Back to Insights 03 Feb 2025

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The Biggest Recruitment Challenges in Social Care: What Hiring Managers Are Saying

A recent LinkedIn poll explored the key recruitment barriers in these fields, with hiring managers highlighting the following issues:

While these results reflect some of the biggest systemic challenges, they don’t tell the whole story. One participant summed it up perfectly:

Their response highlights just how multifaceted the problem is. Let’s break it down further.

1. Skills Shortage (36%) – The Biggest Barrier

The most significant challenge identified in the poll was the shortage of qualified workers. Social care roles require extensive training, but not enough professionals are entering (or staying in) the field.

What’s Driving the Shortage?

2. Funding Instability (27%) – The Sector’s Biggest Uncertainty

Many social care organisations rely on government grants and short-term funding, making it difficult to offer stable employment.

How Does This Impact Recruitment?

3. Uncompetitive Compensation (27%) – The Retention Killer

Despite the high demands of social care work, salaries often don’t reflect the skill and effort required.

Why Does Pay Matter?

4. The Nature of the Work (9%) – A Unique Challenge

While only 9% of respondents selected this as the biggest barrier, it remains a significant underlying factor. Many roles involve high emotional intensity, unpredictable crises, and exposure to trauma.

Why Is This a Hiring Challenge?

Beyond the Poll Results – What Else Is Holding Recruitment Back?

As the poll participant highlighted, recruitment challenges in social care go beyond just skills shortages, funding, and pay. Additional barriers include:

How Can We Fix These Recruitment Challenges?

While there’s no single solution, here are some practical strategies to attract and retain workers in social care:

1. Expand the Talent Pipeline

2. Push for Sustainable Funding

3. Improve Compensation & Work Conditions

4. Redesign the Hiring Process

Final Thoughts

Recruiting in social care is complex, but these roles are crucial for supporting Australia’s most vulnerable communities. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between government, service providers, and industry leaders. By investing in workforce development, improving job conditions, and streamlining hiring processes, we can build a stronger and more sustainable social care workforce.

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