HH aides earn rewards points; retention increases
Points awarded for extra effort and good work ethic
Don't you feel like you've given yourself a gift when you redeem those points that you earned with your credit card? A free flight, a no-cost hotel stay, or dinner at a restaurant you've always wanted to try, are all rewards offered by credit card programs in an attempt to keep you a loyal, paying customer.
Rewards programs can work with employee retention, as well.
Home health aides at Neighbors Home Care in Bronx, NY, earn points toward movie tickets, transit passes, gift certificates to restaurants, hair salon certificates, American Express gift certificates, and even an Apple iPod, says Jordan N. Shames, BS, president and CEO of the agency. "Employees earn points for working their schedules and showing up on time, working additional shifts or weekends, referring friends as clients, or referring friends to our training program," he says. Other ways to earn points include receiving a "Lifesaver Award" from a front-line supervisor for extraordinary efforts, such as covering another aide's shift at the last minute when the aide calls in sick. "Employees who have no absences in a quarter receive extra points, and working holidays will also earn additional points," he explains.
Quarterly statements are prepared by the agency, so employees can keep track of their points. The statement includes a description and pictures of the awards that are available, says Shames. "The last page of the statement explains the form to complete to redeem the award," he adds.
Employees who are still in their probationary period are not eligible to redeem awards, and employees can lose bonus points during the quarter for some activities, says Shames. Visit sheets that don't match the plan of care, substantiated client complaints, or verbal warnings from supervisors, all will result in the loss of points, he explains.
The program, which began in 2006, has worked well, but the agency continues to evaluate it and find ways to improve, says Shames. "We've added extra opportunities to earn points, and we also take away points from employees who don't work any weekends during the quarter," he says. The penalty for no weekends is based on the agency's policy that all employees are required to work a certain number of weekends, he explains.
The cost of administering the rewards program is about $7,000 annually, says Shames. "This is the cost of purchasing the rewards, because we split the administration responsibility among several managers," he says. As the program has grown, it has become more labor intensive to track and report points for all 250 aides, so Shames is evaluating software that will make it easier to flag items that earn points.
In addition to retaining aides, Shames has been able to retain 63% of the aides who enter the agency training program, he points out. "We have established our agency as a good place to work, because we recognize our aides' effort," he says. Other retention tactics used by Shames include: affordable insurance for employees, recognition of employment anniversary dates, recognition of "Lifesavers" at luncheon, English as a Second Language scholarship program at a local college, year-end bonuses, overtime, and the ability to purchase transit cards with pre-tax dollars.
It takes time to develop a rewards or recognition program that helps with retention, but it can be done with input from supervisors and employees, says Shames. "We are not a Medicare agency, so we have more flexibility in how we are reimbursed and how we pay employees, but a Medicare agency can also find ways to show employees how they are appreciated," he says. "I'd suggest pushing the envelope to try a new program, but first, make sure it is meaningful to your employees."
Source
For more information about the employee rewards program, contact:
Jordan N. Shames, BS, President and CEO, Neighbors Home Care, 2532 Boston Road, Bronx, NY 10467. Telephone: (718) 515-2200. E-mail: [email protected].
Don't you feel like you've given yourself a gift when you redeem those points that you earned with your credit card? A free flight, a no-cost hotel stay, or dinner at a restaurant you've always wanted to try, are all rewards offered by credit card programs in an attempt to keep you a loyal, paying customer.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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