Recruiting in the care industry: how to get it right

As the UK’s population continues to age, the demand for care services is growing — and with it, the need for compassionate, skilled workers. But finding and keeping quality care staff remains one of the biggest hurdles facing providers today. The sector faces a range of workforce pressures, including high turnover rates and fierce competition for talent, while also needing to maintain the highest standards of care for vulnerable service users.

Getting recruitment right is more than just filling vacancies; it’s finding people who will genuinely care, stay committed, and help your business thrive. When you recruit well, you build stronger teams, reduce costly rehiring, and ultimately provide better care for those who need it most.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about recruiting and retaining care staff. From building recruitment strategies and writing job descriptions that attract the right candidates, to proven methods for keeping your best employees happy.

Contents

1. Why you need an effective recruitment strategy
2. How to attract quality care employees
3. What to look for in care candidates
4. How to write job descriptions that attract quality candidates
5. Where to advertise care vacancies
6. 5 proven methods to improve recruitment
7. How to retain gold-dust employees
8. How Citation can help with care recruitment and retention

Why you need an effective recruitment strategy

Hiring staff as and when vacancies appear might seem practical in the moment, but this reactive approach often leads to rushed decisions, poor fits, and a revolving door of employees. A comprehensive recruitment strategy helps you stay ahead of staffing needs and build a team that’s in it for the long haul.

Having a recruitment plan in place allows you to:

• Act strategically rather than reactively — Instead of scrambling to fill gaps when someone hands in their notice, you’ll have a pipeline of potential candidates and a clear process to follow.
• Target the right people, with the right skills and values — A strategic approach helps you identify exactly what you’re looking for and where to find it. You’ll attract candidates who align with your values and have the qualities needed to thrive in care work, rather than simply filling seats with whoever applies first.
• Provide consistency — When everyone involved in hiring follows the same process, you’ll make fairer decisions and create a better experience for candidates.
• Get the most out of limited resources — Time and budget are precious in any care setting. A solid plan helps you focus your efforts on the most effective recruitment channels and methods, rather than wasting resources on approaches that don’t deliver results.

According to the Skills for Care report, nearly half of adult social care businesses don’t have a recruitment plan. Without one, you’re more likely to bring in the wrong people and face higher turnover as a result.

Poor recruitment choices not only cost money but also disrupt team dynamics, impact care quality, and can damage your reputation with both staff and service users. As Mick Feather, Care Business Manager at Citation, puts it, “Employees are the most important asset of any business and getting recruitment right can save you time and money, help your business stand out against the competition, improve your reputation as an attractive employer to work for and bring out fresh ideas and innovation.”

How to attract quality care employees

Attracting the right staff for your care home can feel like an uphill battle, but finding the perfect fit is worth the extra time and effort. Quality employees reduce turnover, deliver better care, and help create a positive workplace culture that makes everyone’s job easier.

Here are some proven strategies to help you stand out and attract qualified, experienced staff:

Investing in employee development

Training and development opportunities are at the heart of attracting new employees and maintaining good engagement once they are established. According to the Skills for Care report, 75% of care businesses are investing in employee development — and for good reason.

Future employees want to see your commitment to developing their skills and helping them progress in their careers. When you make training visible in your recruitment materials and introductory conversations, you’re showing candidates that they’ll have a future with your organisation, not just a job.

This is even more important for inexperienced employees entering the social care industry for the first time. Proper training during onboarding doesn’t just protect you against poor practice, mistakes, and potential health and safety incidents — it gives your employees the confidence they need to take that leap into care work. 

Flexible working arrangements

Just like any other industry, flexible working arrangements within the care sector make a role more desirable and widely accessible, helping you attract top talent. In fact, 65% of care employees say they would switch jobs if their employer reduced access to flexible hours, proving the importance of giving staff the opportunity to spend more time with loved ones and find shift patterns that suit them.

Flexibility in care settings can take several forms:

• Adjustable shift patterns that rotate between mornings, afternoons, and evenings
• Part-time options for those who can’t commit to full-time hours
• Job shares that allow two people to split a single role
• Accommodations for personal circumstances, e.g. school runs or care responsibilities

Promoting your culture and values

Your workplace culture and values are tools for attracting like-minded employees. When you make your business values front and centre, you’re showcasing what you prioritise and helping potential staff members decide whether they’re a good fit.

