High Recruitment Costs and Turnover in Aged Care & NFP
A CEO from a major Aged Care provider said something to me recently that really stood out:
“Without doubt one of the major challenges facing an Aged Care operator is the ability to firstly attract the right staff, but then secondly it is a matter of retaining them. All too often we expend enormous amounts of time and energy in developing and nurturing our staff only to find them move on.”
Think about that.
On paper, everything looks fine.
In reality, it’s a financial and operational risk that’s hitting harder than ever.
Because in Aged Care and NFP right now:
Recruitment costs are escalating
Turnover remains stubbornly high
Time-to-fill roles is increasing
Experienced staff are walking out the door faster than they can be replaced
Every departure comes at a cost.
Not just recruitment fees, onboarding, and training…
But:
Lost knowledge
Disrupted teams
Inconsistent care and service delivery
Increased pressure on those who remain
And that pressure compounds the problem.
Because when teams are stretched:
Fatigue and risk increases
Morale drops
Engagement declines
And the cycle continues.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Most organisations are treating turnover as a recruitment problem.
It’s not.
It’s an engagement problem.
Because people don’t just leave organisations, they leave environments where they don’t feel valued.
And in Aged Care and NFP, where the work is demanding and emotional, that feeling matters more than ever.
The issue isn’t a lack of care. It’s a lack of consistent, meaningful recognition.
Not annual awards.
Not one-off initiatives.
But everyday acknowledgment of the work happening on the floor, in real time.
Because recognition directly impacts retention.
When people feel seen:
They stay longer
They contribute more
They support their teams
They deliver better outcomes
And that flows directly into:
Lower recruitment costs
Reduced turnover
Greater service consistency
Stronger organisational performance
What leading organisations are doing differently
They’ve stopped treating recognition as optional.
And started making it systematic, visible, and measurable.
Using platforms like Brownie Points, enhanced with AI, organisations can:
Capture recognition in real time
Ensure great work is acknowledged as it happens, not months later
Surface hidden contributions
AI identifies patterns and behaviours that would otherwise go unnoticed
Detect early signs of disengagement
Highlight teams or individuals at risk before they leave
Give leaders actionable insights
Real-time dashboards showing engagement, participation, and cultural health
Reinforce the behaviours that matter
Align recognition with organisational values and performance outcomes
Reduce reliance on reactive hiring
By improving retention, you lower the need for constant recruitment
This isn’t about being “nice.” It’s about:
Reducing cost
Stabilising your workforce
Protecting service quality
Because high turnover isn’t just an HR issue. It’s a business risk.
And the longer it goes unaddressed, the more expensive it becomes.
So, the question is:
Are you investing more in replacing people…
or in keeping the right ones?
If this is a challenge in your organisation, now is the time to act.
Brownie Points, powered by AI, helps you turn recognition into a measurable driver of retention, engagement, and performance.
📩 Contact us today: info@browniepoints.com.au
