Why Recruitment Is the Achilles’ Heel of So Many Domiciliary Care Tenders
Share
👣 Blog 1 of 7 in our ‘Recruitment in Domiciliary Care Tenders’ Series
Recruitment is the Achilles’ heel of many otherwise excellent domiciliary care tenders. Even with brilliant care models and outcomes, bids often fall apart when asked: “How will you staff the service?”
Commissioners don’t just want reassurance — they want evidence that you’ve faced this issue head-on, and that you’re actively solving it.
🚨 Here’s why recruitment is a red flag in tenders:
- 📉 High vacancy rates are widely known — so empty claims won’t cut it.
- ⏱️ Time-to-fill and attrition rates directly affect mobilisation and continuity.
- 😟 Commissioners fear handover chaos or capacity issues if you can’t recruit fast.
✅ What commissioners want to see instead:
- 📊 Realistic data on vacancies, with context.
- 📈 Your current pipeline — interviews scheduled, apprenticeships underway, rejoiners, overseas candidates (if applicable).
- 📍 Local partnerships with colleges, employability schemes, and job centres.
- 🧲 How you attract staff to your *specific* service (not generic values talk).
- 🎯 What makes staff stay — because retention starts the moment you recruit.
Recruitment answers don’t need to be perfect — but they do need to be honest, specific, and backed by evidence.
📚 Explore the full 7-part series on Recruitment in Domiciliary Care Tenders:
- 1️⃣ 💬 Why Recruitment Is the Achilles’ Heel of So Many Domiciliary Care Tenders
- 2️⃣ ✅ “We Recruit Locally” Isn’t Enough in Domiciliary Care Tenders
- 3️⃣ 🔁 How to Reduce Turnover in Home Care: What Commissioners Want to See
- 4️⃣ 🗣️ How to Use Staff Voice to Strengthen Your Domiciliary Care Tender
- 5️⃣ 🧭 How to Create a Compelling Recruitment Narrative in Domiciliary Care Tenders
- 6️⃣ 💼 How to Evidence Fair Pay and Career Development in Home Care Tenders
- 7️⃣ 🧠 How to Align Your Workforce Plan with Commissioner Expectations in Home Care Tenders