Why can't we keep agency staff coming back?
When agency staff do not return to your facility, it is usually one of three things - the working environment, the pay structure, or the booking experience. Understanding which one is driving the pattern is the first step to fixing it.
Why agency staff do not come back
- Pay rate is lower than competing facilities in the area - per diem professionals compare rates across postings
- Booking experience is difficult - slow confirmation, unclear expectations, disorganized arrival process
- Working environment - charge nurses who are unwelcoming to per diem staff, unclear orientation, no support
- Reliability of payment - delayed invoicing or disputes erode trust quickly
The structural problem with traditional agencies
With a traditional staffing agency, you have no direct relationship with the caregiver - the agency is the intermediary. If a good CNA had a positive experience at your facility, there is no mechanism for them to prioritize you next time. The agency dispatches whoever is available.
On a direct marketplace platform like Quinable, facilities can rebook specific caregivers directly. A CNA who had a great shift at your facility can be requested for the next opening. The rehire rate metric shows you exactly which professionals your team works well with.
How to improve per diem retention
- Post competitive rates - check what comparable facilities in your area are posting
- Create a smooth arrival process - clear parking instructions, a designated check-in point, a brief unit orientation
- Have charge nurses acknowledge per diem staff as valued team members for the shift
- Pay quickly and without dispute - on a marketplace platform with prepaid wallet billing this is automatic
Per diem staff return to facilities that treat them well and pay competitively. On a direct marketplace, you can build relationships with specific caregivers and rebook them directly - bypassing the agency entirely.
Quinable has 100,000+ credentialed providers ready
Quinable connects home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities directly with 100,000+ credentialed caregivers. No agency markups. No phone trees. Real-time coverage.
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