The following is a recap from Varsity’s Roundtable, a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.
Senior living has a built-in advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining employees: the work has purpose. But purpose alone doesn’t create a strong workplace culture. Employees also want to feel valued, understand what’s expected of them and see their own values reflected in the organization. And despite plenty of talk about generational differences, those expectations cut across age groups.
Denise Boudreau, President of Drive, joined Varsity’s weekly Roundtable to explore what today’s workforce really wants and how senior living organizations can build cultures where people want to work, contribute and stay. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.
PURPOSE IS NOT A GENERATIONAL ISSUE
Workers across age groups are looking for greater meaning, balance and fulfillment at work. Denise shared data showing the importance of work-life balance actually increased with age. The opportunity for senior living is significant because purpose is already naturally built into the work.
EMPLOYEES WANT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT ITS MEANING IS CHANGING
Accountability consistently ranks among employees’ most desired workplace values, but the conversation is shifting from holding others accountable to taking personal ownership. Employees want to understand what they are responsible for, where the organization is headed and how their work contributes to larger goals.
CULTURE CAN AND SHOULD BE MEASURED
Culture is more than a feeling. Denise emphasized using data to understand whether employees’ personal values align with what they actually experience at work. That alignment drives engagement, fulfillment and an employee’s ability to show up authentically.
STRONG CULTURE HAS A MEASURABLE BUSINESS IMPACT
Organizations with strong cultures saw 38% lower turnover than those with poor cultures. Stronger culture scores impact occupancy, including one organization where the strongest-culture sites averaged 94% occupancy compared with 66% at the weakest.
COMPENSATION ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE RETENTION
Paying a living wage matters, but Denise cited research showing toxic culture was 10.4 times more likely to drive employees away than compensation.
