Setting Goals for Success: A Guide for Home Care Agencies in 2024

As we get started on a new year, home care agencies need to set goals and envision the success they want to achieve by the end of 2024. However, setting goals is just the first step. To ensure that these goals are not just “wishful thinking” but attainable, it's crucial to track recruiting metrics, establish regular check-ins, keep the team motivated, and be willing to adjust goals when necessary. In this post, we will dive into these four key aspects of goal setting and explore how they can contribute to the growth and success of home care agencies.

Tracking Recruiting Metrics: The Foundation of Goal Setting

One common mistake in home care recruiting is setting hiring goals without tracking the necessary metrics. With a clear understanding of your agency's recruiting funnel, it becomes easier to assess progress and make informed decisions. Rachel Gartner, the CEO of Carework, emphasizes the importance of tracking recruiting metrics:

"We're going to talk through how to do that, what to track, and how it impacts your goal setting and actually achieving your goals."

To set quantifiable goals, it is crucial to have a baseline understanding of your agency's recruiting funnel. This includes tracking metrics such as the number of applicants, the percentage of applicants booking interviews, the percentage of interview show-ups, the percentage of completed hiring processes, and the percentage of caregivers who work their first shift. By analyzing these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and set realistic goals for your team.

"We want to know the baseline of what is normal so that you can set realistic goals for your team to look at it and plan backward to say, we want 20 hires. So if we want 20 hires with our current funnel conversions, we need x amount of applicants."

Setting data-based goals provides your team with actionable steps to achieve them. Instead of relying on brute force and hard work, you can focus on improving specific aspects of the recruiting process. For example, you may aim to increase the percentage of applicants booking an interview by 5% or improve the interview show-up rate. These incremental improvements can lead to significant results in achieving your hiring goals.

Regular Check-Ins: Staying on Track and Motivated

Setting goals is not a one-time event; it requires ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Regular check-ins are essential to ensure that your agency stays on track and remains motivated throughout the year. We suggest scheduling quarterly check-ins to review goals, assess progress, and make necessary adjustments. In your meeting, address these two KEY questions:

• Are we currently meeting our goals?

• Are we on track to continue meeting our goals? And if not, how do we shift course?

Just as a navigator constantly monitors their course to avoid hitting sandbars, you must regularly evaluate your agency's progress towards its goals. By doing so, you can identify any deviations from the planned route and take corrective action before it's too late. Regular check-ins provide an opportunity to address challenges, celebrate successes, and keep the team engaged and motivated.

Keeping the Team Motivated: Praise Publicly, Criticize Privately

Motivating your team is crucial for achieving your agency's goals. Rachel emphasizes the importance of giving praise publicly and criticism privately:

"When you are running your agency, you're going to sometimes have great Google reviews or you're going to have a family member share with you how a caregiver made a difference in their life. You're going to get community feedback, you're going to get wins, and you're also going to get those revenue goals and growth goals. Take every piece of positive feedback and positive review goals that you're achieving, and share it with your company."

Publicly acknowledging and praising your team's achievements creates a culture of winning and fosters a positive work environment. By highlighting individual contributions and expressing gratitude, you can keep your team motivated and engaged. However, when it comes to criticism or addressing challenges, it is essential to do so privately. This approach allows for open and honest conversations without creating a culture of fear or discouragement:

"On the flip side, when you miss a goal or when somebody makes a mistake that you know is going to cause you to miss a goal, or when you get negative feedback, you are going to go privately to somebody and address that in confidence."

By providing constructive feedback in a private setting, you can address issues effectively and encourage growth and improvement. This approach ensures that your team feels supported and valued while still holding them accountable for their performance.

Adjusting Goals: The Wisdom of Flexibility

While setting ambitious goals is important, it is equally crucial to recognize when adjustments are necessary. As a leader, you must be willing to reassess your goals and make changes if they no longer align with the best interests of your team and organization.

If you find that these goals are taking a different toll on your team or your company than you expected, don't be afraid to make the wise decision to pull back a little bit so that you're set up for more success in the long term.

Sometimes, pursuing a goal relentlessly can lead to burnout, negative culture, or unsustainable processes. It is essential to prioritize the well-being of your team and the long-term sustainability of your agency. By adjusting goals when necessary, you can ensure that your organization remains on a path of growth and success.

Setting goals for your home care agency in 2024 requires a strategic approach.

Your agency will be set up for success in 2024 when you apply these 4 key principles:

• Tracking recruiting metrics

• Establishing regular check-ins

• Keeping the team motivated

• Being willing to adjust goals when necessary

Remember to set quantifiable goals based on data, provide regular feedback and recognition to your team, and be flexible in your approach. With these strategies in place, you can navigate the challenges of the home care industry and achieve your goals in the year ahead.

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