Recruitment and retention

About this theme

Recruiting First Nations workers is only the first step in building a stable aged care workforce. Services also need to create the conditions that help people settle into their roles, develop their skills and remain connected to the workplace.

The three case studies show different approaches to this work:

Mala’la (pronounced: mah-lah-lah) Health Service Aboriginal Corporation - uses honest recruitment, flexible employment and local capability development to support a remote workforce.

Jimbelunga (pronounced: Jim-bell-unga) Nursing Centre - creates employment pathways by recruiting for cultural and relational fit, then supporting workers to gain skills and qualifications.

Juniper Guwardi Ngadu (pronounced: goo-wahr-dee, nah-doo) - combines local, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme and fly-in fly-out workers within a planned and culturally informed workforce model.

Together, the case studies show that recruitment and retention need to reflect the service, community and local workforce context.

Methods

This themed case study brings together findings from three interview informed First Nations aged care case studies:

1. Mala’la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation in Maningrida, Northern Territory 
2. Jimbelunga Nursing Centre in Eagleby, Queensland
3. Juniper Guwardi Ngadu on Bunuba Country in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

The examples include community-based and remote services with different workforce needs. The findings identify common principles rather than a single recruitment and retention model. 

See the individual case studies below for more detail.

Why this is important

Workforce instability can disrupt relationships between residents and staff. It can also make it harder for workers to understand residents’ cultures, languages, families and connections to Country.

Services may also need to manage:

• shortages of local workers
• frequent staff changes
• short-term agency placements
• geographic isolation and limited housing
• relocation and travel costs
• access to training and professional support
• workers’ cultural, family and community obligations. 

These challenges cannot be addressed through recruitment advertising alone. They require workforce capability building that responds to the conditions affecting people before and after they begin work.

How recruitment and retention worked

Each service used a different starting point based on its workforce and community circumstances.

Creating pathways into employment

Jimbelunga considered whether applicants shared the service’s values and could build relationships with residents, families and community.

This approach allowed the service to:

• recognise cultural knowledge, lived experience and community connection
• recruit people who might otherwise face barriers to employment
• support workers to gain required qualifications after joining
• connect mentoring with practical support and workforce development.

The experience of Maria, a pseudonym, illustrates this approach. Although she had limited work experience and faced health and employment barriers, her commitment to caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander older people made her a strong cultural fit. Jimbelunga supported her to establish a work routine and develop greater independence.

Building continuity in a remote service

Juniper Guwardi Ngadu used a blended workforce comprising local staff, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme workers and fly-in fly-out staff.

Continuity was strengthened by:

• asking agencies to provide workers for longer placements
• providing at least two buddy shifts for new staff
• rostering staff with the same residents over consecutive days where possible
• using cultural learning plans for all workers
• holding daily yarning-circle handovers.

This model gave workers time to understand the local context and helped residents receive care from familiar staff.

Making remote employment sustainable

Mala’la recognised that remote employment affects workers’ professional and personal lives.

Its approach included:

• showing applicants videos and photographs of Maningrida before recruitment
• offering accommodation and travel support
• allowing flexible shifts and rostering
• recognising cultural leave, Sorry Business and community responsibilities
• adapting supervision and training for different literacy levels
• identifying emerging leaders for further development.

This connected recruitment decisions with the practical realities of living and working in a remote community.

Implementation supports

The case studies identify several workforce systems that providers can adapt to their own setting.

Before recruitment

• Identify the values and relationship skills needed for the role.
• Explain the service, community, location and living conditions clearly.
• Decide which combination of local and external recruitment pathways is appropriate.
• Identify likely barriers involving housing, travel or relocation. 

When workers begin

• Provide structured orientation to the service and community.
• Pair new workers with experienced staff.
• Introduce responsibilities gradually where tasks involve greater risk.
• Give workers clear information about cultural expectations and available support. 

During employment

• Offer qualifications and training linked to workers’ roles.
• Adapt learning to different literacy levels and learning needs.
• Provide regular supervision, mentoring and peer support.
• Identify potential leaders and offer development opportunities.
• Review rosters and contracts where short placements are affecting continuity. 

Across the workplace

• Involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in workforce decisions.
• Provide ongoing, two-way cultural learning.
• Use culturally appropriate ways of sharing knowledge.
• Recognise cultural, family and community obligations in workforce planning.
• Include staff wellbeing in decisions about care quality and service delivery. 

Practice considerations

• Recruitment should consider values, relationships and community fit alongside qualifications.
• Honest information about the role and location helps workers make informed decisions.
• Local and external recruitment pathways can be combined to meet workforce needs.
• Longer placements, consistent rosters and buddy shifts support continuity and workplace learning.
• Training should reflect workers’ roles, learning needs and local context.
• Flexible work arrangements can recognise cultural, family and community responsibilities.
• Practical support with housing, travel and relocation can reduce barriers to remote employment.
• Mentoring, staff wellbeing and leadership development can support longer-term retention.

Key implementation considerations for recruitment and retention

These examples broaden the idea of who may be suitable for aged care work. Qualifications remain important, but values, cultural knowledge, relationships and commitment to community can also be valuable foundations for employment.

For providers, this means considering whether:

• recruitment processes recognise potential as well as previous experience

• new workers receive enough time and support to adjust

• training is accessible and relevant to everyday work

• employment conditions reflect local cultural and practical realities

• workforce barriers are being addressed through practical action

• staff can see opportunities to develop and progress.

A stable workforce is more likely to grow when recruitment, learning, wellbeing and workplace culture are treated as connected responsibilities.

Relevant case studies