Use These Management Strategies to Grow Home Care Business

One of the things I have learned from working in the home-based care industry is the importance of being a good student and following what is tried and true. New home care business owners who initially tried to get creative in operations were delayed in growth by a year or two, until they realized that the answers were there in the beginning.

When you reach a steady 1,000 hours per week, that is the time to innovate and use creativity. Until that point, implement these proven management strategies that focus on core areas of your business to operate smoothly.

Management Strategies During Recruitment

1. Give your caregivers a sense of belonging in your organization.
2. Be honest with them about the nature of the work and the expectations of the company.
3. Create a distinct culture and follow through on that. Many caregivers have worked in other home care companies. The way you do things and your company values are likely to be very different from what they have experienced.

From the beginning, the more that caregivers feel a sense of belonging in your company and culture, the more effectively they are going to be engaged and loyal to your organization.

Management Strategies During Training

1. On each caregiver’s first day in the field, call them before their case assignment and ensure that they feel confident and prepared. Call them at the end of the day to find out how things went and what concerns they may have.
2. Create a safe space for honest feedback to understand where caregivers’ challenges are, learn how they are approaching them and provide mentorship.
3. Congratulate caregivers for the ways they are effective in dealing with any challenges.

Just as important as getting to know your caregivers is showing them that you really care about their success.

Management Strategies to Retain Caregivers

1. Listen to your caregivers carefully in terms of what they need, what is important to them in their lives and how they can best work with you.
2. Tell them the elements of getting the work that they want and that will pay them well and fairly. This is a partnership, so flexibility on both sides is necessary to meet the caregiver’s personal goals and your organization’s needs.
3. Call them once or twice a week and simply ask how they are and how their family is doing.
4. Cultivate an environment of celebration. Keep caregivers motivated by letting them know when they are doing a spectacular job.

Home care is a business built on relationships. Every aspect of the business depends on how effective we are in building these relationships.

Management Strategies to Balance Time and Client Satisfaction

1. From the beginning, invest in home care technology. This is a crucial investment to make before you have your first client, that way you have a firm grip on timing.
2. Become familiar with the tools provided. You cannot keep all vital information in your head and manage it effectively unless you are using the appropriate resources and technology.
3. Integrate the use of the technology as best practices for your staff. I have seen businesses that failed to invest in a technology solution lag two to three years behind in growth compared to others that did.

Use these management strategies in your home care business and watch all the pieces fit together to increase your hours and provide the foundation to build your own strategies.

Axxess Home Care is a cloud-based home care software that provides updated client information in real time, with a customizable dashboard to prioritize your organization’s unique needs.