Workplace culture is tricky to define, but it has a measurable influence on success in long-term care. Perhaps the most visible evidence of culture’s impact is in providers’ ability to recruit and retain workers.
“Obviously, you have to pay a good wage, you have to be competitive and you have things to take care of your team, but the culture is what’s going to keep them,” Anne Campbell, vice president of operations at Juniper Communities, said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the 2025 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Forum in Chicago. “Without a good culture, you’re just going to have a revolving door. They’ll find something better elsewhere.”
Pay and benefits no longer are providers’ strongest retention tools, Campbell said. Rather, employees today stick around when they feel valued and supported by their employers. Cultivating those positive workplace attributes can give providers a competitive advantage in an industry bogged down by worker shortages, the panelists agreed.
“Culture, really, is everything,” said Michael Christensen, owner of EasyShifts. “It affects revenue, it affects retaining your employees [and] it affects being able to make new clients, so it really is worth the effort to develop your culture.”
Although culture is key, there is no “right way” to build a positive culture. The panelists encouraged providers to play to their unique strengths and to listen to what employees want out of their work environment.
“One of the most important things is that it’s fun, that there’s camaraderie among the team and it gives you a good vibe of community,” Campbell said
“In a positive workplace environment, staff members want to be appreciated. They want to be recognized and they want to be heard,” offered Lauren Snyder, director of nursing at Villa Maria Health and Rehab.
Carrie Tyson, senior vice president of therapy at Ignite Medical Resorts, noted, “The most important things for staff members are when they feel heard, valued, supported and recognized for a job well done.”
Positive workplace initiatives
Initiatives such as open door policies, town hall meetings or thank you notes recognizing exceptional staff members can help providers build a positive workplace culture, the panelists said. They also suggested innovative practices, such as flexible scheduling, that are highly desirable among Gen Z job-seekers.
“Flexible scheduling is huge,” Snyder said. “I’ve learned to get really creative with my scheduling, and it works.”
At Ignite Medical Resorts, for instance, employees can use “flex days,” which allow them to be absent for one workday as long as they make up the hours on a different day of the week. This approach has helped build a culture of accountability and trust, according to Tyson.
Meanwhile, Juniper Communities hosts “future leaders groups” to promote mentorship opportunities for less senior employees, Campbell said.
Regardless of how culture is built, providers should aim to match the wants and needs of individual workers, the panelists said.
Workers’ diverse needs
“People are all different, and they want to have that appreciation shown differently,” Christensen said. “Some people may just want a thank you. Others, maybe they want time off. Some people like public praise, but maybe some people don’t like public praise. Some people might like a little trinket or a little gift.”
McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger moderated the session, one of three educational panels moderated by McKnight’s editors and featuring Women of Distinction honorees and others. The Forum preceded a cocktail party, dinner and presentation of awards. This year’s event set a record for attendance.
Healthcare Services Group is the Platinum sponsor of this year’s festivities, and PharMerica is the Silver sponsor. Additional sponsors include Affinity Health Services, Curana Health, DirecTV for Business, EasyShifts, Guardian Pharmacy Services, Marquis Health Consulting Services, Priority Life Care, Reliant Rehabilitation, Reside Admissions and Sentrics.