Millennium Staffing

26/05/2024

Good mental health is vital. That’s why at Millennium we strongly believe in providing a platform for staff to express concerns and talk about any difficulties they may be facing.

Support is always available and looking after the team’s wellbeing is not only key for the individuals but also to help us provide that high level care to residents because happy staff means happy residents.

We are working to implement Freedom to Speak champions to offer a compassionate ear as well as speaking on behalf of staff to raise any concerns they may have.

We all know how rewarding it is to work in care but we are also aware of the challenges care staff face. That’s why, as we mark Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we want our staff to know that we are always there to offer supportive environment where people can thrive.

24/05/2024

We know recruiting and retaining staff in the care sector is hard. It’s a demanding sector where people should be more valued and paid better so it’s hard to keep staff, good staff even more so.

Having worked in care homes for many years before setting up Millennium I know what it’s like but recently I’ve been reflected on how I’ve managed to keep hold of some of my first members of staff. I have some colleagues who have been with me since day one.

📢 So, these are my top tips to retain staff for the long term 👇

🗣 Keep them motivated and engaged. For some staff pay rises and progression are key motivators. But by far the main driver is job satisfaction. Staff need to enjoy their work and they will do if you create a workplace where they feel valued, listened to and part of a team.

🗣 Take time to listen to all your staff. It’s vital that every member of staff, regardless of job level, feels they are listened to, and their opinions are valued and respected. It’s so important to take time to speak to all your staff and listen to what they have to say. Listening is key. It’s something that people often struggle with; they listen but do they really hear? Be an active listener and take time to understand what they’re saying and then resolve or action anything that arises from that conversation. Sometimes listening and showing compassion is all it takes.

🗣 Make them feel part of a team. I have staff who have been with me since the day I started, and they say a key part of that is feeling part of the team. Whether that’s regular staff meetings or social get togethers staff need to feel part of your home and if relevant the wider care group. They need to know what it means to be your employee. For me, a big part of that is making sure my staff understand our culture and how we do things at Millennium. Whenever I train my staff or send them an email or message I ask them to confirm they’ve understood my message. That’s how I know they know what’s expected of them and how they’ll be part of the team. Having a clear understanding of their role is directly related to job satisfaction levels. Face to face contact with your staff is vital but don’t forget the importance of updates and work chat via email, WhatsApp, and other channels as appropriate as different people prefer contact differently.

14/05/2024

Delighted to welcome our new staff members on board at our latest training day.

Our staff are our biggest asset and setting them off on the right footing is key to them hitting the ground running.

Training days are a great opportunity to meet other team members, get to grips with new systems and processes and let everyone know the high standards that we expect.

It was wonderful to meet them and everyone was so enthusiastic to learn and get to work providing high levels of care.

I remember my first training days as a nurse and how excited I was to get out there and look after people.

Well trained, professional staff makes for happy residents and I’m thrilled to see them heading out into homes across the area, ready to deliver the high quality care we are so proud of!

02/05/2024

⭐️Meet one of our team - Tom who joined us this year as our new Training Manager...👇

26/04/2024

👇If you missed our last e-shot on 'Why outstanding care is only possible with great communication care' you can read it here...👇

09/04/2024

We know we have amazing staff so it's great when clients get in touch to tell us too! Thanks St Matthews Healthcare

03/04/2024

READ our CEO's latest blog...
🗣 Why outstanding care is only possible with great communication. 👇

Great communication is absolutely vital. It makes people feel valued, listened to and part of the care home community. And I’m not only talking about staff to residents and vice-versa but also interactions and communication with family and friends and between colleagues. Often overlooked, effective communication between colleagues can create better working environments, increase transparency, and make people feel motivated to carry out daily tasks.

📢 Here are my top three tips for delivering and promoting great communication….

(1) Train your staff from day one: This might sound like an odd piece of advice, but good communication needs to start from the beginning, that very first shift. They need to be taught how your care home works – your ethos and how everything works so they feel empowered to do their job. Tell them where you store the towels and how you serve your toast. These sound like minor things, but these are the issues that cause problems and communication breakdowns between teams which ultimately disrupt care giving. Similarly, staff should have clear lines of communication between teams, shifts and senior managers to encourage openness, transparency, and drive improvement to care quality.

(2) Actively listen to residents: There’s a real skill in this one. It’s very easy to chat to residents but are you actively listening? Are you encouraging conversations, asking open questions to better understand their thoughts and feelings? It’s a hard task to talk and listen at the same time but residents are best placed to understand their care and can often benefit from adapting their routine or taking some responsibility for their care as appropriate. Always keep your language clear and jargon-free and don’t forget to look out for non-verbal communication, the body language that might give you clues of any distress or change in feelings.

(3) Invite family and friends into the home to tell you what they think: The CQC recognises the importance of family voice and involvement in care. Family members often feel guilt and exclusion when a relative goes into a care setting. Talking to them and keeping them informed on news from the home in general and the care their family member is receiving is key. Involving them in helping plan that care or influence the resident’s activities or experience is even better. Invite them into the home for special events or regular one-to-ones with team members so they can feed back any concerns or praise. This will make them feel listened to and give them confidence in the management of the home and more importantly the care afforded to their relative.

👇Read more and to follow us on LinkedIn....👇

28/03/2024

You might have seen the news this week about public satisfaction with services dropping to an all time low. Read our CEO Sathi Raghavan's response below....

"Like Professor Pat Cullen of the Royal College of Nursing put it I also have mixed emotions about the findings that public satisfaction with services has dropped to just 13 per cent, the lowest level ever recorded.

"I'm proud to have worked as a for many years and I know the dedication and commitment all and show in their roles but it's true that poor pay and working conditions are a reality for many.

"Social care services are a vital part of society and too many people with care needs and their families can't access the care and support they need. The sector has been underfunded for many years and this survey reflects that."

https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/british-social-attitudes-survey-public-satisfaction-with-social-care-hits-new-low

Public satisfaction with social care services has dropped to just 13 per cent, the lowest level ever recorded.

22/03/2024

Fantastic to see a story about our founder and CEO Sathi Raghavan in Care Talk Business as a 'mover and shaker'...

A former nurse has turned ‘undercover boss’ in an attempt to improve quality and standards in care homes.Sathi Raghavan, who worked as a registered nurse and midwife in both India and the UK before establishing her own business in the sector works shifts in homes to check care quality and sugges...

21/03/2024

Every day we have people contacting us asking about opportunities in the care and health sector. There are many different care roles that are all equally rewarding. This website is a good place to start to find out more. There's also quiz to see if a job in adult social care is right for you...

Working in adult social care, you will make a real difference to people's lives. Explore the different types of care work find a job in your local area.

15/03/2024

If you missed our e-shot about having difficult conversations with your staff, you can read it here bit.ly/havingdifficultconversationswithstaff

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14/03/2024

Really great to receive this review from one of our clients!