5 Must-Do’s to Find Quality Staff for Your Childcare Center or Daycare
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.Can you find quality staff for your center or daycare amidst the current staffing crisis in the childcare industry? Absolutely! Here are five must-do strategies to attract and retain top-notch talent for your childcare center:
Before we get started, If you're new to my site, remember to snag my FREE Interview Guide to hiring quality staff for your program before you leave!
Now, Let's explore how to find quality staff for your childcare center, preschool, or daycare.
Get Creative in Your Advertising - Think Out of the Box
Online Job Sites to Advertise your Open Positions
So now, it's time to find your people. No one goes from business to business anymore, filling out applications. 80% of job seekers reported using resources or information they found online to find a job. So, it is absolutely necessary to post your jobs online.
Here is a list of job sites and social media places to post your openings. Most job sites will allow you to post for free or give you a free trial before requiring a fee. This will enable you to test what site works best for you.
Offline Places to Advertise
Now, advertising your jobs online is a necessity, and you should be placing your open positions online, but there are other successful ways to advertise. You can ask your church or local churches to mention your job opportunities in their church bulletin or post it on an info board.
Many businesses and apartments have info boards or community boards that you can post on. You can advertise at local colleges, sometimes even targeting students in ECE courses, and you can search out local career fairs.
Some childcare centers swear by using local colleges and businesses. You must find what works for you. If you need fun and colorful advertising flyers for your childcare business click here.
Here are 4 more ways that I attract quality candidates into my center.
A Career page. I love the idea of having a career page on your company's site. If you do not have a Career page or join us page on your website, you're missing out! This is an excellent way for people visiting your site to learn about what it's like to be on your team and why it's a great place to work.
Staff Referrals. My favorite offline way to find people is through staff referrals. You can set up a referral bonus and spread the word to your staff. Post it in the break room, email it, post it in your private community group, and/or pass out a flyer.
For example, your referral bonus may look like this… $100 bonus after the new employee's first week of employment, then $100 additional after the hire has been employed for 90 days. Remember to tell your staff to refer only people with desirable qualities and people that align with your core values. Tell them not to refer someone who is not a good fit for your culture. Download my FREE Staff Referral Letter here.
Parent Referrals. You can do something similar for your parents. Offer a $100 tuition credit if you hire someone they refer. Then, give a free week to that parent after 90 days of enrollment. Download my FREE Parent Finding Staff Referral Letter here.
You can choose your own finder's fee and referral bonuses. The possibilities are endless.
Recruiting Cards. Have you ever been in a store or drive-thru and encountered a bubbly, kind person who gave exceptional customer service? I know I have, and I thought…wow If only all of my staff had that kind of attitude. This is where recruiting cards come in handy.
Have a few recruiting cards ready to hand out when you meet someone with a great personality. Now, I know what you're thinking, just because they have a great personality doesn't mean they can handle a classroom of 10 crying toddlers. Of course not, but you never know until you make connections and explore potentials. And remember, everyone has to start somewhere.
So, when you encounter that person who lifts your spirits, say this…" You have such a great personality! I don't know if you've ever thought about working with children, but if so, here's my card and what we have to offer. I'd love to talk to you!"
On the card, include your company's name, career page link, an attention-grabbing sentence or your mission statement, and a few of your perks and benefits or what you offer. It can be the size of a business card or even a small index card. Keep it simple and brief, but make sure it's fun and catchy! You can create these on Canva and have them professionally printed.
If you want my free Recruiting Card template on Canva, click here 💜
2. Be Patient
Never hire out of desperation. I know how it feels to be short-staffed and constantly ask your key staff to work overtime, pick up the slack, or even fill in a room yourself. I've been there!
When you are short-staffed, hiring out of desperation is tempting, but hiring anyone because they have a pulse will only cause you frustration in the long run. Picking the wrong candidate is always more detrimental to your business than not picking one at all.
Likewise, the consequences of a bad hiring decision will cost you time and money and jeopardize your culture even further.
Instead, focus on creating an amazing ad, get your parents and staff involved in recruiting, and tremendously thank the members of your team who are picking up the slack.
Praise them like crazy and give them a gift card or other gift to let them know how much they are appreciated, and then be patient. Wait for the right person to come along. They will! Just be patient.
Now, just a reminder about no-shows, whether virtually or in person. You will have them. Especially nowadays, you may have a lot of them! Just keep scheduling interviews. The people that are meant to show up will show up.
Pro Hiring Tip: “Track your applicants for a month. Record how they found you, how many no-shows you had, how many interviews you conducted, offers you made, etc.
After a month, if you find that you had 30 people apply, ten show up, three people you offered positions to, and one person accepts the offer, reverse engineer and do the math. Based on these made-up numbers, you will need 90 people to apply to hire three staff members.
3. Offer Competitive Rates and Benefits
Our teachers and staff work hard. Days can be long and stressful, but out of all the challenges childcare professionals face, the biggest may be that they're not paid a living wage in many states, according to a new report from CNBC.
With fast-food restaurants and grocery stores currently paying well over minimum wage, attracting candidates with a low starting rate is tough.
Sure, You will have a few stay at an underpaid job because they love it, but you must pay well to truly attract quality A players.
Research also confirms that better-paid teachers provide better-quality care, and it's important to remember that our staff is the lifeblood of our business. Without them, there is no business!
You will likely need to bring in more revenue to solve this.
Raising tuition rates is the most obvious way to bring in more revenue. I hear all the time…I can't afford to raise rates. My parents won't pay more. Then I hear we are comparable to the area. We Can't charge more...yes you can, and you should.
Inflation happens. ECE programs should increase rates every year or every other year by 2-5%. Your initial tuition increase may be substantially more than a 2%-5% increase to combat the staffing crisis, especially if you have not raised your rates in several years.
