Addressing the staffing crisis by design

Excerpted from the article in Environments for Aging by Michael Rodebaugh, AIA: 

The senior living industry is facing a staffing crisis. Over the next decade, a surge in the aging population will create unprecedented demand for residential care. Meanwhile, many providers report difficulty attracting new employees and retaining those they have.

According to OnShift, a long-term care labor-management company, the senior-care profession will need to add 2.3 million new workers by 2030. Making up for the shortfall will require senior living providers to rethink how they appeal to a new generation of employees.

Millennial and gen-z workers are drawn to careers that offer a strong sense of purpose and the opportunity to work collaboratively with others. They are creative and tech-savvy, with a keen appreciation for how smart technology can be used to automate and improve. They are goal-oriented, which means they become highly engaged when their efforts and creativity are rewarded, tend to live more active lifestyles, and place a high premium on health and wellness.

Creating a company culture that supports the needs of employees starts with design. A thoughtfully designed community can help attach employees to a sense of purpose and strengthen collaboration, using technology and design thinking to make the job less stressful and more rewarding. An employee-friendly workplace produces healthier workers who view their job as meaningful, treat their coworkers as teammates, and view their employers as supportive partners in their own future.

Read the entire article:

Environments for Aging