A care home operator has launched a major review of its workplace culture for its “exhausted workers” following the pandemic.
Renaissance Care, which has homes across the north and north-east, has noted a rise in resignations from staff who are exhausted and stressed after a relentless two years at the forefront of the fight against Covid.
Now that the country is moving to a living with Covid strategy, many organisations are reflecting on the past two years.
Renaissance Care, has launched a full review across its 16 sites looking at the culture, working practice, and its health and well-being offering.
This includes moving away from a 12-hour shifts by introducing flexible working, upgrading staff rooms and operational and accounting systems to slash the amount of time staff spend on paperwork.
Staff retention is a ‘massive issue’ for care industry
Louise Barnett, managing director at Renaissance Care, said: “It is absolutely clear that staff retention and recruitment across the care industry is a massive issue on the back of the pandemic.
“It comes as no shock that staff, who have had an incredibly difficult two years looking after our most vulnerable in society, would consider changing careers.”
Renaissance Care employs over 1,200 in care homes across Scotland, including three in Aberdeen, two in Aberdeenshire, and one in both Forres and Inverness.
New benefits will be implemented, including a health and well-being package which will offer free access to danceSing for all members – encouraging staff to get active through fitness classes with a saving of around £400 a year.
‘At the heart of our plans for recovery is our people’
The organisation has also committed to becoming a Scottish Living Wage employer and will begin by implementing a minimum 5% pay increase for all staff.
Based on feedback, work will begin to make the workplace more LGBTQ+ and menopausal friendly.
Ms Barnett added: “Operationally, the care sector has always functioned in a certain way but now, as we begin to recover from the pandemic, it is time to turn it on its head and set a high benchmark for what the industry will look like for years to come.
“We need to modernise the offering for care staff and ensure that they can remain dedicated to delivering the best quality care while having a work-life balance that allows a career around family and personal life.”
Robert Kilgour, chairman of Renaissance Care, said: “Despite all that we have been through since the start of the pandemic, we remain very positive about the direction of the business and at the heart of our plans for recovery is our people.
“We are investing, developing and working alongside our team, ensuring that we can attract and retain the very best of talent to perpetuate a person-centred approach across each of our homes for staff, as well as residents.”
