look for a new job within the next six months. However, these employees will not be complacent. They will jump ship for an employer who cares about their health, safety, compensation, as well as their desire for flexibility when it comes to traditional work schedules.

While this all seems like negative news, the reality is that The Great Resignation caused very talented people to be in the job market and smart organizations, including Senior Living organizations, should snatch them up. Leaders should capitalize on this talent shift and attract new talent looking for a better work environment and experience. Hence, The Great Onboarding!

According the Society of Human Resource Management or SHRM, employee onboarding is “the process of integrating a new employee with a company and its culture, as well as getting a new hire the tools and information needed to become a productive member of the team.”  However, while the definition remains the same, employee onboarding in 2022 takes on a new twist: Remote work is here to stay.

That said, onboarding needs to improve with the changes ushered in by the pandemic. Remote onboarding needs to align closely with in-person onboarding for consistent results. New hires want to feel connected and need a sense of belonging and especially those who work remote. If their requirements aren’t met, they’ll say “I quit” in no time.

Here are some easy and early onboarding tips to follow:

• Send any company info and papers needing signatures via electronic signature, even before the new employee starts. Early engagement is key to retention.
• Once signed, send them a video of their hiring manager or team offering a warm welcome.
• Highlight your commitment to them by sending a welcome kit or basket with goodies and promotional items such as company pens, coffee mugs and shirts, etc.
• Make sure they have all tools needed (on their first day) to be successful including the latest technology.
• Schedule the training or coaching needed whether in-person or virtually.
• Create meaningful connections in-person and virtually such as on-site or digital lunches and create group activities, if possible.
• Provide information about the growth potential for their specific position or upward mobility. Give them a glimpse into an exciting future.
• For more onboarding tips, visit SHRM

To sum it up for all businesses, and of course, Senior Living:

• Hiring has changed in the wake of the pandemic
• We’re never going back to onboarding the way it used to be
• New hires have new standards and will leave if you’re mediocre
• Onboarding directly impacts employee retention rates
• All employees, whether on-site or remote, want to know that their employer cares about their health, safety, desire for flexibility, compensation, and company culture
• Virtual onboarding must be comparable and align with in-person onboarding

ABOUT JULIE RUPENSKI

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting. Since opening its doors in 2001, Julie has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including INC 5000 2021 and Tampa Bay Fast 50 2021! Julie also made the list of the “Women We Admire” in Tampa for 2022!

Julie’s company has gained national recognition due to her industry expertise and high level of success. Julie has an in-depth knowledge of the Senior Living Industry.  She previously worked in operations for both Senior Housing and Senior Living prior to founding MedBest. Today, Julie makes it her personal and professional mission to place qualified executives in health care positions where they have the greatest impact.

Julie earned her degree in Gerontology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and continues to cultivate her career through senior living conferences, forums, trade shows, and expos.

Contact Julie Rupenski at jrupenski@www.medbest.com / 727-526-1294.

(Julie’s industry articles and interviews have been published in Provider Magazine, Argentum Quarterly, LeadingAge Magazine, Florida Health Care Association, Florida Assisted Living Association, Florida Senior Living Association, LeadingAge Florida, LeadingAge Indiana, Pennsylvania Health Care Association, Oregon Health Care Association, and Virginia Assisted Living Association.)

ABOUT MEDBEST

MedBest is an award-winning national Executive Search Firm exclusive to the Senior Living Industry established in 2001.  We recruit and acquire exceptional senior care talent, permanent and interim executives, for the full continuum of LTC facilities across the US including Assisted Living, Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Independent Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Health Care.

Contact us at 727-526-1294 / info@www.medbest.com