5 Easy Ways to Motivate Your Caregivers to Upgrade Their Training 

Importance of caregiver training

In an industry saddled with the shortage of home care workers, you want to lessen the burden by doing all you can to retain your top talent and even attract more talent. Many caregivers complain about a lack of training; this is not good for your agency, given the fact that most workers are likely to stay longer in an agency that meets their growth and development goals. Seventy-six percent¹ (76%) of employees say they are likely to join an agency that provides them with opportunities for career advancements and learning. 

To give your agency the edge, it is not just enough to encourage training; you should have an embedded success track into your enhancement program to ensure full participation from your workers. If you have done that, kudos to you! However, if you are struggling to get your caregivers to initiate and complete their training, here are five easy steps you can achieve that – despite their busy schedules: 

1. Provide a flexible learning structure 

2. Give incentives for completion of training  

3. Give them options for specialization 

4. Make it fun 

5. Make it about them not you 

Provide a flexible learning structure 

Statistics show that seventy-four percent² (74%) of workers are willing to learn new skills or re-train in order to remain employable. However, herein lies the problem of conflicting schedules that deter several caregivers from racing to the end of their training—especially for the many caregivers who are busy working for multiple agencies.  Providing a learning model that is flexible, self-paced, and suitable for each caregiver is a benefit to your organization. Anchor LMS Benefits cross-link]. This will help caregivers finish their training on time. 

Give Incentives for completion of training 

Rewards are always a great motivator for getting anything done. You can introduce a reward system where a caregiver who completes their training gets a dollar incentive, a prize or a gift, or whatever you have in mind to reward your team with. Celebrate their little wins. Go a bit further and share a certificate of completion or recognize them on your social media. 

LINK: Download Our Anchor Employee Incentive Guide  

Give them options for specialization 

Today, in the highly competitive labour market, home care agencies are facing the same level of competition as many other companies from big-box retail options like Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc.  An interesting trend right now is companies providing attractive benefits that will keep their workers and draw in new talent. 

However, companies must know that no matter how attractive their incentive is, if it isn’t helping your caregivers improve in areas they desire to grow, they will accept the incentive and leave anyway. Seventy-six percent (76%) of employees say that a company would be more appealing if it offered additional skills training to its staff. 

Home care agencies can create genuine loyalty by making an investment in the futures of their workers by providing them with the resources and education they require to succeed on all fronts—professional development, interpersonal skills, career mobility, disease-specific training, technology skills, etc. Give them options to specialize and choose areas of interest.  If all your training is just compliance-focused, what is really in it for your caregivers? 

Make it Fun 

If it’s fun, then it will be interesting! Learning is easier when it is dynamic and interactive and speaks to the audience you are training. To motivate your caregivers to learn quickly, attach insightful games they can play and win a prize as part of the learning process. This is a method widely used by online learning organizations. It makes learning engaging and motivates completion. [IMAGE] 

Make it about them not you 

It is easy to force your interests and goals on your caregivers without remembering to stop and think about how they feel, and what they want. It’s important to communicate effectively with your caregivers and get feedback from them concerning the training and their general job execution. They have ideas to share too. 

Their growth is also for the benefit of the organization. Be genuinely interested in knowing your workers personally and individually. Involving them in the decision-making process gives them a sense of acceptance and inclusion. Workers who recognize how much the organization is investing in them and prioritizing their interests will have the incentive to stay and give the job their best shot. 

Ensure you make available learning development programs that are tailored specifically for your caregiver’s growth. A survey is a wonderful way to engage and keep a pulse. [Cross reference: Anchor Blog – “How To Maximize Employee Surveys With 3 Simple Strategies]. 

Final Thoughts 

The importance of training cannot be overemphasized. According to 2022 statistics, fifty-nine per cent (59%) of workers say that they received no workplace training and that many of their skills were self-taught while 70% of workers would be very likely to leave their current role to work for a company that places a high priority on employee growth and development. Training is a vital element in a company’s growth. If neglected, your business will suffer. 

We hope you find this information helpful. If you need professional help planning training for your healthcare workers, call here and we will be happy to help plan and facilitate your training.  

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