Workforce is critical to aging services, and as we observe National Workforce Development Month this September, we’re sharing insights and resources that can address LeadingAge members’ staff recruitment and retention challenges. Technology solutions can help. However, providers may not know what they don’t know about these tools, which can complicate the process of assessment and use.

Recognizing this, CAST collaborated with the LeadingAge LearningHub to create Unlocking Workforce Technology Solutions, a free-to-members resource and companion to our 10 LeadingAge CAST Technology Selection Tools. This resource provides

• An easy-to-understand map of various technologies available,
• An assessment of difficulty level (low, medium or high) to incorporate each technology into organizational workflow, plus
• Questions to consider when assessing what to implement, along with guidance.

Consider Retention and Staff Support through RPA and Robotics

The featured technologies address workplace issues, including recruitment and retention, in various ways. A couple of the more basic and widely used examples include digital tools for human resources-led activities, such as recruitment, employee recognition, or employee wellness.

More sophisticated technologies like robotic process automation (RPA) can increase retention. For instance, LeadingAge CAST Patron United Methodist Communities headquartered in Neptune, NJ developed a low-code Microsoft PowerApps (RPA — Microsoft Power Automate) and integrations across its Human Resource Management System. This use of robotic process automation improved data integrity and workplace efficiency by eliminating the need for staff to look up information from various systems for respective business process. Each step of the process, explains Travis Gleinig, Vice President for Innovation and CAST Commissioner, who led the project, is driven by approvals, which are fully integrated within the Microsoft Teams and Outlook ecosystem for a completely streamlined user experience.

This integration, which is key to the automation process, translated to a 75% reduction in processing time and an estimated savings of over $250,000 in recaptured labor productivity.

But Gleinig also notes that because implementing RPA projects can bring significant changes to the way organizations work, it is important to provide proper training for employees to adapt to these changes. Failing to manage the changes, he says, can be a major roadblock in adoption.

Robotics, another technology solution explored in the resource, whether self-service apps or kiosks for on-campus restaurants, automated scheduling systems, or virtual care platforms, often centers on reducing the need for staff. But for senior living, technology tools can be used to improve processes. Ordering menu items, for instance, can be done using tablets or digital kiosks, freeing up a former server to handle other jobs. In a pilot program at Front Porch communities, robots were introduced to handle repetitive tasks such as delivering food. As a result, 58% of servers reported that the robots allowed them to spend more quality time with residents, enhancing both staff morale and the dining experience.

LearningHub Resource Can Jumpstart Your Innovation

United Methodist Communities, Front Porch, and others are rolling up their sleeves and asking hard questions about tech use to improve the workplace: What do we risk if we don’t invest in this technology solution? What is the potential opportunity loss? As they have found, the investment may well be worth it. Explore this free resource, Unlocking Workforce Technology Solutions, to follow their lead and achieve similar success with your organization’s staff.