HaroldUrman
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Aug 6, 2009, 11:00 AM
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Valuing Residents by Valuing Workers
By Harold N. Urman, Ph.D., Co-founder of Vital Research
Exciting changes are happening in the senior housing industry. Most of these changes, initiated by the culture change movement, are focused on making senior housing a better place to live and work.
What is Culture Change?
Culture change is a movement to:
1) transform senior housing into a more person-centered environment where the needs and preferences of the individual come first and,
2) put greater emphasis on recognizing employees for the knowledge and experience they bring to their work providing services to residents.
A few examples of culture change are:
. providing more opportunities for independent living residents to participate in resident associations that shape the mission and vision of the community;
. giving nursing home residents more choices about when and what they eat and restructuring communities to look more home-like; and
. encouraging staff to be independent and think creatively about providing services to residents.
Who is Involved in Culture Change?
Culture change involves everyone living or working in senior housing. Culture change is most successful when managers believe in the changes that must be made and employees are given opportunities to participate in the process.
The senior housing industry is making great strides in enhancing service quality and employee job quality. Providers are educating themselves about culture change and assessing the needs of their community regarding positive change.
Several initiatives have come to the forefront as examples of successful culture change. These initiatives have focused on the physical environment of communities, improved worker training, developing new and more positive workplace climates and creating more resident-responsive communities. What all of these initiatives have in common is that they strive to improve resident satisfaction by improving employee satisfaction.
Why Should I Care About Culture Change?
Consumers looking for good quality service need to care about worker’s job satisfaction because of the important link between job quality, quality of care, and resident satisfaction.
When you are considering your senior housing options, there are many factors to consider about what kind of community you are looking for. These days, senior living communities are more focused on hospitality and providing home-like environments for their residents. The way a community treats its residents and employees plays a large role in its success. Those who have face-to-face contact with residents play an especially important role in providing high-quality services. Because of this, employee job satisfaction can strongly influence the culture of a community and can affect resident satisfaction.
What questions should you ask when looking for senior housing options -
What do you need to know to find the best?
When investigating your senior housing options, there are some important questions you can ask to determine whether the community is a good place to work and may be a good place to call home.
1. What is your employee turnover rate per year?
Look for a community with an annual turnover rate lower than the national average which is around 67% .
2. Do you measure employee satisfaction each year?
Communities that measure employee satisfaction have more information against which they can measure their success.
3. Are development programs available?
Programs such as peer mentor programs, career ladders, and professional development such as training and continuing education lead to greater job satisfaction.
4. Do you offer health insurance and sick leave to your employees?
Employees are more satisfied with their jobs when they receive medical benefits.
AHCA Survey Nursing Staff Vacancy and Turnover Survey/2007
Culture change is a rapidly growing movement within senior housing. Changes in community culture as a result of this movement will improve both employee and resident satisfaction. Consumers who identify communities committed to positive change may find that these communities are best suited to their needs. It is important for all involved in culture change to play an active role in educating themselves about creating a person-centered environment, and by supporting and advocating for creative solutions. If you are interested in learning more about the culture change movement, please visit the Pioneer Network at www.pioneernetwork.net.
Harold N. Urman, Ph.D. is an educational psychologist and co-founder of Vital Research, a consulting firm specializing in research and evaluation. Established in 1982 and based in Los Angeles, Vital Research is a national research and consulting firm with expertise in senior living services satisfaction measurement.
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(This post was edited by HaroldUrman on Aug 6, 2009, 11:55 AM)
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