Elder is a pioneering care-tech platform that connects self-employed carers with families. It’s a genuine industry disruptor, and has become the biggest player in the live-in care space since it was founded five years ago. In a refreshing move, Elder uses sophisticated technology to match families with carers based on skills and personality. It also enables carers to choose placements based on their own needs, so they can work as much or little as they want. In this blog, we detail the recent initiatives Elder has implemented to improve the working lives of their carers, but they’re not stopping there. 

The concept of Elder was founded as a consequence of Founder and CEO Pete Dowds’ own experience with the UK care system. When trying to find support that would work for his Gran, Frances, he noticed that there simply wasn’t an option to suit their family’s needs. Pete was driven by the commendable idea that older people should be able to stay in their own homes, even when they need round-the-clock care. “Our parents and grandparents spend years creating homes that become the heart of the family. A place everyone comes back to for Christmas and holidays,” reads the Elder website’s heartfelt about us page. 

Pete believed there had to be a way that older people could hold onto all that their homes stand for. But for this to work, a radically better live-in care system was needed. 

“For too long, the sacrifices made by UK care workers have gone unrecognised and under-rewarded. As the sector looks to build back from the pandemic, its dedicated workforce must be remunerated fairly if we’re to retain its best talent, and live-in care better facilitates this. Providing the flexibility of self-employment, paired with the assurances of a generous rewards package gives hope to attracting new talent into the workforce, whilst holding onto our most valued colleagues” - Pete Dowds, CEO. 

The problem: attracting, converting, and retaining workers 

Even though it was experiencing rapid growth, Elder was facing some tough challenges in the first half of 2021. For the industry as a whole, demand for carers is far outstripping supply. Elder needed to attract more high quality and experienced carers to fill the gap.   

The future-focused company also needed to increase its conversion rate of registered carers, with less than three percent of its new carer applicants going on to secure any work, and found that pay and package on offer were the primary barriers for taking on placements. 

The solution: benefits built to attract, incentivise and reward carers

Steadfast to its mission, Elder set about creating a market-defining and tech-enabled Carer Value Proposition. It’s since rolled out a robust carer loyalty programme, which includes a partnership with Onsi. 

Through the partnership, users now get access to insurance which enables them to take time off work in case of sickness or injury, and benefits that are focused around improving their mental, physical and financial wellbeing. They can also enjoy a range of discounts on everyday items like fuel, food, and technology. 

The package is tiered, too. Carers can work their way up from Silver to Gold and then onto Diamond packages, based on how many days of care they provide through Elder. Depending on which package they have, they’ll get access to rewards through Onsi such as:

Bespoke insurance created for carers

Carers can access a range of insurance covers to protect them against risks that are specific to their industry, including:

• Accident & Sickness Insurance

• Permanent Disablement Insurance 

• Accidental Death Insurance

• Compassionate & Family Leave

Mental, physical and financial support

Carers can access a range of rewards that support their mental, physical and financial wellbeing, including:

• Mental health support: 24/7 emotional support, expert advice and counselling

• Digital GP

• Digital physiotherapy 

• Financial wellbeing support services

• E-learning and self-employed assistance 

Savings on food, fuel, technology and more

Carers can enjoy regular savings on everyday products and services, from their food shop to their phone bill and leisure activities.

• Savings at major supermarkets

• Savings on fuel 

• Savings at tech stores

• Savings on experience days and eating out

The result: a 65% rise in applications and happier carers

Just six months on from rolling out the programme, Elder has seen a 65% rise in applications for placements.

They’ve also had lots of really positive feedback from their carers – NPS results rose by 60% after the partnership with Onsi and wider loyalty programme was introduced. 

“Elder has worked a lot better since the increase of pay, introduction of support and mental health awareness. These elements have strengthened communication between Elder and carers.” – Elder carer

Over the past six months, 330,000 days of coverage have been taken up by Elder carers. Overall, Onsi’s mental health support is the most popular offering. 

The future: growth and further improving the Elder Carer Value Proposition

In the past five years, Elder has experienced an average growth of 85%, and it’s now got a user-base of more than 5,000 carers across more than 500 towns and cities across the UK. But what does the future hold for the innovative platform?

Through its market-leading benefits scheme, Elder plans to grow rapidly, and has its sights set on attracting another 1,000 workers in 2022. They aim to be the first choice partner for live-in carers in the UK – something it envisions achieving by staying true to its pioneering Carer Value Proposition.

Interested in learning more about how Onsi can help you attract and retain skilled independent workers? Just head here.