Recruitment and retention are essential elements to the experience of citizens in receipt of care services.
Attracting recruits
- Widen talent pool demographics – refugee and migrant workforce, graduates etc.
- TLAP – advertise to local communities
- Overseas recruitment and sponsorships
- Offer opportunities – career progression, upskilling
- Recruitment events
- Values-based hiring
- Widen advertising of roles
Retention
Why is it important?
- Building strong relationships with vulnerable service users
- Team relationships strengthening
- Saving spending on emergency agency staff
- Building a strong, skilled workforce
What can be done?
- Offer upskilling, qualifications and career progression
- Be open and honest with your workforce
- Work with us and JobCentre+ to find the right people for the right role
- Set realistic expectations
- Training opportunities
What is the Council doing?
- Bringing Job Centre+ and independent sector support providers together - ensuring that they better understand the needs of the care sector in Coventry – what a role in care is, sharing vacancies, which kinds of roles are available.
- Working to grow the pool of interested applicants - increasing the number of sector-specific courses offered by Job Centre + and City College delivered to job seekers (two/three-week course/work experience/guaranteed interview with potential employer)
- Employment “Market Place” Events – held in localities across the city organised in partnership with our Migrant and Refugee Teams and the independent sector employment officers.
- Producing the Provider Support Pack with numerous resources and advice.
Additional considerations for best practice
- Conduct a literacy and numeracy test (view the example format [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/7463/literacy-and-numeracy-test-template])
- Have a clear package of benefits for employees
- Adopt a positive leadership style
- Recognise and reward good work
- Strong and supportive inductions
- Look through provider support pack