Overall, the survey found three key trends in dining services operations where aging services providers have adapted because of the pandemic. These are:

· Utilization of virtual trainings for staff as a means of recruitment and retention.

· Investment in technology as a supplement or substitution for staff vacancies.

· Acknowledgement of ongoing and worsening recruitment for staff vacancies.

Training and Retention

Sixty-five percent of survey respondents said that the volume of trainings for staff has increased as a result of the pandemic. A growing majority of providers in the survey reported that their virtual trainings options have nearly doubled since COVID began. Virtual training programs enable employers to onboard and/ or recertify dining services staff more efficiently, making it possible to get staff ‘on the floor’ more quickly. This can lead to better retention of new employees especially, if they are quickly introduced and acclimated to the new work environment shortly after hire.

Investments in Technology

To supplement for gaps in staffing, as well as to increase the efficiency of the dining services operation, providers reported that they are planning to increase their investments in the following types of technology in aging services.

· Smart Device Ordering (Up by 12% over Current Investments)

· Ordering Kiosks (Up by 15%)

· Self-Serve Check Out (Up by 10%)

· Technology to Capture Resident Feedback (Up by 5%)

Challenges in Recruitment

Three-fourths of all survey respondents reported that hiring for dining staff was harder or much harder this year than in 2020. To combat those challenges, providers said they were taking the following steps:

· Raising Wages – 75% of respondents

· Offering More Flexible Schedules – 54%

· Increasing Advertising Budgets – 37%

· Hiring to Contract Labor – 14%

· Other – 21%