New research explores ‘values-based approach’ to social care recruitment challenges

Reduced staff turnover and improved staff performance are just some of the benefits delivered by a values based approach to recruitment and retention, according to recent research.

That’s why Skills for Care is now working with Oxfordshire County Council and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) in the South East to show employers how they can adopt a values and behaviours-based approach to recruitment and reap the benefits.

Skills for Care Chief Executive, Sharon Allen OBE (pictured), said: “Social care employers are under enormous pressure to recruit more high quality workers in response to rising demand for care and support and as a result of high rates of staff turnover.  We estimate that the sector needs to grow by up to 275,000 jobs by 2025 just to keep pace with demand.

“Making the right recruitment decisions has never been more important. Social care workers work with people with a wide range of care and support needs and evidence shows that traditional approaches to recruitment can be both costly and ineffective.

“Values and behaviours-based recruitment takes a different approach to finding the right people to work in your organisation. By exploring candidates’ values, behaviours and attitudes, evidence shows that employers are making better recruitment decisions – selecting people who, from day one, are a good fit for the organisation, have a natural aptitude for providing quality, personalised care and – crucially – are more likely to stay.”

Since 2014, Oxfordshire County Council has worked with local social care providers to promote a values based recruitment. The Council developed a suite of materials and training sessions that have helped employers to implement this radically different approach to finding the right people to work in your organisation.

Following their success, Oxfordshire County Council is now working with Skills for Care to roll-out the approach across England, with support and funding from South East ADASS.

From October, Skills for Care will be delivering seminars across the country to support employers with values-based recruitment.

‘Recruiting for values in social care: interviewing for values, behaviours and attitudes’ will equip delegates with new interviewing skills and techniques to ensure they recruit workers with the values, behaviours and attitudes needed to work with people who need care and support.

Skills for Care are also updating their online Values and behaviours based recruitment and retention toolkit with useful guidance and practical resources including:

• An example values and behaviours framework for the adult social care sector
• Assessment centres best practice guidance
• Case study examples from providers who use values and behaviours based recruitment practices

Rachel Lawrence, Commercial Manager – Workforce and Oxfordshire County Council added: “Great care and support can only be delivered by people who have the right values, behaviours and attitudes. That’s why Oxfordshire County Council is asking commissioned service providers to adopt a values and behaviours-based approach to recruitment.”

Gary Bye, CEO, Life Path Trust who participated in Oxfordshire County Council’s original values-based recruitment project said:”Recruiting the right people to work in our organisation has become ever more challenging. However, since we took part in the Oxfordshire Project, we’ve overhauled our recruitment processes.

“All our managers have now been trained to recruit for values and behaviours that align with those of the organisation. We’ve made better decisions and we’re starting to see the benefits. We’re changing and improving the organisation from the inside, through the people we recruit.”

 To find out more about values-based recruitment visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/valuesandbehaviours