Recruitment and retention in the welfare sector: Nordic good practice

Abstract

The Nordic welfare sector is facing significant challenges when it comes to providing effective social care services. While the demand for services for a rapidly growing elderly population is constantly increasing, the workforce delivering social care services is shrinking, with many workers reaching retirement age. Tackling the challenges related to recruitment and retention of qualified staff – and developing innovative approaches to the delivery of social care services – is becoming increasingly urgent, particularly in rural and sparsely populated areas (SPAs). This policy brief gives an overview of examples across the Nordic Region aimed at tackling these resource challenges and exploring innovative ways of organising and delivering social care services in rural areas and SPAs. It is based on a desk study funded by the Nordic Welfare Centre (see more about this on the last page).

Essential rural services in the Nordic Region – Challenges and opportunities

“…It has been noted that some rural service providers face challenges in attracting highly skilled workers, such as medical doctors, nurses and teachers(Penje & Berlina 2021). One of the policy actors in the Nordic Thematic Group for Green and Inclusive Rural Development expressed the…”

Welfare institutes in sparsely populated areas

“…At the same time, the number of welfare service employees is decreasing due to outmigration of young people and a large proportion of the workforce reaching retirement age. Consequently, the quality of care is often negatively impacted by the shortage of skilled health care and social workers (Penje and Berlina, 2021).…”

Body care of older people in different institutionalized settings: A systematic mapping review of international nursing research from a Scandinavian perspective

“…This discussion has also been extended to include questions around the house cleaning. Overall, it can be argued that body care of older people is in a dilemma between discussions of what is dignified high‐quality eldercare and welfare policy discussions about the future role of the welfare state with an ageing population with care needs, a declining workforce, challenges in recruiting and retaining competent care workers, fewer financial resources and changing disease patterns among the older people (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2014 ; Nordregio, 2021 )…”