Why Thanking Your Caregivers is Good for Business

Caregivers are so crucial to the caregiving workforce. The demand for qualified caregivers is far greater than the supply, leaving agencies in a position where attracting and keeping caregivers has become a topic that demands constant attention.  If your agency has experienced high turnover or difficulty bringing in new talent, a simple place to start would be to ask yourself “How are you thanking your caregivers?”

We all love to be recognized. Caregivers at all levels are underappreciated and underrecognized, and we can change that. Here are 10 ways you can thank your caregivers today.

1. Utilize Digital Appreciation Solutions – Take a look at personnel appreciation platforms like Thnks and Alyce (you can identify and compare different companies on software review sites like G2 and Capterra), digital solutions that enable you to text your staff members a quick thank you gift. Promoted as tools to help build strong business relationships through personalized gestures of appreciation, these platforms are designed to bring the personalized touch of human connection to technology and convenience
2. Award a Restaurant Gift Card – If you have a favorites sheet that your caregivers fill out upon hiring, ask them what their favorite restaurant is so that you can reward them with lunch or dinner. Small gestures of personalized appreciation can go a long way in team-building and making your caregivers feel like you pay attention to their individual needs.
3. Award a Spa or Nail Gift Card based on Caregiver Feedback/Ratings – If you have a favorites sheet that your caregivers fill out upon hiring, ask them what their favorite restaurant is so that you can reward them with lunch or dinner. Small gestures of personalized appreciation can go a long way in team-building and making your caregivers feel like you pay attention to their individual needs.
4. Be sensitive to pocketbook issues, offer gas cards or cell phone bill vouchers – We all know how much time caregivers spend in their cars, and on their phones (for agencies who don’t provide business cell phones) traveling for work to see and communicate with their patients. A gas card can go a long way as a thank you. Home health aides and other caregivers often have to use their personal cell phones as well to keep up with schedules, and even complete care plans if the agency uses mobile ready home health software. Removing some of the burdens of expense from your staff fosters goodwill that will set your agency apart from others while making them feel valued.
5. Verbal Affirmations – Sometimes that’s all you need, it’s simple. Thanking your caregivers verbally is a huge reminder that their work matters. Coming from management and supervisors, this means a lot. Make an effort to learn about their families, mark birthdays, give positive feedback, and thank them for the simple little things they do for your business and for their patients.
6. Regular recognition programs (caregiver of the week/month) – It warms our hearts to feel recognized by our superiors, and caregivers are no exception to this. Recognize a caregiver that you feel deserves to be rewarded for the quality care that they provide on a daily basis.
7. Appreciation lunches or events – Whether you take one caregiver lunch or host an event at your office – hosting lunches or events to appreciate your staff goes a long way to show your staff that you care. This makes it about them, and the impact of the work that they do every day.
8. Self-care apps – There are many applications in both the Apple and Android app stores that give tips, advice, and guidance to caregivers and nurses. One example is DAMES USA. Maybe pick one and send it in your next email blast or newsletter.
9. Explain to them the impact of the work that they are doing – Maybe there’s a patient that has improved significantly since a specific caregiver started working with them, pull them aside, or call them – to tell them about these improvements. A lot of people become caregivers because they want to do work that matters. It’s easy to lose sight of why they may have applied or accepted the job, but it’s also very easy to remind them of their purpose.
10. Incentives raises, or bonuses – Most caregivers do not enter the caregiving field for pay. It’s generally not the most important priority when picking a job. However, it cannot hurt to financially incentivize caregivers for a job well done, or picking up an extra shift when you needed it most. Offer an extra dollar an hour, or host a raffle for those that picked up an extra shift for the month. These seemingly mundane incentives add up over time, and your caregivers will be immensely thankful.