Jo Guy, CEO, AJ Recruitment
The UK’s social care sector is no stranger to the persistent challenges of recruitment and retention. Here, Jo Guy, CEO of social care recruitment specialists AJ Recruitment, shares insights into the UK adult social care recruitment market and provides valuable tips on how to improve staff retention.
A fluctuating market
Between April 2022 and March 2023, we witnessed the number of filled posts increase modestly by 1%, following a 4% drop the previous year. The vacancy rate also saw a slight reduction, dropping from 10.6% to 9.9% in 2022-23. One of the factors behind this vacancy rate drop is due to the surge in international recruitment after care workers were added to the shortage occupation list in February 2022.
Market predictions
In 2022-23, 8.4% of posts were filled by agency and/or bank staff compared to 7.9% in 21/22. However, I expect that reliance on agency and bank staff will decrease slightly over the coming year due to organisations investing in technology to enhance internal efficiency. To support organisations making this transition, we have launched Total Talent Partnership – a three-tier package which provides levels of consultancy to improve recruitment strategies and processes from within, reducing reliance on agency supply and reducing costs.
The wider economy will continue to significantly influence recruitment in social care. We saw this at the beginning of the pandemic when there were fewer job opportunities in the wider economy. This contributed to a fall in vacancy rates in adult social care as people losing jobs elsewhere took up roles in the social care sector. In March 22, as the economy reopened, there were more job opportunities in the wider market and so social care sector faced increased competition for talent.
Despite a slight reduction in vacancies in the wider economy to 3.4% in April 2023, the rate remains historically high and the number of opportunities available in other sectors continues to challenge adult social care employers in their search for staff. I think this trend is likely to continue over the coming 12 months, despite more organisations recruiting from abroad.
Retention tips
Looking ahead, it’s important for social care providers to not only attract but also retain their valuable workforce. Here are three practical tips to help you improve employee retention:
Leverage employee referrals and past employees: Companies can expand their talent pool by up to 10 times by recruiting through their own employees’ networks. In addition, according to Skills for Care research, employee referrals see 50% less year one attrition than the sector average.
Implement a values-based recruitment approach: Ensuring that personal values align with organisational values is a powerful retention strategy. According to a recent Skills for Care case study, a values-based recruitment approach can lead to 62% reduction in absence rates and a 52% improvement in punctuality.
Invest in non-mandatory development opportunities: Whilst mandatory training is vital, offering additional learning and development opportunities is equally important. Recent CIPD research revealed that 94% of employees who were satisfied with their organisation’s learning and development opportunities were more inclined to stay. Additionally, 76% of UK employees considered non-mandatory training and development offerings as crucial factors in their decision to remain with their employer.
Care providers must remain adaptable and open to innovation to find and keep the people they need in their organisations. By understanding the recruitment landscape and implementing effective recruitment and retention strategies and having a proactive agency partner, organisations can rise to the challenges and ensure the continued provision of vital services to those who depend on them.
