In 2023, there were an estimated 43,000 vacancies in nursing, personal care, and clinical care manager positions, employed across all aged care service types. [1] Looking ahead, the sector faces sustained workforce challenges, with an anticipated annual shortfall of 35,000 direct care workers and a projected under-supply of 17,550 nurses by 2035. [2]
Steps to retain staff should include supporting flexible workload management, recognising and addressing workers’ emotional and psychological stress, strengthening organisational support, and improving access to education and training - critical actions for sustaining a skilled and committed aged care workforce. [3]
Many factors influence staff retention and turnover.
Some of these include:
- Employee satisfaction
- Job control and design
- Pay, conditions and benefits
- Professional development
- Motivations related to the role and community
- Workplace support. [4]
Understanding why staff leave or remain in the workforce is challenging due to a wide variation in data collection approaches and methods. Retention measures are equally diverse, encompassing indicators such as staff intentions (to stay or leave), job satisfaction and turnover (attrition) rates.
To effectively plan for workforce stability, it is essential to have robust systems and processes in place, such as a dedicated retention strategy developed through effective workforce planning. Retaining skilled staff not only enhances the quality of care for residents, but also reduces recruitment and training costs for providers, and contributes to a stronger, more resilient aged care system overall.
Workforce retention refers to the ability of organisations and systems to maintain an experienced, engaged and stable workforce over time. [5-7] Staff retention is crucial in aged care because it impacts the quality and sustainability of care for older people. A stable workforce ensures continuity of care, supports person-centred practices and builds meaningful relationships with older people and families. High retention rates reduce recruitment and training costs, improve team cohesion, and enhance workplace culture. In a sector facing increasing demands of care and workforce shortages, improving retention is essential in maintaining high quality care and ensuring the long-term viability of aged care services. Read more about retention and aged care workforce here.
Retention in aged care is influenced by a complex interplay of factors stemming from the organisational or individual levels (or both), including working conditions, career development opportunities, remuneration, workplace culture, job satisfaction, and the emotional and psychological demands of caregiving. The aged care sector is also influenced by broader systemic issues, such as policies, funding models, and societal perceptions of aged care work. [8] Understanding and addressing these factors are essential in developing fit-for-purpose and tailored retention strategies at specific levels, ultimately ensuring sustainability in aged care service delivery. Read more about the current state of challenges in the Australian aged care sector here.
As the global population ages and population trends change, care needs become increasingly complex. Retaining a qualified, skilled and compassionate aged care workforce is an urgent priority. Sector level reforms are needed to address systemic issues, but they often take time to implement and deliver expected results. Whilst many workforce challenges are systemic and require sector-wide reform, organisational and/or individual aged care services can still play a vital role in retaining staff. Investing in workforce strategies at the service level is not only practical (given that staff typically represent the largest operational cost), but also essential, as these employees are central to delivering quality care and shaping the day-to-day experiences of older people.
Ongoing research in aged care staff retention is needed because the challenges affecting workforce stability continue to evolve and influenced by a range of social, economic, and policy factors. As the aged care sector adapts to increasing care demands and changing care models, workforce demographics, and regulatory reforms, research is essential to identify what strategies work in different contexts. Ongoing research also helps track trends, evaluate strategies, and inform evidence-based policy and practice.
Across these activities, it is essential that the experiences of aged care workers are heard, understood, and meaningfully incorporated into workforce planning. Without collaborative and cohesive efforts to engage workers, the sector risks relying on outdated or ineffective approaches that negatively impact care quality and workforce retention.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2023 Aged care provider workforce survey: Summary report [Internet]. Canberra, ACT: AIHW; 2024 [cited 2025 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/fbbe3584-c404-4bf7-b50f-f309c80ccd13/2023-ACPWS_Summary_Report#:~:text=%E2%80%A2%20At%20March%202023%2C%20there,The
- Ageing Australia. State of the sector: Aged Care 2024 [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2025 Jul 1] Available from: https://ageingaustralia.asn.au/extlink/report/ACCPA-State-of-the-Sector-Aged-Care-2024-Report.pdf
- Cameron E, Noble N, Bryant J, Norton G, Allanson V, Sanson-Fisher R. Job satisfaction and regulation in the aged care sector: staff perspectives. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023;15;23(1):1421.
- National Skills Commission. Care workforce labour market study: Final report [Internet]. Australian Government; 2021 [cited 2025 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/Care%20Workforce%20Labour%20Market%20Study_0.pdf
- Waldman JD. Change your metrics: if you get what you measure, then measure what you want - retention. J Med Pract Manage. 2006; 22(1): 13-19. 17
- Humphreys J, Wakerman J, Kuipers P et al. Improving workforce retention: Developing an integrated logic model to maximise sustainability of small rural and remote health care services. Canberra: Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, 2009.
- Morris ME, Brusco NK, McAleer R, Billet S, Brophy L, Bryant R et al. Professional careworkforce: A rapid review of evidence supporting methods of recruitment, retention, safety, and education. Hum Resour Health. 2023; 21(95)
- Thwaites C, McKercher JP, Fetherstonhaugh D, Blackberry I, Gilmartin-Thomas JF,Taylor NF et al. Factors impacting retention of aged care workers: A systematic review. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(23):3008