According to the Skills for Care report, 55% of care businesses are actively focusing on developing their culture, while 47% now put more emphasis on candidates’ values during the recruitment process.

Your values shouldn’t just be words on a website or poster in the staff room; they need to be lived and breathed by your team every day. During conversations with potential employees, share real-life examples of your values in action and be honest about what it’s like to work for your organisation.

Just remember: don’t promise what you can’t deliver. If you say you value work-life balance but expect staff to work constant overtime, or claim to have an open culture but ignore feedback, candidates will see through it — and your existing staff will tell them the truth.

As Mick explains, “Organisations with a positive, transparent culture, where employees can question practice and suggest improvements, grow and continually improve. This not only reflects positively with care regulators but creates strong teams who’re committed to providing high-quality care.”

What to look for in care candidates

When recruiting care staff, it’s tempting to focus on qualifications and experience. While these definitely matter, they’re usually not the whole picture. The most successful care workers often have certain personal qualities that make them naturally suited to the role, and these traits are far more difficult to teach than technical skills.

A values-based recruitment approach focuses on finding candidates who demonstrate compassion, kindness, and empathy. The Skills for Care report found that 86% of care businesses prioritise the values and behaviours of potential candidates over everything else. 

While this doesn’t mean you should ignore experience entirely, it does mean you shouldn’t let a lack of formal experience rule out candidates who have the right attitude and approach.

Here are the key qualities to look for:

• Empathy and interpersonal skills — Care work is about connecting with people. Can the candidate understand and respond to the needs of others? Do they listen? Can they build rapport with people from different backgrounds and with different needs?
• Willingness to learn — The care sector is constantly evolving, with new approaches, regulations, and best practices appearing regularly. Candidates who are open to training and developing new skills will adapt and grow with your organisation.
• Professionalism — This includes reliability, good communication skills (verbal and written), the ability to work to deadlines, and strong listening skills.
• Transferable skills — Don’t overlook candidates from other sectors. Skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management gained in retail, hospitality, or other customer-facing roles are valuable in social care.
• Role-specific skills — Depending on the position, you might need specific capabilities like assessment skills, report writing, or experience liaising with other professionals. These matter more for senior roles than entry-level positions.

How to write job descriptions that attract quality candidates

To be effective, a job description should be non-discriminatory, promote your business values, be jargon-free, clearly outline what the job role will involve, and only include relevant information. Yet, when care employers were asked if they’d reviewed their job descriptions to ensure they meet these standards, more than one-third (36%) hadn’t. 

Job applications are your first opportunity to attract candidates. If you cut corners here, you’ll likely miss out on great potential employees, so make sure yours are up to scratch.

Here’s what to include and what to avoid:

Good example:

Bad example:

Care Assistant – Day shifts (7am-3pm) £13.00 per hour | Full training provided We’re looking for a compassionate Care Assistant to join our friendly team at Meadowview Care Home. You’ll support our 40 residents with daily activities, personal care, and companionship, helping them live fulfilling lives in a warm, homely environment. What we offer: Comprehensive induction and Care Certificate training Clear progression pathway to Senior Care Assistant Flexible shift patterns to suit your life Supportive team culture where your ideas are valued What we’re looking for: A genuine desire to make a difference in people’s lives Good communication skills and a patient, kind approach Reliability and professionalism Willingness to learn (no previous experience necessary)

Care Assistant needed urgently. Must have NVQ Level 2 and 2 years’ experience. Shift work, including weekends. Competitive salary.

 

The first example paints a clear picture of what it’s like to work there, emphasises values and support, demonstrates opportunities for learning and development and opens the door to less experienced candidates. The second is vague, demanding, and tells candidates almost nothing about the role or organisation.

Where to advertise care vacancies

Taking a multi-channel approach to advertising gives you the best chance of reaching quality candidates. Different people look for jobs in different places, so casting your net wider means you won’t be missing out on a potential great-fit candidate.

