Create an Inclusive Hiring Process

Direct care staff have opinions that matter! When frontline staff know that they will be responsible for training new team members, they are often invested in the people who get hired in the first place and become more invested in the training process. Empower your team by training and including frontline staff in the interview process. 

Although frontline staff may not make the final decision, their input should be taken seriously. You may consider:

• Training a caregiver on questions that are/are not acceptable and inviting them to assist with the interview
• Asking a caregiver to tour the applicant around your organization as part of the interview
• Asking a caregiver to demonstrate to the applicant key aspects of the job
• Asking a caregiver to screen applicants over the phone prior to an interview, again, with training on how to ask appropriate questions
• Asking a caregiver to share their story, or the mission/vision of the organization during an interview
• Introducing the applicant to many staff during a tour of the organization
• Offering coffee or lunch with the team during the interview

One hospital in Austin, TX, implemented a peer interviewing model with great success. Their message to staff was “[to encourage] them to only allow us to hire people that they wanted to retire with.” Within a year, the hospital cut nurse turnover in half, and has been able to maintain that number every year since. 

Get more recruitment ideas in the Workforce Center.

Questions? Contact Jenna Kellerman at jkellerman@leadingagemn.org.

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