Assisted living providers learn strategies to tackle staffing challenges
LOS ANGELES: In response to “unprecedented” staffing challenges, one state senior living association organized a workforce symposium to provide resources and tools to help assisted living providers with employee recruitment, retention and onboarding.
The Wisconsin Assisted Living Association hosted the gathering in September to provide strategies to help providers facing staffing challenges while facing a rapidly aging population already knocking on their doors.
Approximately 90 assisted living professionals attended the event, along with educational institutions, human resource leaders, educators and organizations, including the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Milwaukee Area Technical College, YMCA of Greater Waukesha County, TalentGro, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WisCaregiver Careers and the International Institute of Wisconsin.
Representatives from some of those groups participated in panel discussions and breakout sessions about local workforce development resources and support, rethinking talent acquisitions, the ongoing experience and improving staff retention.
The morning portion of the workforce symposium also featured a career fair where 140 students from four local high schools met with assisted living providers to learn about potential jobs and career options in the field.
WALA President and CEO Mike Pochowski said that the symposium came about after discussions with members. He called it a success, saying that providers departed with resources they could use immediately in their communities to help recruit and retain employees, and students were exposed to career opportunities in assisted living.
“We wanted an opportunity to introduce high school students to the many career paths that the assisted living industry offers,” Pochowski said. “Further, we wanted to strengthen partnerships with educational institutions and workforce agencies to build a sustainable workforce.”
Although the symposium was the association’s first in-person event dedicated to finding solutions to the workforce challenge, Pochowski said, WALA is looking into other ways to offer workforce development tools to assisted living providers, including hosting career fairs throughout the state to connect high school students with operators.