You can charge more if you have a clean, inviting facility, loving professional staff, provide quality care, and offer something unique that sets your center apart. Click here to read my article, Why Raising Tuition Rates is Essential to Your Daycare.
Perks & benefits- Do a competitive analysis and check out the hiring ads of other preschools in your area and any other businesses in your area that you are losing candidates to and see what unique perks and benefits they offer.
Once you've done your research, get creative and come up with fresh and exciting benefits that beat out your competition – and don't worry, not all benefits and perks offered come with a hefty price tag. Health insurance and 401ks are wonderful, and you should strive to offer them, but there are other perks you can offer.
Perks to Consider:
Sign-on bonuses
Paid CPR & 1st Aid
Paid Holidays
Monthly Class Supply Allowance
Birthdays off with pay
Free child care or discounted child care
Free meals
Flexible schedule or unlimited time off
4 Day work week option
Performance or Attendance Bonuses
Weekly chair massages
Paid Professional Development Training
If you want a deep dive into what you should be paying your staff and what perks and benefits to offer, check out my online program, Perks & Pay for Childcare Businesses, Unlocking Competitive Compensation and Creative Benefits to Boost Retention and Employee Satisfaction.
4. Be Willing to Train
Gone are the days of hiring someone and putting them in the classroom alone on day one! Training is critical to retaining newly hired employees.
Why is employee training so important in child care?
Trained employees are more skilled and knowledgeable
Trained employees stay longer
Trained employees are more satisfied
Trained employees feel more confident & valued
Trained employees provide better care
Trained employees require less supervision
Trained employees will learn to make good, safe, and economical use of materials, toys, and equipment.
Trained employees will apply and follow similar procedures as a result of similar training.
Trained employees contribute positively to the work culture.
Training should consist of topics such as the mandatory rules and regulations that your state has implemented, center policies and procedures, health & safety, and everything to do with the care, health, and well-being of the children, including giving proper care, child development, classroom structure, lesson planning, adequate documentation, and staff & parent communication to name a few.
No matter how much childcare experience a new employee has, you must have a training system. They may be well-versed in childcare skills, but every program has its own systems, processes, and standards, and they need to learn your company's ways of doing things. Regardless of previous experience and knowledge, never skip the training.
Different ways to train your new hire.
Usually during the orientation, the director or leader will start by using either written, verbal, or video based training followed by in the classroom training.
Here’s what each of these look like…
Written Based- reading printed or online material such as an employee handbook or employee documents are an example of written based training.
Instructor-Led- in-person verbal teaching and instruction. I give verbal instructions during the orientation. I also have an experienced mentor who gives verbal instructions and information throughout the day when working one-on-one with the new staff member.
Video Based-watching videos of either an instructor talking, role-playing & reenacting, or information slides. I love video training because it saves so much time. The videos take time to create initially, but once they are done, staff can watch them any time without requiring additional effort from a supervisor or director.
Observation- Have the new hire observe a qualified and experienced mentor in the class or area in which they will be working.
Assisted Hands-On- After observing, have the new hire jump in and practice. The mentor should always be present, aiding and giving feedback.
Supervised Hands-On- After assisted hands on, have the new hire run the show on their own with minimal assistance from the mentor. Have the mentor observe and supervise but back away from the assisting. The mentor should still guide them and give feedback when needed.
Solo With hourly check-ins- After your new hire is well equipped and feels comfortable, let your new hire work solo with hourly check-ins from a supervisor or mentor.
5. Create an Amazing Work Culture
A poor working environment is one of the biggest reasons people leave a company. Work on creating an amazing work culture to ensure your team feels appreciated, valued, and loved while having a blast at work. Creating a great culture within your childcare center or daycare will cause your retention rate to skyrocket.
Here's how you can cultivate such a culture:
Great Leadership: Exceptional leadership sets the tone for the entire center. Great leaders in early childhood education (ECE) envision the future, motivate their team, and instill the center's core values.
They lead with empathy, forging meaningful connections with both staff and parents. By demonstrating active listening and genuine care, they create a sense of purpose and belonging among their team, emphasizing each member's pivotal role in shaping children's lives.
Implementing Flexibility: Flexibility in programs and policies empowers employees, fostering creativity and satisfaction. While specific rules and regulations are necessary, allowing flexibility in areas such as staff scheduling, curriculum enrichment, and classroom activities enables staff to tailor their approach to better meet the needs of children and families.
Creating a Community: Transforming the workplace into a supportive community encourages collaboration and camaraderie among staff. Team-building activities and community service initiatives strengthen internal bonds and enhance the sense of belonging and purpose within the team.
Empowering Staff: Empowering staff with meaningful roles and responsibilities cultivates a sense of ownership and investment in the center's success. Providing opportunities for growth and development boosts morale and leads to greater job satisfaction and retention.
Promoting Giving and Fun: Leading with a giving heart and incorporating fun into the workplace is essential for fostering a positive work culture. By prioritizing the well-being and happiness of staff, leaders create an environment where employees feel valued, appreciated, and motivated. Fun activities, celebrations, and contests uplift spirits and contribute to higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction.
If you want to dive into all things fun, check out my Teacher Appreciation & Massive Fun Bundle, the ultimate tool kit for showering your staff with love and appreciation while incorporating massive fun into the workplace!
If you’re completely new to hiring and need a complete blueprint, check out my online program, The Ultimate Staffing Blueprint, the complete step-by-step blueprint for attracting, hiring, and retaining high-quality staff for your child care business while creating a rock-solid team and positive work culture.
Conclusion:
By implementing these five must-do strategies, you'll be well on your way to finding and retaining quality staff for your childcare center or daycare. Remember, your staff is the heart and soul of your business, so invest in them and watch your center thrive.
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