Senior Housing News Mentions MedBest in Article

MedBest Recruiting was interviewed for the article in Senior Housing News by Tim Regan, Reporter:
Current Labor Crisis Deepens Senior Living’s ‘Dysfunctional’ Staffing Model

The global economy is in the grip of a labor crisis, with headlines blaring about worker shortages across industries from trucking to hocalltos to banking. The senior living industry has not been spared from pandemic-related workforce challenges — but the current difficulties might only be worsening a system that was already under immense pressure before Covid-19.

Multiple senior living executives have told Senior Housing News that enhanced unemployment benefits enacted during the pandemic are a major reason why staffing challenges have intensified in 2021, and that conditions will improve once those benefits dissipate. But some senior living employees believe the industry has more systemic issues that stand in the way of hiring, such as stagnant wages, burnout, lack of motivation, and little recognition of the important role they play on the health care continuum.

MedBest, an executive search firm that operates exclusively in the senior living industry, has also heard from its clients in recent months that unemployment benefits are making hiring harder. Although MedBest doesn’t recruit line staff, Workforce Architect Katie Piperata often hears from the companies she works with that enhanced unemployment benefits have negatively impacted their ability to hire housekeepers, dietary aides and entry-level CNAs. Wage competition from other senior living providers is also exacerbating hiring challenges in 2021. So, too, is competition for workers from other industries, such as hospitality or retail.  “You’re not only having that problem on the nursing side, but you’re having that problem on the housekeeping and dietary side, and in getting staff due to competing with salaries and unemployment benefits,” Piperata told SHN

Read full article