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High turnover rates and burnout of existing staff also major problems
Vancouver (28 March 2008) - A new study by the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) confirms that employers in community-based social services are experiencing recruitment and retention problems across the sector.
The main factors behind the situation are low wages and a lack of respect for the work performed.
The report, entitled Exploring Recruitment and Retention Issues for Community Social Service Sector Employers, presents results gathered from a number of B.C.'s unionized community social services workplaces, including community living, child care centres and agencies providing child, family and counselling services.
The presentation was compiled for the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) on behalf of unions in the Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA).
"Every employer we spoke to is having trouble hiring and keeping staff, especially casual workers," says the report's author, Rebecca Siggner.
She says employers also reported that they are struggling to find qualified applicants for vacancies. Some 43% of employers had at least one vacancy. Recruitment of casuals and relief workers was particularly problematic with more than half of respondents reporting positions that had stayed vacant for more than three months.
Two Related NUPGE Publications
High turnover rates
The average annual turnover reported by respondents was 10%; for casuals it was 47% in the past year. Similar results were also found in a comprehensive survey of community living employers undertaken by the Community Social Services Employers' Association (CSSEA).
The B.C. study also showed that recruitment and retention problems caused increased stress and burnout among existing workers.
BCGEU president George Heyman says front-line workers have reported these problems for years.
"Unless the wages in this field are increased, the government will find it cannot provide stable and reliable programs for adults with developmental disabilities, for children, women and others in our communities who depend on these services," Heyman says.
Meanwhile, Siggner says that community social service employers are looking for more funding to raise wages, reflecting the rising cost of living, and to respect the value of the work done by employees.
The study makes a number of recommendations. These include increased funding for wages, comparing work done by social service workers with other sectors in an effort to promote recruitment and retention, and offering training incentives to increase the pool of qualified workers. NUPGE
More information:
? Exploring Recruitment and Retention Issues for B.C.'s
Community Social Service Sector - pdf
? No Way to Show We Care: Renewed funding
for community-based social services - pdf
? Women Empowering Women - pdf