With unemployment at a near 50-year low in Australia, the childcare industry is struggling to find quality workers. Thanks to COVID outbreaks, some centres are even being forced to close temporarily or ask parents to keep their children at home because they simply don’t have the staff or casual educators to make up the right numbers.

If your centre is having difficulty attracting casual educators, you need to put some consideration into the image it presents. As well as being a great place for families and their children, you need to be a good place to work.

Here are some ways to improve your reputation so you can not only attract more casual educators to work with you, but take your pick of the bunch.

How to find and attract top casual childcare educators:

• Make sure you have good reviews online

Your centre must have good reviews, not only to attract quality staff but also to drum up more business. Before they apply to work for you, childcare workers will check out your centre online. If the reviews they see are less than glowing, they may hesitate before applying to work with you.

You can achieve five-star reviews by doing quality work and treating your staff well. Satisfied parents will happily leave you five stars, as will happy employees. Be proactive about asking for feedback, for example by sending out satisfaction surveys then asking the people who give a glowing report to leave some feedback online.

• Have high-quality photos and descriptions

In today’s online world it is expected that any high calibre institution will have a quality website. Potential employees should get a feel for your centre by seeing what you look like online. Make sure your centre's website has high-quality photos and plenty of information. Anyone who spends time on the site should feel like they have a decent idea about your centre and its values.

• Build your reputation by being great to work with

If your centre is known for being a fun and rewarding place to work, educators will naturally be keen to apply for casual roles.

Communicate with your staff frequently and make adjustments to keep them happy and engaged. Ensure that staff development is well maintained and that you listen to your staff’s feedback and take what they say on board.

Referrals are the best way to get new clients and often the best way to attract good staff. You may also want to create an incentive program that rewards team members who refer their friends to work with your centre.

• Have perks and benefits available for being part of the team

Nothing makes a job desirable like perks. Even something as simple as a uniform or nicely presented tea and coffee facilities can make all the difference. Discounts for staff members’ children, flexible working hours and financial bonuses are all popular incentives.

Many casual educators take on the role with a view to finding a permanent position. If they know it’s worth making an effort to get a foot in the door with you they will keep in touch.

• Have a plan and a vision for where your centre is going

Increasingly and across all industries, people want to feel like they are working somewhere with purpose. Make sure your centre has a clear vision and path forward. Casual employees will see working at your centre as a highlight for their resume, and full-timers will appreciate knowing that they will be progressing in their careers.

Think about the way your centre benefits the wider community; for example by having a charity that you support.

• Have something for educators to look forward to

While education is a highly rewarding career, it can, at times, fall into a repetitive routine. Having events, rewards, or any other perk for your educators to look forward to will make your centre appealing to casuals who have an eye on joining you full time.

Ideas include:

• Staff parties

• Theme days at work

• Paid afternoons off as rewards

• Group outings

• Subsidised training

• Health insurance or gym membership subsidies

• Use Z Staffing

The Z Staffing platform allows you to check educator reviews before you hire them, and they can check the feedback for your facility as well (similar to an Uber or Airbnb rating).

This easy to use app has a strict screening policy that ensures only qualified and capable educators put their hands up for your listing. With near-immediate notifications and no middlemen, it is making it far easier to connect quickly with the best casual workers from your area.

If you are struggling to find casual childcare educators or wish there was a better way, join the Z Staffing community today! 

With unemployment at a near 50-year low in Australia, the childcare industry is struggling to find quality workers. Thanks to COVID outbreaks, some centres are even being forced to close temporarily or ask parents to keep their children at home because they simply don’t have the staff or casual educators to make up the right numbers.

If your centre is having difficulty attracting casual educators, you need to put some consideration into the image it presents. As well as being a great place for families and their children, you need to be a good place to work.

Here are some ways to improve your reputation so you can not only attract more casual educators to work with you, but take your pick of the bunch.

How to find and attract top casual childcare educators:

• Make sure you have good reviews online

Your centre must have good reviews, not only to attract quality staff but also to drum up more business. Before they apply to work for you, childcare workers will check out your centre online. If the reviews they see are less than glowing, they may hesitate before applying to work with you.

You can achieve five-star reviews by doing quality work and treating your staff well. Satisfied parents will happily leave you five stars, as will happy employees. Be proactive about asking for feedback, for example by sending out satisfaction surveys then asking the people who give a glowing report to leave some feedback online.

• Have high-quality photos and descriptions

In today’s online world it is expected that any high calibre institution will have a quality website. Potential employees should get a feel for your centre by seeing what you look like online. Make sure your centre's website has high-quality photos and plenty of information. Anyone who spends time on the site should feel like they have a decent idea about your centre and its values.

• Build your reputation by being great to work with

If your centre is known for being a fun and rewarding place to work, educators will naturally be keen to apply for casual roles.

Communicate with your staff frequently and make adjustments to keep them happy and engaged. Ensure that staff development is well maintained and that you listen to your staff’s feedback and take what they say on board.

Referrals are the best way to get new clients and often the best way to attract good staff. You may also want to create an incentive program that rewards team members who refer their friends to work with your centre.

• Have perks and benefits available for being part of the team

Nothing makes a job desirable like perks. Even something as simple as a uniform or nicely presented tea and coffee facilities can make all the difference. Discounts for staff members’ children, flexible working hours and financial bonuses are all popular incentives.

Many casual educators take on the role with a view to finding a permanent position. If they know it’s worth making an effort to get a foot in the door with you they will keep in touch.

• Have a plan and a vision for where your centre is going

Increasingly and across all industries, people want to feel like they are working somewhere with purpose. Make sure your centre has a clear vision and path forward. Casual employees will see working at your centre as a highlight for their resume, and full-timers will appreciate knowing that they will be progressing in their careers.

Think about the way your centre benefits the wider community; for example by having a charity that you support.

• Have something for educators to look forward to

While education is a highly rewarding career, it can, at times, fall into a repetitive routine. Having events, rewards, or any other perk for your educators to look forward to will make your centre appealing to casuals who have an eye on joining you full time.

Ideas include:

• Staff parties

• Theme days at work

• Paid afternoons off as rewards

• Group outings

• Subsidised training

• Health insurance or gym membership subsidies

• Use Z Staffing

The Z Staffing platform allows you to check educator reviews before you hire them, and they can check the feedback for your facility as well (similar to an Uber or Airbnb rating).

This easy to use app has a strict screening policy that ensures only qualified and capable educators put their hands up for your listing. With near-immediate notifications and no middlemen, it is making it far easier to connect quickly with the best casual workers from your area.

If you are struggling to find casual childcare educators or wish there was a better way, join the Z Staffing community today!