As demand for caregivers grows with the aging population, home-based care providers are increasingly relying on millennial and Generation Z employees. Expanding workforces is critical for an industry beset by workforce shortages – but if providers fail to update their approaches to recruitment and retention, they risk losing valuable employees.

To attract and retain millennial and Generation Z at-home workers, providers are offering specialized benefits and implementing new recruitment strategies, including social media and gamification, to address the “invisible” nature of home-based care jobs.

“We’ve found that millennial caregivers are driven by purpose, flexibility and professional growth,” MissionCare Collective CEO Brandi Kurtyka told Home Health Care News. “Unlike previous generations who may have prioritized job security and long tenure, millennials seek alignment with an organization’s mission, want to feel valued day-to-day and expect a clear path for development.”

MissionCare Collective, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a staffing and recruiting company focused on caregivers and the parent company to myCNAjobs and CoachUp Care.

Generation Z, currently aged 13 to 28, and millennials, aged 29 to 44, are often grouped together. However, there are key differences between the two that affect how providers should approach hiring, training, onboarding, recognition and management

Companies working to improve retention and recruitment have launched targeted initiatives and made cultural shifts to better meet the expectations of each generation. Otherwise, providers risk higher turnover and decreased productivity, according to the Sorenson Impact Institute at the University of Utah.

Younger generations may also be less likely to join companies that do not prioritize their specific needs and values.

“Millennials are more likely to seek out companies that value their contributions and offer better work-life balance, leading to higher turnover rates if their current employer isn’t meeting their needs,” read a paper from the Sorenson Impact Institute.

When millennials and Generation Z caregivers do join home-based care companies, they often excel because of their strong technological skills, collaborative nature and ability to leverage online resources for support, according to a study by researchers at the University of Utah College of Nursing in Salt Lake City They are also more likely to seek out information and connect with other caregivers, potentially through online groups or social media, which can help manage the challenges of caregiving. 

Increasing flexibility

Generation Z and millennial employees view themselves as more than just their jobs, and they want their employers to acknowledge this. According to the World Economic Forum, 73% of Generation Z employees prefer permanent flexible work options. This may involve a mix of remote work from home and on-site responsibilities, a four-day workweek or allowing employees more freedom in choosing their work hours. 

“Young caregivers are looking for flexibility,” Kerin Zuger, chief operating officer at Caretech, told HHCN. “You’ll attract [workers] with flexibility, but you also have to understand their needs.”

Caretech, an independent home care company based in Omaha, Nebraska, provides a range of non-medical services including personal care, companionship, and household assistance. The company serves clients across Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa.

Going the extra mile to ensure home-based care workers have flexibility contributes significantly to building not only retention but also trust and loyalty, Zuger said. She recommends offering flexible shifts and inquiring whether they prefer regular shifts or would like to be on call. This type of flexibility can greatly demonstrate that providers value their lives outside of work and support work-life balance.

“[These generations] are mission-driven, but they can’t pour from an empty cup,” Kurtyka said. “Employers who build infrastructure around their well-being – emotional, financial and professional – will not only retain them but help them thrive.”

Matching employees’ values

Generation Z and millennial employees often prioritize finding meaning in their caregiving roles and may be more inclined to seek employment that provides a sense of purpose or connection, according to Activated Insights. They tend to value work that enables them to develop personal skills, improve the lives of those in need and foster creativity.

Millennials may have earned college degrees during challenging economic times, and therefore often value earning potential, a generous benefits package and tuition reimbursement.

Their younger peers, on the other hand, may seek out other benefits.

“In my experience, Gen Z employees aren’t quite at the age where they care about benefits so much,” Zuger said. “They’re not thinking that far in advance. They like the idea of gamification and incentives. You can relate to them through culture and flexibility. However, millennials are a little different. They are looking for benefits. They want to know what you offer and what your benefits are – do you have things like a 401(k)? Targeting and understanding those demographics has been important for us.”

Professional development is also a common priority among Generation Z and millennials. However, growth doesn’t always mean pursuing a nursing degree or climbing a clinical ladder, Kurtyka said. For many, it’s about enhancing their skills to serve clients better, gaining confidence in their roles or accessing pathways to higher wages.