According to the Skills in Care report, the most successful recruitment methods for care businesses are:

• Employees referring friends (49%) — This tops the list for good reason. Your current staff understand the role, your culture, and what it takes to succeed, so they’re unlikely to recommend someone who’d be a bad fit. Create a simple referral scheme with clear incentives.
• Adverts posted on your own website (29%) — Your website is usually where potential candidates go to learn more about your organisation after seeing a job posted elsewhere. Make sure your careers page is easy to find, mobile-friendly, and includes information about your values, culture, and what it’s like to work for you.
• Adverts in the local paper (20%) — This might seem old-fashioned, but local papers still work for care recruitment, especially when trying to reach older candidates or those who aren’t active online.
• Posters in the local community (20%) — Libraries, community centres, GP surgeries, and local shops are all places where potential care workers might see your vacancy.
• Social media adverts (17%) — While this relatively low figure might be surprising, it suggests that many care businesses aren’t using social media effectively. When done well, with targeted ads, engaging content, and clear calls to action, social media can be a powerful tool.

5 proven methods to improve recruitment

A smooth recruitment process makes everything easier for you and for candidates. Going beyond traditional interviews and incorporating different assessment methods helps you make better hiring decisions and gives candidates a realistic preview of the role. 

Here are five key areas that can help improve your care business’ recruitment process:

1. Work experience, taster shifts, or on-site visits

This is a powerful yet overlooked recruitment tool available to care businesses. Inviting candidates to spend time in your setting before making a hiring decision is great for everyone involved.

You’ll get to see the candidate in action, rather than relying on what they say in an interview, meaning you can assess how they interact with residents, whether they’re comfortable with the physical and emotional demands of the role, and how they respond to the care environment.

It’s also a good opportunity for the candidate to get a realistic understanding of what the role actually involves — the pace, physical demands, and emotional aspects. This helps them make an informed decision about whether care work is right for them, reducing the chances of starting the job and quickly realising it’s not what they expected.

As Mick recommends, “Why not invite candidates to complete a values-based pre-assessment or a ‘taster shift’, where they can shadow an experienced member of staff for a few hours? This can identify a candidate’s ability to build a rapport with employees and people who use the service, and at the same time help them determine whether the job is right for them.”

2. Include care recipients in the recruitment process

The people receiving care are usually best-placed to judge whether a candidate is right for the role. As Mick notes, “Many learning disability services actively involve the people who use their service in the recruitment process. This approach can be adopted by adult social care services to ensure that potential new employees are suitable for the role.”

Residents or service users might attend part of the interview, ask their own questions, spend time with the candidate during a taster shift, or provide feedback after meeting them. The level of involvement depends on the capacity and preferences of the individuals involved.

3. Conduct pre-interview assessments

Pre-interview assessments help you filter for values and attitudes before investing significant time in face-to-face interviews. These aren’t complicated tests—they’re typically short questionnaires, scenario-based questions, or situational judgment exercises that reveal how candidates think and what matters to them.

Ask candidates to respond to realistic scenarios they might face in care work: “A resident’s family member complains that their relative hasn’t been helped to the bathroom quickly enough. How would you respond?” Or values-based questions like: “Tell us about a time when you’ve gone out of your way to help someone. What motivated you?”

4. Offer pre-employment training

Offering some simple training before the employment officially starts can be a great way to attract candidates who want to switch to a career in care but feel underqualified or anxious about taking the leap.

This might look like introductory sessions about care work, basic training modules that cover fundamental concepts, shadowing days where candidates can learn alongside experienced staff, or even starting their Care Certificate before their official start date.

5. Filter candidates

According to the Skills for Care report, just 30% of employers filter candidates out before the shortlisting stage. Strategic filtering — when done correctly — saves you time and helps focus your attention on the most promising applicants.

Do: Focus on essential requirements, which might include eligibility for a DBS check, right to work in the UK, and ability to travel to your location (including whether a driving licence is essential or just desirable). You should also include screening questions that reveal motivation and values, such as “What attracts you to working in care?” or “Describe a situation where you’ve shown compassion to someone in need.”

Don’t: Automatically rule out candidates based on things that can be trained or aren’t absolutely vital. For example, if you can provide training for someone without formal qualifications, try not to make an NVQ Level 2 a hard requirement. Another example is if public transport serves your location adequately, don’t insist on a driving licence.

How to retain gold-dust employees

Recruiting quality staff is only half the battle — keeping them is equally important. High employee turnover is a huge issue in the care sector, with a rate of 31% compared to the national average of 15%.

