Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) provider TeamKids has confirmed the launch of a new multi-year bonus scheme for all directors of service (coordinators) equivalent to an additional $13,000 to be paid over two years on top of their existing salaries.
The move is understood to be the first of its kind amongst large OSHC providers and provides another important signal that employers continue to explore new ways to improve their value proposition for current and prospective team members in an environment where talent retention and acquisition remains challenging.
“We are very excited to be in a position to announce this new scheme,” Sam Hoath, Founding Director of TeamKids said.
“It’s incredibly important to send a strong signal to all professionals working, or considering working, in the OSHC space that their contribution is valued and we at TeamKids are prepared to reset expectations regarding employee value propositions with our generous retention bonuses.”
$13k spread over two years will be the new normal for TeamKids directors of service
As of 1 February 2023, TeamKids will offer all existing and new full time Directors of Service a bonus scheme that pays them an additional $3,000 after one year’s service followed by a further $10,000 a year after that.
The bonuses will only be paid if the team member remains at TeamKids for the duration of the two periods ie: 12 months and 24 months.
“Although there has been a noticeable positive shift in recent months, innovation and new ways of thinking regarding attracting and maintaining good talent is more important than ever before,” Mr Hoath said.
“By offering this type of bonus over such a long time period we hope to not only keep our directors of service working at TeamKids but also attract new and exciting team members to our group.”
Unique characteristics of OSHC setting have amplified workforce difficulties
Although teacher and educator shortages have pervaded the entire early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector for the last several years, including OSHC, a number of specific factors have made it difficult for the setting to compete for what has been a shrinking pool of educators.
“One important factor has been the availability of free training for OSHC specific qualifications which have been removed from TAFE with only the Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care available as free courses,” Mr Hoath said.
“Another is that pre-graduate teachers can now apply for a waiver to teach during the latter years of their degree. This means they get paid to fulfil university placement hours which ultimately reduces their need to find other work, which normally has been in OSHC settings.”
TeamKids has worked hard to try and counter these challenges by ensuring all Directors of Service are full time and paid the equivalent salary to a primary teacher. It also offers 95 per cent discounts to educators placing their children in care and has partnered with a range of health and wellbeing specialists such as Sam Wood and Heidi Rogers to support team members.
To learn more about TeamKids, visit their website here.
Republished article from The Sector
