Retention Tip: Employee Wellness Programs as a Benefit

We all struggle to attract and keep good employees. It is a struggle in most industries, but it is especially difficult in the Home Care Space. The competition is fierce for the best caregivers, some would even say there is a shortage of quality caregivers.

Our position on this, while controversial is that most Home Care Agencies' issue is more of a retention issue, not recruitment. So, how do you retain your better employees, more importantly, how do you keep those employees so happy they become your greatest recruitment tool? You have a solid retention program.

Many factors will go into a solid retention program, much of these are affected by the stage of the agency's growth and financial positioning, newer agencies may not be able to afford to offer the same benefits that a more established or high performing agency will. What do you do? How can the field be leveled a bit?

One tactic to consider is to offer alternative benefits that show your staff that you are invested in them, even if you cannot offer a full medical / dental benefits package. This is where a wellness program comes in. In the above video, we talk with Dr. Jeffrey Poplarski and Ian Fydel of www.fitnotquit.com about their low cost, but comprehensive wellness program. Here is some of what they have to say about their program.

Dr. Jeffrey Poplarski has created our daily health & nutrition tips (Facts for Life) and exercise database. He has also worked with the US Olympic team in the summer of 2016 in Chula Vista, California and again in 2017 in Colorado Springs. Dr. Jeff's knowledge and expertise has given Fit Not Quit a presence at the US Open where he helped create and lead the wellness committee for the USGA (United States Golf Association- US Open) and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers. We've also had the pleasure of working with assisted living homes and some of the precincts in the NYPD.

With Covid still lurking around we have noticed an increased interest to use our online subscription service. We would love the opportunity to offer the employees of a corporation our daily health/nutrition tips (Facts for Life) and motivational messages which could be viewed on any smart phone, laptop or desktop computer via email. Employees would also be able to access the exercise database at any time of day. We feel now more than ever before is the time to focus on employee health. We believe a healthy employee is a productive and appreciative employee. Our subscription packages are very affordable (less than .10 cents/day, per employee) and will help reduce missed work days, lower workers compensation claims and increase morale at the workplace.

Our premium package is also ideal for residents of nursing/assisted living homes and even clients who are enrolled in home health services. Each resident and/or client would receive a daily health/nutrition tip and a motivational message. A home health aide or resident could review the health/nutrition tip and incorporate it in their clients life. The cost of this package is $2.99/month per subscriber (less than .10 cents per day). If a bulk order is placed we would be willing to discount the package even lower (see below). We recommend the facility or agency pay the cost for "X" amount of clients and pass that expense on to the client so in the end it won't cost the facility/agency a dime and it would set them apart from other facilities/agencies by offering this subscription service. It would also be a tax write off for the company. Packages could also be purchased for home health care & assisted living/nursing home aides as well. Our Premium, Deluxe or Supreme packages would be appropriate for these health care workers.

We had great feedback from the people at the US Open (golf), Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers and the officers at the NYPD. We would welcome the opportunity to offer our life changing subscription packages to employees & residents/clients of nursing/assisted living homes across the country.