Every time an employee leaves, you lose their knowledge, experience, and the relationships they’ve built with residents. Add to that the recruitment fees, training time for replacements, and the pressure on your existing team who have to cover gaps, and you’ve got some high costs on your hands.

High turnover can affect the quality of care your residents receive and damage your reputation as an employer. Thankfully, there are several proven ways to encourage care home staff retention:

Training and development

Training and development opportunities are consistently cited as the most important factor in retaining employees. According to the Skills for Care report, 75% of care businesses invest in employee development, and those that do see the benefits in terms of staff loyalty and satisfaction.

Employees want to feel they’re growing and developing, not stagnating. When you invest in their skills and knowledge, you’re showing them that you value their contribution and see a future for them in your organisation.

This can take several forms, including:

• Support to complete qualifications
• On-the-job learning
• Leadership training
• Specialist skills (e.g. administering medications)
• Apprenticeships

Clear career progression paths

Employees won’t stay in an environment where they feel stagnant and trapped at their current level. In fact, 59% of employees leave their jobs due to a lack of progression opportunities. By setting out clear routes for advancement, you show your staff that their time and effort with you can lead somewhere meaningful.

Map out pathways from care worker to senior carer to team leader to care manager. Make sure everyone understands what’s needed to progress to the next level — whether that’s additional training, demonstrated skills, or specific experience.

Plus, don’t forget that not everyone wants a career in management; lateral development is just as important. Some of your best workers might have no interest in managing people but would love to become specialists in dementia care, end-of-life support, or activity coordination.

Useful employee benefits

Benefits and incentives make a real difference by showing employees you value them and want to give something back. And they don’t have to cost a fortune.

Here are some examples of employee benefits you could use:

• Flexible shift patterns — Allowing staff to request shifts that work around their personal commitments shows you respect their life outside work.
• Set shift patterns — Some staff prefer the stability of knowing their rota well in advance. Offering both options, where possible, caters to different preferences.
• Free meals — Providing meals during shifts saves staff time and money.
• Discounts with local businesses — Partner with local shops, gyms, or restaurants to offer your staff discounts.
• Annual leave flexibility — Letting staff buy additional leave days (if they can afford to) or sell any unused days above and beyond their legal minimum entitlement (if they need the money) gives them more control.
• Benefits platforms — These give staff access to discounts and perks across multiple retailers and services via a single portal.
• Childcare support — Childcare vouchers or information about local childcare options help staff with young families.
• Transport schemes — Wheels to Work schemes provide loans or access to vehicles for staff who need transport to get to work but can’t afford a car.
• Health cash plans — These let staff claim back money for dental care, opticians, physiotherapy, and other health costs.

Outside of formal benefits, don’t underestimate the power of recognition. Employee awards, long service recognition, simple thank-yous, praising good work, and celebrating successes as a team all cost nothing but make a real difference to morale.

Measuring employee satisfaction

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Understanding how your staff feel about working for you is crucial if you want to address problems before they lead to resignations.

Despite this, 16% of care businesses in the Skills in Care report said they don’t formally measure employee satisfaction, leaving them flying blind and missing warning signs that staff are unhappy. Even more worryingly, three in 10 employers don’t conduct exit interviews when employees leave, missing out on valuable, honest feedback that could help them improve for remaining staff.

There are multiple ways to measure employee satisfaction:

• Regular employee surveys — Short, anonymous pulse surveys sent monthly or quarterly can track how people are feeling, while annual satisfaction surveys provide more depth.
• Team meetings and discussions — Create space in team meetings for staff to raise concerns or suggestions.
• One-to-one conversations — Regular check-in meetings should include space to discuss how the employee is feeling, not just task-focused topics.
• Anonymous feedback mechanisms — Suggestion boxes (physical or digital) allow staff to raise issues they might not feel comfortable discussing face-to-face.
• Staff forums or representatives — Some businesses appoint staff representatives who gather feedback from colleagues.
• Observation — Pay attention to patterns; increased absence, changes in atmosphere, or rising turnover in specific teams can all signal problems.

How Citation can help with care recruitment and retention

At Citation, we offer comprehensive support for care businesses looking to strengthen their workforce. From employee screening and DBS checks that help you recruit safely, to full HR support both online and on-site, we’ve got everything you need to help your workforce grow.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you attract, recruit, and retain the care staff your business needs to thrive.