Insights into Industry Benchmarking - Workforce Issues

The Residential Aged Care sector is currently facing severe staffing issues. Staff turnover in residential aged care increased by 18.02% in 2021 compared to 2020, peaking in the July to September quarter. For most of 2021, staff turnover remained above 8% per quarter, and while residential aged care has experienced high turnover rates in the past, it has not exceeded 8% since 2002. Agency staff usage has had a dramatic rise as well, tripling in the 2021 October to December quarter when compared to the same time in 2020. Absenteeism is up 15.93% over the same period.

We are seeing these staffing issues reflected in other health care sectors. Staff turnover is up sharply in the home care sector, it has more than doubled in the 2021 October to December quarter compared to the same period in the previous year. Day hospital staff turnover has also had a massive increase, 49.18% higher in 2021 compared to 2020. The use of agency staff in day hospitals has decreased sharply, in part due to the reduction in patient procedures.

The impact of COVID-19 and the mandates are having a significant effect on workforce issues across the residential aged care, home care and hospital sectors. High staff turnover and absenteeism over time bring multiple urgent challenges to the forefront for providers, including the ability to provide an adequate workforce to deliver care and services, and sustain a skilled and stable workforce.

In times when staff retention is becoming an issue across the industry sectors, it's more important than ever to be proactive and seek out feedback from your employees to identify issues that can be improved and addressed. The QPS Employee Satisfaction Survey runs annually from January to March, and provides you with extensive insight into your employee's views on your organisation and practices. Our detailed benchmark reports will help you develop targeted action plans to help keep your staff happy and productive and head off problems before they become systemic.                                                       

To conduct the QPS Employee survey or benchmark your HR indicator results against the relevant industry sector, click here or call us on 02 4229 5880.