Throughout October and November, we’re putting the spotlight on retaining staff. Over the next two months we’ll be sharing information and ideas through blogs, articles, and social media posts to help you #RetainToGain.
Investing in staff retention is vital to the success of any organisation. It helps with the continuity of high-quality care, staff wellbeing, time and cost savings, and positive Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings.
Employers with a turnover of less than 10% told us that their main activities contributing to staff retention were:
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investing in learning and development
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embedding the values of their organisation
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celebrating organisational and individual achievements
We can provide support to help you retain your workforce and ensure you have the right people with the right values working with you.
Start as you mean to go on
The first few weeks in any role are particularly important to ensure new starters understand your culture, vision, and values, and what’s expected of them.
Getting this right from the moment your new employee walks in the door, will help to keep them on-board for the long-term.
Provide a supportive induction
It’s important to provide a thorough induction so that people feel fully supported from day one and quickly become a loyal member of the team. You’ll also need to make sure they have the right skills, knowledge, and confidence to do their job.
Find out more
Embed your values
Embedding strong workplace values can help you retain staff by ensuring you recruit people who match your values. It helps to foster a sense of belonging and supports the development of a positive workplace culture.
Learn more about embedding values
Investing in learning and development
87% of employers we spoke to felt offering learning and development opportunities improved staff commitment. Staff feel valued because they can see you’re investing in them, and it also ensures they have the skills and knowledge to carry out their role effectively and feel confident to do so. This means staff are more likely to continue to progress their career within your organisation.
Funding for training
We can help support adult social care workers develop the right skills and knowledge with funding for related training and qualifications, that can support their career progression. We also have funding specifically available for individual employers and personal assistants.
Access the funding
Learning and development guide
Ongoing learning will help ensure workers stay up-to-date with best practice and develop their knowledge and skills, which can support with job satisfaction and retention. Our 'Guide to developing your staff' will help you plan, deliver, and evaluate learning and development.
View the guide
Finding a learning provider
Our Endorsement recognises learning providers who deliver high-quality learning and development to the social care sector. Use our directory to find a provider in your area who can help to boost staff skills and encourage progression, making your team more likely to stay.
Find endorsed eLearning courses
Digital learning for managers
Our online modules support the development of aspiring, new or experienced managers. They can support retention as your staff grow into more senior roles, giving them the confidence they need.
Access the digital learning modules
Apprenticeships
A fantastic way to upskill and retain existing staff. Also, providing mentoring opportunities to existing staff to support apprentices can support retention as it gives your team a new level of responsibility and chance to share their skills.
Find out more
Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE)
A programme to help employers support newly qualified social workers (NQSWs). Showing this level of commitment to the development of NQSWs makes them more likely to stay with you.
Find out more
Create a positive place to work
A positive place to work encourages your staff to stay. It’s vital to delivering high-quality care and support and helps to ensure your workforce are loyal and proud to be part of your organisation.
See the resources
Delivering high-quality care
Our guide draws on practical examples from CQC reports and regulated providers to share best practice tips.
Access the Good and outstanding (GO) guide
Workforce wellbeing
Our wellbeing area has a range of resources to support you and your team’s wellbeing. Our wellbeing resource finder which pulls in Skills for Care and other third-party resources all in one place.
View the wellbeing area
Retaining registered managers
Registered managers play a key role in the sector. This is a very rewarding role but can be challenging and isolating, particularly in the current climate. It’s important that registered managers are invested in by their employer and have the opportunity to connect with others to keep them on-board.
Registered manager networks
There are over 150 local networks across England which support managers and deputy managers to share knowledge and access peer support. They’re currently being delivered virtually, and many have WhatsApp groups allowing managers to stay in touch in current times.
Find your local network
Registered manager membership
We support them to develop best practice and knowledge, keep up to date with sector developments and share ideas with peers. Membership helps recognise the importance of the registered manager role.
See our membership offer
Development opportunities
We aim to provide dedicated support and information for registered managers and frontline managers to develop them in their role through webinars and bite-size resources, podcasts, our Facebook group, and mentoring workshops for our members.
Find out what’s available
#RetainToGain blogs and articles
How to support retention of your registered managers
We spoke with two nominated individuals to gain their insight on how they support and retain their registered managers, especially during these challenging times.
Read the article
Social care leaders share how our 'Digital learning for managers' modules can support leadership and retention
Our ‘Digital learning for managers’ modules have been designed to develop aspiring and new managers.
Read the article
Using the Care Friends app to support better recruitment and retention
The Care Friends app, launched by recruitment thought-leader Neil Eastwood in partnership with Skills for Care, providing an innovative solution for social care recruitment and retention. Find out what social care employers had to say about the app.
Read the article
What is retention and why is it important?
Access different tools, resources, and projects we have available to help you retain staff. Retention is about creating a strong and loyal workforce who stay with your organisation for the long-term. Find out how more about how to #RetainToGain.
Read the article