In the past 2 years, work-life balance for caregivers has taken on an even greater significance. Many caregivers are acknowledging the stress associated with the job and learning self-care techniques. However, caregivers alone can’t change their attitude toward work-life balance. As a care home supervisor, you have to take proactive steps to help your caregiving team find and maintain a work balance that’s right for them.
Here we discuss some useful insights on how you can promote work-life balance for your caregiving staff.
1. Regularly review workloads:
In any workplace, it is important to ensure that individuals have achievable workloads. This not only helps to prevent stress and burnout but also ensures that tasks are completed in a timely and efficient manner. When assigning tasks, you should take into account your staff’s skills and experience. What may seem like a small task to you may actually take the individual a significant amount of time to complete. Similarly, an experienced employee may be able to complete a task more quickly than someone who is less experienced. By taking these factors into account, supervisors can ensure that everyone has an achievable workload.
2. Acknowledge that every caregiver is different:
Some of your team members may be eager to achieve a better work-life balance, while others may be content with the time they spend working. Some may be willing to work extended hours if it means they can switch off when they get home, while others may be eager to work part-time but feel unsure how to approach the matter with you. By being aware of these different needs, you can design experiences at work that are personalised and cater to the individual preferences of your team members. This will help to create a more positive and productive work environment for everyone.
3. Try offering meaningful perks:
If you are considering perks in the workplace, think twice. You can provide caregivers perks that can save their money and time and alleviate stress. These may include:
- Subsidised gym membership or free fitness classes
- A discount at the dry cleaners
- Coupons for home repairs and maintenance
- Support such as petrol allowance
- Helping care home staff with their tax returns
4. Ensure that the caregivers take their annual leave:
It is important to ensure that caregivers take some time off from work. However, there are always those who seem to forgo their annual leave entitlement. This may seem like a bonus for the organisation in the long term, but it is likely to have a negative effect on the caregiver, particularly if it points to an unhealthy work-life balance. If caregivers are not taking enough time for themselves, it can lead to a host of problems such as decreased productivity and increased mental health issues.
5. Implement time management skills training:
As a care home supervisor, one of your key responsibilities is to ensure that your team receives appropriate training in time management. Poor time management is one of the biggest causes of stress in the workplace and can lead to a number of negative outcomes, such as excessive workloads, working late to catch up and a poor work-life balance. By providing your team with the time management skills they need, you can help to reduce stress levels, promote productivity and encourage a healthier work-life balance.
Note: We have covered some useful information on how those working in assisted living facilities can improve their time management skills – from using electronic MAR charts to starting early and planning their day ahead, this read will help you.
6. Promote social events:
Social events are a great way to encourage staff to interact with each other in a non-stressful environment. This can be beneficial for both networking and building relationships within the workplace. It can also help to promote team building. For example, birthday parties and rewards and recognition events help staff to feel appreciated. In addition, social events can be a great way to unwind after a long day or week at work.
7. Use technology to streamline care home operations:
Many care homes in the UK are using eMAR to streamline medication administration. eMAR helps improve operational efficiency in care homes by automating medication administration.
With eMAR, caregivers can access resident records with just a few clicks and they do not have to manually review MAR sheets. Caregivers can set alerts so that they do not miss any dosage. The software also helps in eliminating the confusion that arises due to illegible handwriting and missed signatures. All this can help in reducing medication errors and eventually improving care quality at your care home.
If you have recently implemented eMAR in your care home facility, make sure that your team receives eMAR chart training. Book a free demo to know how eMAR can help your care home streamline medication management.
