Adult Social Care providers support pack

People have many reasons for wanting to work in the care sector. Below are 10 key reasons why. Try adding some of these to your recruitment advertising or specifically ask about the reasons at interview. Skills for Care estimate there could be up to 2.17 million jobs in the sector by 2025 competition is going to be fierce to attract the right sort of people and importantly retain them.  

1. Flexible/Family-friendly hours - Roles in the care sector are often flexible working hours which attracts a lot of job seekers as this works around people’s personal commitments. Working in the evenings or at weekends can be attractive to some people who prefer time off during the normal working week. Parents and students in particular find this style of work hours appealing.
2. Job satisfaction and values - Many individuals are attracted to working in the social care sector as they are aware of how rewarding the role is and how they will feel appreciated by management, service users, their families, and the local community. Job satisfaction and “making a difference” are key drivers in workplace retention.
3. Learning new skills and career progression – The care sector is growing and constantly changing which appeals to workers who are seeking development opportunities. Training and qualifications are expected as a standard offer from most care recruiters and there are good opportunities to build your skills, CV and future employability. Clinical skills are also learned in certain care roles which appeals to medical students looking for work alongside their degree.
4. Demand - Job seekers are increasingly aware of the demand for care staff in the UK. This may encourage job seekers to apply who may not have otherwise had the confidence to apply for the role, however it also means that competition between employers is fiercer, it pays to think about your “package” to attract the best candidates.
5. Strong team ethos – Its often shared that there is a strong sense of team working in the care sector. A workplace that is supportive, empowering and encouraging will always be attractive particularly if people have experienced the opposite in their previous work. Additionally, a positive work environment promotes staff retention.
6. Variety of roles available – There are a vast array of jobs to apply for in the sector which widens the demographic of applicants and offers choice for individuals who want to work in the care sector but are not sure what job is best suited to them. Opportunities exist for upskilling. Jobs available can include care assistant/support worker, gardener, maintenance, chef, nurse, administration, laundry assistant, management, occupational therapist.
7. Job security - The care sector is eagerly recruiting at the moment and is predicted to continue to be an area of growth. The sector is also taking positive steps to improve staff retention which can be appealing to individuals aiming for job security. It may also give less-confident job seekers encouragement to explore and apply for roles if their current work area becomes unstable.
8. Values vs experience - Care role hiring focuses on individual values as well as experience to place the right person in the right job. Values such as the importance of positively transforming lives and empowering civilians will attract individuals to seek care roles.
9. No two days will ever be the same – This is attractive to many job hunters and working in care offers a different work experience every day whether that is in residential/nursing or home support
10. Valuing transferable skills – Many people don’t realise they already have many of the skills and lived experience to work in a care setting and those skills are easily transferred to looking after other people. Try and attract people who have brought up families or cared for other family members. Don’t forget young people, whilst they might not bring those skills immediately they can add a very different dimension to a staff team that is very positive and valued by service users.