109_How Emotional Onboarding Drives Early Engagement and Retention in Post-Acute Care

Welcome back to Part 4 of our Emotional Onboarding Series on The Healthcare Plus Podcast. On this episode, Dan Collard takes an in-depth look at the post-acute care industry with special guest Abby Spence, the nursing home administrator of Signature HealthCare of Cleveland. Dan and Abby discuss the unique staffing challenges faced by long-term care organizations and highlight early wins in retention and engagement from the implementation of Emotional Onboarding tactics. 

After attending the inaugural Post-Acute Leadership Institute (PALI) summit in July 2024, Abby brought a number of the selection, hiring, and onboarding solutions she learned back to her team in Cleveland, TN. 

In an effort to retain top talent, attract new team members, and improve residence care, Abby has implemented and seen success with several key Emotional Onboarding tactics, including:

• Creating a welcome video for new hires to reduce anxiety
• Implementing the “battery charge” exercise and creating a gratitude board to foster appreciation and open communication
• Completing a Personal Retention Plan with all new hires

Abby and Dan also discuss the need to attract Gen Z healthcare workers to solve the staffing shortage in post-acute care. Abby highlights how she’s adjusted her leadership style to cultivate a more supportive and development-focused workplace culture and how she’s leveraging new ideas brought forward by Gen-Z employees. 

Tune in next time for the final episode of the Emotional Onboarding series or listen back for more ideas from Katherine Meese, Patti Frank, and Natasha Lee today. 

About Abby Spence

Abby Spence is the CEO of Signature HealthCARE of Cleveland and has been a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator for 11 years. With a background in mental health and social services, she is committed to enhancing the quality of life for seniors and creating a positive work environment for healthcare professionals. Under her leadership, Signature HealthCARE of Cleveland recently received the Bronze Award from the AHCA National Quality Award program. Abby is also part of the inaugural cohort of the Post-Acute Leadership Institute, using her experience to further the success of her facility and its mission.