Introduction
Many human services providers struggle with recruiting and retaining staff due to work-related stress, burnout, low salaries, and lack of benefits. At human services programs participating in the Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies (NextGen) Project, we observed three approaches to overcoming these challenges to hiring and maintaining a strong talent pool: hiring staff with the right skills and experience to flourish, providing competitive salaries and benefits to recruit and retain staff, and supporting staff to ensure they are successful in their work and motivated to stay in the program.
Purpose
This brief describes approaches to overcoming challenges with hiring and retaining staff for human services programs. Leaders of these programs may find it helpful for strengthening their talent pool.
Key Findings and Highlights
When hiring, programs focused on identifying staff with key characteristics such as empathy, flexibility, and a belief in the program’s mission.
To provide staff with competitive compensation for their work, state-run programs advocated for increased salaries within their state agencies, and programs of various types implemented hiring bonuses and performance-based incentives.
After hiring staff, programs offered supports, such as a cohesive workplace community, celebrations for staff accomplishments, and opportunities to grow within the organization, to help ensure staff were motivated to stay.
The findings in this brief are descriptive and cannot attest to the effectiveness of sites participating in the NextGen Project.
Methods
The NextGen Project team drafted this brief based on information from surveys and interviews of staff, participants, and leaders, as well as insights gathered from routine work with programs to implement the impact evaluation at three NextGen sites: Bridges from School to Work (Bridges), Individual Placement and Support for Adults with Justice Involvement (IPS-AJI), and Western Mass Mental Health Outreach for MotherS PartnershipSM (Western Mass MOMS). Authors also drew on findings from peer-reviewed research to inform the descriptions of strategies highlighted in this brief.
Citation
Johnny Willing and Gina Lewis (2024). Hiring and Retaining a Talent Pool to Run Human Services Programs: Lessons from the NextGen Project. OPRE Report #2024-335. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.