In Ireland's health and social care sectors, high staff turnover is a chronic challenge. In early learning and childcare settings, national turnover stood at 24.5% in 2023, with hotspots like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown reporting up to 37.9%—and some services reporting turnover as high as 80% . Home‑support workers face similarly steep attrition rates around 30% annually, driven by low pay, inconsistent hours, burnout, and limited career progression.

In the community and voluntary sector, turnover rose 27% between 2022 and 2024, leaving many organisations struggling to compete with better-funded employers. Meanwhile, within the HSE, turnover was 10.2% in 2022, dropping modestly to 8.9% in 2023, with around 63% of departures voluntary.

The Hidden and Obvious Costs

💸 Financial Drain

Training and onboarding new staff is expensive. Irish home‑support worker recruitment costs are estimated at €2,500–€5,500 per worker, with total national costs projected at €41 m to €90 m to maintain current service levels. General estimates suggest replacing an employee costs 30–200% of their annual salary. For a social care worker earning ~€35,000/year, that could mean €10,000–€70,000 in replacement costs.

📉 Operational & Quality Impact

High turnover undermines service quality. In childcare, disrupted staffing relationships harm children's emotional needs and developmental continuity. Overworked staff struggle to give individuals the personalised care needed, risking negative outcomes and poor satisfaction.

🧠 Morale & Culture

Frequent departures and rotating staff degrade team cohesion, morale, and institutional knowledge, creating a cycle of stress and attrition among remaining employees. Recruiting shortages further exacerbate burnout and demoralisation.

Training as a Strategic Lever

🎓 Effective Onboarding & Early Support

Care workers are most likely to quit in the first 6 months. Structured reviews at 6 and 16 weeks—and assignment of dedicated mentors—dramatically reduce early exits.

📚 Continuous Learning & Career Development

94% of leavers said stronger learning and development would improve retention; 81% advocated greater employee involvement in decision-making. Formal training helps build confidence and embed organisational values—factors shown to cut turnover.

👥 Values‑Based Recruiting and Leadership

Hiring staff whose values align with the organisation leads to longer tenures. Leadership that values staff contributions, promotes wellbeing, and nurtures an inclusive culture fosters loyalty and engagement.

💼 Better Terms, Pay & Flexibility

Addressing low pay and poor conditions is fundamental. Healthcare assistants have seen pay rises of 10‑17%, but many senior roles remain static. Offering stable contracts, flexible schedules, and housing or sign-on bonuses helps retention.

Ireland at a Turning Point

Recent data shows small but encouraging improvements: HSE staff turnover dipped from 10.2% in 2022 to 8.9% in 2023, while 63% of departures remain voluntary—indicating an opportunity to strategically tackle the root causes. The challenge persists: community and early-years settings still average 25–27% turnover, undermining quality and threatening service availability.

A Winning Formula: Training + Retention = Value

• Lower Recruitment Costs: Retaining staff saves on advertising, induction, recruitment agency fees, and lost productivity.

• Greater Quality of Care: Clinical and emotional continuity improves patient and service-user outcomes (especially in childcare).

• Boosted Staff Morale: Training, progression pathways, and inclusive leadership reduce burnout and build loyalty.

How SuccessPro Can Help

SuccessPro is designed to deliver a full-spectrum solution tailored to social and healthcare organisations:

✅ Structured Onboarding & Mentorship

Guided induction programmes with scheduled check‑ins at key milestones, paired with peer‑support networks to reduce early turnover.

📘 Tailored Training Programmes

Delivery of bespoke and compliance training modules, soft skills, and sector-specific professional development. Keeps staff certified, engaged, and growing.

📊 Data‑Driven Insights

Track staff turnover by team, location and tenure. Measure training impact, job satisfaction, and identify at-risk roles before they leave.

🌟 Culture & Leadership Support

Tools for feedback loops, staff surveys, recognition platforms, and inclusive decision-making — embedding a values‑based retention strategy.

🧰 Flexible Package Options

Designed to scale from small community care providers to large healthcare settings—SuccessPro supports part‑time, hybrid, and shift‑based staff schedules.

In Summary

• Turnover in Irish social and healthcare sectors ranges from ~25% to over 30%, with hotspots hitting 40–50%.

• Direct costs of replacement span several thousand euros per person, and total turnover costs may reach €90 million in home‑support alone.

• Training, inductive support, leadership culture, and fair terms are proven retention strategies.

• SuccessPro offers a proven platform to address these needs, driving retention, morale, and ultimately, better care delivery.

Transform your workforce into your greatest asset—invest in training and retention to reduce turnover, elevate morale, and protect both quality and budgets. With SuccessPro, the pathway to better staff stability and better care outcomes is clear and achievable.