For the home care industry, nothing is more important than ensuring that the people you hire are delivering high-quality patient care. A key factor in achieving this is maintaining high caregiver show rates. Missed visits and absenteeism can be incredibly detrimental to a patient’s wellbeing; imagine your loved one is waiting for someone to help them out of bed in the morning, or assist them with their daily routine, and their caregiver doesn’t show up.

This type of disruption is not only harmful to your patients, but to your organization’s reputation as well. In order to succeed on all fronts, motivating caregivers to consistently show up for their shifts is key. Let’s explore the following strategies to boost show rates among caregivers.

1. Offer competitive compensation and perks

These days—with turnover rates in the home care industry at a staggering 77%—it’s not enough just to offer decent wages. Companies must consider both competitive compensation and comprehensive perks in order to keep caregivers happy.  

For W-2 companies, this might include re-evaluating your benefits package. Are you offering competitive benefits such as adequate vacation time and comprehensive medical and dental plans? Yet companies with both W-2 and 1099 workforces should consider incentives beyond traditional benefits. Things like bonuses or rewards, financial wellness tools, mental health resources, and more can all add to your company’s ability to engage your caregivers and boost their loyalty.

2. Provide flexible scheduling options 

Most healthcare organizations have started to realize that the industry’s high attrition may stem from long hours and unsustainable schedules, and home care organizations need to follow suit. Today’s workforce is burned out from these outdated expectations; they crave more scheduling flexibility and better work-life balance. In fact roughly a third of Gen Z and millennials say work-life balance is the most important quality they look for in a job.

Flexible scheduling needs to take into account people’s individual needs and personal obligations, like child care and school schedules, personal medical appointments, and even second jobs or side hustles. It should also try to minimize travel time for caregivers. Consider implementing a system that considers caregiver location when assigning shifts. By reducing travel and commute time, you reduce the risk of missed shifts and offer more schedule flexibility to caregivers.

3. Invest in the best tech

Equipping caregivers with the right tech can go a long way in boosting show rates by creating a more seamless day-to-day experience. Technology that lets caregivers access client information, track their schedules, and communicate with your staffing agency in real-time can simplify workflows and reduce administrative burdens that might cause delays in care or decision making.

Everything from AI workforce management for home care to instant, digital payouts after each shift can help ensure your caregivers have a better day-to-day experience at work; one that’s more convenient, hassle-free, and rewarding. By ensuring this streamlined work and payments experience, you’ll create more loyalty to your organization and cut down on missed shifts and turnover.

4. Prioritize open communication and recognition

Rewarding caregivers who have high attendance rates is a great way to lift morale and incentivize them to keep showing up for their shifts. You might consider one-off bonuses, gift cards, or other rewards to show your caregivers how much you value their high attendance rates.

Studies show that a staff recognition program can lead to an 11.1% average increase in employee performance. A recognition program is a great way to demonstrate that your company values—and rewards—exemplary performers, and may boost caregiver show rates and loyalty in the process.

5. Offer fast, flexible payments—without fees

The typical two-week pay cycle has become outdated in today’s labor market, where talent is seeking more speed and flexibility out of their payroll. By offering same-day digital payments to caregivers, you incentivize them to keep showing up for work—and even pick up extra shifts. This positive cycle can boost show rates and loyalty with your home care organization, keeping both patients and caregivers happy.

But providing faster pay isn’t much of a solution if it’s saddled with high fees for you or your caregivers. A solution like Branch offers same-day pay without fees for you or your caregivers, providing a boost to their financial wellness and boosted loyalty to your organization.

Why the future of home care is fueled by faster pay

Home care organizations who can keep caregivers motivated with faster access to pay are one step closer to boosting show rates and loyalty. Delivering this valuable incentive, along with the other initiatives above, can help your organization strengthen its reputation, improve patient outcomes, and scale and grow for future success. 

Learn more about Branch for home healthcare

See how leading staffing firm StaffHealth used Branch to boost show rates.