CARE CAN’T WAIT

To our neighbors,

Our caregiving community is in crisis. The pandemic has created an employment crisis in our community. The causes of this dramatic shift in employee hiring and recruiting are complex, but its impact is blunt. We have a shortage of employees within our organizations to provide the level of service our community needs. While our current populations who are served within our respective walls are in good hands, many others among you who may need our service can’t be served because of the lack of local workforce. We need your help!

Our organizations, Laura Baker Services Association, Northfield Hospitals + Clinic’s Long-Term Care Center, Northfield Retirement Community and Three Links Care Center have been friendly competitors in recruiting employees for decades. This competition has encouraged us to provide competitive wages, develop new benefits, and make employment opportunities as attractive as possible. We have now come together collectively because we each face a challenge that is bigger than we can face alone. Our missions to serve you, our neighbors, are threatened like never before. Our organizations stand together with this consistent message.

When our organizations face staffing shortages, people’s health, safety, and access to care are endangered. Recently, Laura Baker Services Association and Northfield Retirement Community were forced to ask residents in their community to move to consolidate and reduce staffing demands. A simple solution on paper. However, what this actually means is uprooting people from their existing homes and relocating them to a new living environment. Laura Baker Services Association, Northfield Retirement Community and Three Links Care Center have traditionally provided care and services to older adults and others in need, however, due to staffing challenges, our entities are not able to meet the needs of our community.

In each of our cases, we continue to provide a safe environment for those we serve. However, we are doing so through unsustainable means. Our most dedicated staff are working multiple shifts and covering gaps in the schedule. Our teams are pushing their limits as they have not had to do before. We are limited in each of our organizations in one way or another, in our ability to serve new clients, and residents.

In simple terms, that means we may not be able to help you and your family when our services are required.

Collectively and individually, we are taking aggressive action(s) to address this huge problem. We are offering hiring incentives, flexible schedules, educational support, and aggressive advertising. We are doing everything we can to get the word out and attract new staff to join us. We need your help in the following ways:

  1. If you are able to work, we encourage you to consider us. Each of our organizations have immediate openings for many different skill levels. We have full-time and part-time openings and will do everything we can to accommodate your individual scheduling needs. We are hiring in a variety of disciplines including nursing, dietary, housekeeping and more. Our work is rewarding and inspiring.
  2. Encourage those around you to join our workforce. Is there a student in your life who needs extra cash or someone who could benefit from more time away from the house? Even if your network isn’t actively looking for work, they may be interested in the emotional and financial benefits of entering or returning to the workforce. We have wonderful entry level jobs for young people and terrific opportunities for experienced professionals.
  3. Recent retirees and those who are re-evaluating their own career paths or people in career transitions may find new opportunities by joining one of our teams. We welcome hard working, friendly people to join one of our teams and learn about the many opportunities available in our organizations.
  4. Spread the word. We all know the old adage that word-of-mouth is the best advertising, and when it comes to recruiting employees, that is especially true. By talking about this letter with friends and loved ones, you help raise awareness and focus on our critical needs. While you may not think of anyone at this moment who is interested in joining our workforce, a conversation with friends might just remind you of a great candidate who should contact us.
  5. Please contact your local State and Federal Senator and Representative and inform them of this concern. While they may already be aware, they need to hear this message from many constituents. Please share this vital message to support our community’s needs, those we serve, and for our existing employees.

We’re doing everything we can to recruit and retain the staff necessary to fulfill our missions. But we can’t do this alone. In a time of need, the Northfield Community has counted on us to provide care and support for decades. Now, we are seeking your help in our time of need to make sure we can continue to support you and your loved ones long into the future.

Respectfully,

Sandra Gerdes
Executive Director
Laura Baker Services Association
www.laurabaker.org/employment

Jerry Ehn
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Northfield Hospital+Clinics
www.northfieldhospital.org

Tom Nielsen
President & Chief Executive Officer
Northfield Retirement Community
Northfieldretirement.org/join

Mark Anderson, NHA, LALD
Chief Executive Officer
Three Links Care Center
www.threelinks.org/careers