Hiring and retaining staff is more important than ever. Organizations put tremendous energy into recruiting and onboarding new caregivers, and rightfully so. But what happens after that first week will ultimately make or break their decision to stay.
After orientation, the real retention work begins. The “middle mile” of the employee experience is where company culture lives. It’s when staff settle into routines, discover the unwritten norms of a workplace, and decide whether they feel valued and seen—or invisible.
This is the moment where recognition can be most transformative to the employee experience—ensuring you eliminate unnecessary turnover and build an inspired workforce.
Recognition Is More Than a Gesture—It’s a Culture
Ceca’s programs are founded on the “Science of Recognition.” And while recognition is important in every workplace, for the healthcare industry, it’s even more imperative to connect an employee to their work so that they feel a sense of purpose.
When we ask caregivers why they stay, we hear a consistent message: “I want to feel appreciated. I want to know I make a difference.”
Unfortunately, too often, organizations wait until a service anniversary or an exit interview to express appreciation or to dust off a comment card that got submitted earlier in the year. But truly impactful recognition must be woven into the daily rhythm of care work and company culture—not reserved just for special occasions.
That’s where we come in. Ceca has:
- An industry-awarded, web-based recognition platform that makes it easy for peers, residents/patients/clients, and families to highlight acts of care.
- Prestigious Ceca Awards that combine monetary prizes and formal moments to celebrate everyday excellence.
- Staff spotlights and storytelling to reinforce the values behind recognition and give your organization a chance to talk about the exceptional people behind the exceptional care you’re providing.
- A fully-managed program supported by Ceca which provides best practices for recognition and saves administrative time to focus on other priorities.
These tools don’t just make people feel good, they improve morale, teamwork, and retention—and most importantly, they build a culture of gratitude.
Three Ideas to Sustain Engagement Beyond Month One
Whether you’re a long-term Ceca partner or exploring ways to enhance your culture, here are three strategies from high-performing teams:
1. Introduce a First 90-Days Recognition Plan
Schedule touchpoints every day the first week, every week the first month, and every month for an employee’s first quarter—not just for evaluations, but to celebrate wins, gather feedback, and reinforce belonging. Even simple gestures like a favorite snack or a team shoutout make a difference. And if you really want to put the cherry on top, create a “New Team Member Award” and use it as an opportunity to publicly recognize an outstanding individual each quarter.
2. Create Recognition Champions
Designate one team member in each department to collect and share great stories of care from other staff and your cared-for community. For those in leadership roles, this can even be incorporated into regular rounding activities. Not everyone feels comfortable choosing one person out of an entire team to nominate for an award—but everyone has a moment worth recognizing and a story worth sharing.
3. Use Recognition to Reinforce Values
Each time someone is recognized, it’s a chance to spotlight the “why.”. Tie stories back to your mission, vision, and values. That connection builds meaning—and meaning builds retention.
Retention Is Ongoing, Not One-Time
Hiring is hard. Replacing great staff is harder (and costly). But with consistent recognition, trusted relationships, and a culture that reflects your mission, retention becomes a natural outcome—not a constant battle.
Let’s keep building the middle mile together.
Want to learn more about bringing Ceca’s award-winning program to your organization?
View more online about the Ceca Award offering or contact John Duckworth, Ceca’s National Director of Sales. Become a Ceca Partner today to start building a culture where care is recognized, enhanced and celebrated.