According to a report published by Skills for Care on 15 October 2025, the turnover rate in the care sector for 2024/2025 reached 24.7 per cent, equating to approximately 300,000 leavers. Such a high level of movement not only places immense pressure on remaining staff but also affects continuity of care, increases recruitment costs and undermines the quality of resident experience. In this context, staff retention in care homes is a critical challenge that cannot be addressed by recruitment alone. Strategic HR interventions play a vital role in creating work environments where care professionals feel supported, valued and motivated to stay.
In this blog we explore the underlying causes of turnover in the care sector and offer practical HR-led approaches to improve retention and build a more stable, committed workforce.
What causes high staff turnover in the care sector?
According to the Skills for Care report, there are many reasons why this sector commonly face a high staff turnover rate. Main factors include:
Experience
The report showed that the turnover rate decreased the more experience the employee has. The turnover rate reduced to 17% when working in the industry for more than 10 years.
More specifically, the turnover rate is at its highest within the first year in the job, rising to 34%.
Pay
Care workers earning more than 50% below the local authority average experience a turnover rate of 28%. The rate increased to 32% for employee’s with zero hour contracts.
Training
Turnover stands at 25% among care workers who received some form of training in the past year, compared with 30% for those who did not.
What does this mean for staff retention in care homes?
These figures highlight a sector under sustained pressure. High turnover is rarely driven by a single issue, but by a combination of workplace challenges that affect morale, wellbeing and long-term career commitment. For many care workers, poor organisational culture, burnout and stress, limited progression opportunities and low pay all contribute to the decision to leave.
This creates a costly cycle for employers due to constant recruitment, reduced team stability and increased pressure on remaining staff. For residents, it can mean inconsistent care and weaker relationships with those supporting them day to day.
Understanding the root causes is the first step. The next is taking practical action to address them.
Creating a positive workplace culture
A negative or unsupportive culture is one of the most common reasons employees leave. In care settings, where roles are emotionally demanding, feeling valued and respected is essential to improve staff retention in care homes.
How to improve this:
- Train managers in people management, communication and conflict resolution
- Encourage open feedback and regular check-ins with staff
- Recognise achievements and celebrate good performance
- Promote fairness, inclusion and transparency in decision-making
A strong, supportive culture helps employees feel part of something meaningful, rather than just filling shifts.
Reducing burnout and workplace stress
Care workers often face long hours, emotional strain and staff shortages, all of which increase the risk of burnout. When stress becomes unmanageable, leaving can feel like the only option.
How to improve this:
- Ensure rotas are realistic and allow adequate rest between shifts
- Monitor workloads and avoid consistent reliance on overtime
- Provide access to mental health support or employee assistance programmes
- Encourage managers to spot early signs of stress and intervene
Protecting wellbeing is not just good practice, it is essential for sustainable staffing and improving staff retention in care homes.
Improving career development and progression
The data shows that turnover decreases significantly as experience increases, yet many workers leave early due to a lack of visible future in the sector.
How to improve this:
- Offer structured career pathways and progression plans
- Invest in ongoing training and funded qualifications
- Support internal promotions where possible
- Communicate long-term opportunities clearly from the start
When employees can see how their career can grow, they are far more likely to stay.
Addressing pay and contract security
Low pay and insecure contracts remain major contributors to low staff retention in care homes. This is particularly for those on zero-hour arrangements or earning well below local averages.
How to improve this:
- Regularly review pay against local benchmarks
- Offer guaranteed hours where possible
- Be transparent about pay progression
- Consider additional benefits such as enhanced sick pay or travel support
While budgets may be tight, competitive and fair pay plays a crucial role in retaining skilled staff.
The importance of HR in improving staff retention in care homes
HR plays a crucial role in tackling the underlying causes of high turnover in the care sector. From shaping workplace culture and supporting managers, to developing fair pay structures and clear career pathways, effective HR practices provide the foundation for long-term workforce stability.
In care environments, where regulatory compliance, safeguarding and employee wellbeing are all critical, having strong HR support ensures that people management is proactive rather than reactive. It also helps organisations move away from constantly filling vacancies and towards building engaged, committed teams.
Without a clear HR strategy, issues such as burnout, inconsistent management and poor communication can quickly escalate, driving employees to look elsewhere. Our team are here to help you with staff retention in care homes.
How The HR Booth supports care providers
At The HR Booth, we work closely with care providers to help create workplaces where employees feel valued, supported and motivated to stay.
Our support includes:
- Reviewing pay structures, contracts and benefits to ensure fairness and competitiveness
- Developing training and progression frameworks to encourage long-term careers in care
- Supporting managers to build positive, inclusive workplace cultures
- Implementing wellbeing initiatives to reduce burnout and absence
- Providing compliant HR policies and employee relations support
- Advising on recruitment and onboarding to improve early engagement and retention
By taking a tailored, practical approach, we help care organisations strengthen staff retention in care homes, reduce recruitment costs and improve continuity of care for residents.
If you would like to explore how HR support could improve staff retention in care homes, our team is here to help. You can read our recent blog post on how HR can help you retain a good rating with the care inspectorate.
