Working in health and social care isn’t easy. Staffing challenges, workplace politics and training needs can make being a care assistant emotionally and physically demanding.
Recently, we polled more than 1,000 care assistants to find out more about what inspired them to enter healthcare and how they felt about their current roles. The results were both surprising and heartwarming; we’ll share some below to celebrate Carers Week.
More than 90% still feel inspired to care
Nine in ten professionals remain motivated by the things that initially made them want to work in healthcare. More than half of those who responded said they’re driven by the desire to help people, while 20% enjoy making a difference in people’s lives.
It gets even more encouraging. On average, care professionals rated their job satisfaction at a whopping 8.2 out of 10 and their overall level of happiness at 8.3.
When we asked them about the best parts of their roles, improving people’s lives (53%) and experiencing “helper’s high” (43%) both came top of the list of perks. Other highlights included changing things for the better (35%), supporting people (23%) and being part of a team (14%). Flexible hours and training opportunities also got a mention.
Gratitude and recognition in care
Gratitude and recognition matter in the care profession. Case in point, 74% of care professionals who took part in our study said they found the thanks and appreciation they received from residents and patients truly meaningful.
Unfortunately, only 13% of respondents received a heartfelt “thank you” at least once a week from colleagues or the people they care for.
Celebrating those who care
To celebrate Carers Week, our survey asked if people working in care agreed with stereotypes about the industry. In short, we discovered they didn’t agree with some of the most common myths, calling them misconceptions instead.
According to the care professionals we spoke to, a career in care isn’t just for women. It also doesn’t involve working exclusively with older adults in residential communities.
People also challenged the belief that care is a dead-end job or that career opportunities are limited. They pointed out that unsociable hours were not always required and said pay wasn’t as low as people outside the social care sector thought it was.
“Reading the news paints a very bleak picture for the healthcare industry, but our research shows that care home workers are still feeling overwhelmingly positive,” says Florence CEO Dr Charles Armitage. “Social care is the often-overlooked arm of the healthcare services, but National Carers Week allows us to celebrate both professional and voluntary carers in the way they deserve.”
Charles went on to say that in care, a genuine “thank you” goes a long way. We couldn’t agree more.
Compassion makes all the difference
Care professionals are some of the most resilient people around, and despite everything, the majority feel optimistic about their roles. Here at Florence, we’re proud to draw attention to the vital work care workers do to help bring the misconceptions within the profession to light.
Happy Carers Week to all who work in health and social care!
Inspired to work in care? Try our free Pathway to Care course, designed to give you the professional skills you need for a career in care. Or, take your pick from 70+ courses at Florence Academy, like First Aid - courses are free to take at your own pace.
You might also be interested in:
