Virtual home care training boosts staff retention with classes to suit busy mums

Home care provider Extra Hands has created a ‘virtual’ training suite that can mimic face-to-face learning "as closely as possible", while boosting staff retention by allowing mums on the school run to learn at times that suit them.

Norfolk home care firm Extra Hands invested in a new training facility in its Broadlands office, which offers a hybrid of a ‘virtual’ studio as well as a traditional training room to provide remote and in-person training.

Extra Hands training manager Justin Mayes said the home care provider had to quickly adapt to moving training online because of the Covid-19 pandemic but it has gained “huge benefits" in its remote approach.

“Now it doesn’t matter where they are located - you are not limited in numbers and it is more accessible”, said Justin Mayes.

Busy mums aren't 'put off' starting employment with us

“For example I had someone on induction who had to go and pick their children up mid-afternoon. That might have put someone off being able to come and start employment with us.

“But with Zoom you can record it and send them an email saying that’s now online and you can view the bits you have missed. It makes it much more flexible."

Mr Mayes says training should be two-way and “as close to possible” as having face-to-face training.

This is achieved with different specialist camera equipment and speakers which allow staff to see demonstrations from different angles and ask questions and get answers while training sessions are being held.

“For example, there is a bedroom, which has a bed with hoists, and one camera at a personal level on wheels which I can move around to get the best viewpoint.

“There is another one up near the ceiling which gives a birds-eye view in the corner of the screen, so you get the full image of what is going on.

“I have got a speaker, so if I am asking questions I can hear responses."

Extra Hands has recently developed an app which care workers can use to instantly access forms rather than having to fill in and send back paperwork.

The app is also being developed as a training resource to offer bite-size videos that staff can access anytime.

The training manager added: “Certain topics such as moving and handling will be going back to face-to-face training but I think hybrid training is the way to go.

“Anything which can be done virtually will be - and then for areas that benefit from that hands-on approach, you will get people in.”

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