Recruiting and retaining the younger workforce to an ‘invisible’ industry

Millennials and Generation Z workers interested in health care or actively enrolled in related educational programs are more likely to pursue caregiving roles, according to Kurtyka, though providers can struggle to find employees outside these categories.

“Caregiving roles – especially in home care – are often ‘invisible jobs’ to those outside the industry,” Kurtyka said. “Many young adults simply aren’t aware these opportunities exist unless they’ve had a personal caregiving experience or have been exposed through school or work. For millennials who are still early in their careers, this lack of visibility can be a barrier, so when someone is already pursuing a health care path, they’re much more likely to recognize caregiving as a viable and meaningful job.”

According to Zuger, attracting the younger workforce requires creativity because of this “invisibility.”

“Engaging them on a social media platform is a great way to get their attention,” Zuger said. “We recruit through fun dances on TikTok. We also use Handshake. Use the channel that the younger generations are dependent on for jobs, whether that’s through their parents, counselors, schools or the web.”

When it comes to retaining younger employees, Zuger said Caretech uses many of the same strategies it employed to hire them.

“It’s flexibility in staffing. It’s praising. They want the accolades,” she said. “The opportunity to advance is also vital to caregivers.”

Zuger stated that many organizations must come to terms with the reality that younger workers often will not stay for life – and that’s okay.

“They do good work, and they’re reliable, but they’re younger, and they’re advancing in their careers,” she said. “We provide opportunities like certifications, reimbursement for schooling and advancement. People have taken advantage of those opportunities for us, allowing them to continue as caregivers while planning for their next role. They are great ways to keep employees around, too.”

Kurtyka agreed and noted that she has observed many ways this younger workforce can build upon their caregiving experience.

“Through myCNAjobs, we’ve seen many human resources or social work students work as caregivers while completing their degrees,” Kurtyka said. “They’re still deeply committed to quality care but also value transferable skills like communication, leadership and problem-solving.”

Training the emerging workforce

Training and onboarding the next generation of caregivers isn’t as simple as employing the same strategies used for earlier generations

Differences in communication styles, advances in technology and varying approaches to authority and management may all necessitate taking a different approach to training than what many managers experienced when entering the workforce, according to Activated Insights. 

“Age groups like to be managed differently,” Zuger explained. “Millennials or older individuals are expecting regimented training processes and preparation for the job. They want black-and-white policies and procedures. Gen Z is a bit different. They want to do things their way. So, we often show them the recommended way to do things and ask them to remember that the client has specific needs and how you meet those needs is part of relationship building.”

Zuger said that using empathy, leading with emotion and guiding Generation Z to solutions, rather than simply telling them the answers, is a better way to work with them compared to millennials.

According to Activated Insights, one common complaint about working with younger generations is that they don’t seem to respect authority. However, their research shows the truth is that they generally respect reasoned arguments more than authority for its own sake.

“Rethink how you onboard, orient and train a younger generation,” Zuger said. “A lot of it is around emotional intelligence and how to work through some of the varying sorts of engagement, working with people one-on-one and looking them in the eye. Those are the types of skills that are unique to training the younger generation.”

During training, clarify the “why” behind the reason, according to Activated Insights, rather than “pulling rank.”

Managing younger employees

Younger caregivers face a unique and often underrecognized mix of emotional, financial and systemic pressures, according to Kurtyka. Many are juggling student debt, economic instability, mental health challenges and caregiving responsibilities within their own families while working in roles that demand deep emotional energy and resilience.

According to research from MissionCare Collective, caregivers are three times more likely to experience anxiety and depression, which makes emotional well-being a critical area of concern. These challenges are heightened by the often isolating nature of home-based care positions and the absence of traditional workplace structure or peer connections. 

To genuinely support younger employees, employers must go beyond the basics, according to Kurtyka. She suggests cultivating a culture that prioritizes emotional support, providing workforce funding opportunities, such as wellness reimbursement to help alleviate financial strain and investing in career growth. When employers cannot pay more, they can foster a culture that drives results, Kurtyka said.