Staff retention within the Early Years sector is an ever increasing problem. According to 2023 data from the Government, the average turnover rate was 19% within Early Years settings.
This can result in staff motivation to plunge, lower quality of care and increased workload for the remaining team, subsequently, if left unchecked, can result in business closure.
According to data on Early Education and Childcare within England, the independent group ‘Early Education and Childcare Coalition’ found that 84% of providers are finding it difficult to recruit new staff. This begs the question…
How can you prevent your setting from the Early Years recruitment crisis?
Staff retention rates rise by 30-50% for businesses with strong learning opportunities. By creating a strong learning culture, you enhance retention rates from the beginning and provide a clear onboarding plan for each employee to develop within their role. This demonstrates the importance of setting a standard at your business, to show that you develop people into becoming highly talented individuals.
Only 29% of new hires believe they are prepared and supported after their onboarding. With this in mind, it is crucial that you focus on providing a strong learning culture from day one.
One method to do this is creating a Buddy Program. This is where you pair a new staff member with an experienced member of staff, for example a room leader. They will then provide on the job support and explain your nursery’s specific way of working. This buddy is essentially a role model and will be responsible for scheduling regular catch ups with them. This would typically fall on the less busy days, to ensure they receive the training required for the role. This not only provides a support network, but develops the new starters confidence and allows them to feel valued and heard. The Buddy Program allows you to speak directly with the new starters buddy to receive a full overview on their performance and how they’re settling in.
86% of millennials would remain at the same company if employers invested in their staff. It is becoming ever more apparent that employees are wanting to be heard and valued, rather than being seen as another number within your business. Investing in your staff and providing them with new learning opportunities that align with their key interests and career aspirations, will help to create this sense of support and value that great companies strive to achieve.
This is covered within the Buddy Program, as it allows new starters to have a key person they can ask for assistance or clarification on their role. It also further develops their bond within the team and provides them with a friendly face they can turn to if in need, rather than going directly to the managers whose time is already limited.
One of the best ways to make a team member feel valued is simply by remembering their birthday. This action goes a long way, especially when accompanied by a birthday present! This does not have to be an expensive gift, but simply a signed card by the staff and/or children wishing them a special day. Not only does this create a fantastic culture, but it set’s the day off to a brilliant start. Some companies have gone as far as creating a birthday policy, allowing staff to receive an additional day of annual leave on their birthdays.
Only 29% of employees are satisfied with their current advancement opportunities available in their workplace. Do you have a training plan for your employees? Are you offering opportunities from within your company?
If not, it is more than likely your employees will look around elsewhere, to find a job that does offer career progression.
Offering apprenticeships to staff members will reinforce the notion that you are investing in your team. Therefore, increasing the odds of them staying with you. This not only supports the practice within your setting, alongside meeting Ofsted requirements for Staff:Child ratios, but also creates a sense of gratitude from the learner, as their needs have been met.
In summary, the best way to increase your staff retention rates is to focus on growing your own team of highly skilled practitioners, rather than looking elsewhere. This saves on the costs and time associated with recruiting new staff, allowing you to focus your attention on staff development.
Ready To Solve Your Staff Retention Issue?
We offer high-quality, affordable, accredited Montessori & Early Years training that can be delivered alongside your staff members’ normal day-to-day role. With full support from our team of development coaches and expert tutors, you can trust us to ensure your staff receive the best experience and guidance, to develop their careers within Early Years.
We offer the L2 Early Years Practitioner, L3 Early Years Educator, the L3 EYE Combined with Montessori Diploma and finally our L5 Early Years Lead Practitioner.
