25% success rate for hiring aged care staff

An AI-based digital platform is helping to connect aged care providers and prospective workers – with a one in four success rate for new hires.

The platform is the brainchild of 29-year-old Evan Wang and his business partner CJ Chung, previously a commercial manager with Chinese multinational technology company Alibaba.

The pair had planned to build an aged care home in Perth in 2016 after Evan saw a need to better connect older people with their local community.

“We wanted to create a model combining an RACF with retirement apartments in Perth to help the seniors feel more connected to the community,” he said.

But they quickly realised that the sector’s greatest challenge was not building more beds but finding the staff to provide the care.

“We saw providers looking for staff because they have a high turnover, with resources being directed to administration and agency staff,” said Evan.

“At the same time, staff were quitting because they didn’t have enough shifts.”

The pair founded CareBridge in 2018 with the aim of addressing these workforce challenges.

“We want to place the right people to the right provider at the right time through artificial intelligence and information transparency,” stated Evan.



“Whether it is a temporary shift, casual role or a permanent job, the labour market in aged care can be more sustainable.”

How does CareBridge work then?

Designed to take the traditional labour out of the recruitment process, the platform aims to better determine suitable candidates and match them to potential roles.

Digital communications target people interested working in the sector and validate their qualifications for carer roles such as police checks and Certificate IIIs.

Every member records a video of themselves talking about why they want to work in aged care.

AI is used to match the job postings with the best possible candidates with providers sent notifications every time a new candidate is found.

Providers can request members provide answers to three specific questions that they may have for review.

The system can then set up a face-to-face or video interview, ask for references checks and even provide onboarding and training.

Who can use the system?

The platform works on a two-tiered membership model – providers can sign up to use the services as clients, while carers can join as members.

The service now has around 20 clients and several thousand members, with over 50 new members joining every week.

Membership is currently free for both clients and members, with aged care providers paying a success fee of $295 for a carer and $550 for a Registered Nurse.

And the results are remarkable – 50% of candidates put forward are interviewed with one in two hired.

“For every four people that we have sent on, one is successfully hired,” said Evan.

“Essentially, we are achieving the benchmark of a recruitment agency.”

Compare this to SEEK where the strike rate can be as high as one in 100 applications.

What do providers and carers say?

A survey earlier this year found CareBridge’s clients reported at least a 50% improvement in efficiencies for their recruitment process.

“The talent acquisition, pre-screening, selection and hiring process is all done through CareBridge. The only effort that providers must undertake is the interview, and making the final decision to be sure that, ‘This is the person I want’,” said Evan.

“This offers a much better return on your recruitment investment.”

Feedback from carers is also positive.

“Carers say that they find it much simpler compared to other channels when they are trying to find a job,” said Evan. “They also report longer retention.”

‘We care for you while you care for them’

A key element of CareBridge’s success is its messaging, with postings and branded campaigns to attract members to the clients and the platform itself.

Unlike an agency, CareBridge’s focus is on finding permanent employment for carers, whether that is with one or more organisations.

“The messaging that we are working our way towards is ‘we care for you while you care for them’,” said the group’s Board Chair Ray Glickman.

“We have been digging deep to try to understand what the potential carer’s life is like, and it is a tough gig for people who have their own responsibilities and need to keep looking for shifts to make ends meet.”

“We can make the process of finding a job or shifts easy because they don’t have to apply to a range of organisations – they simply become one of our members and the jobs come to them. Similarly, once the system knows what shift you want and what location you want them in, it will push them to you.”

A plan to take the platform interstate

Another benefit is the improvement in the quality and continuity of care for residents, carers, and providers.

“In those environments, you want to be supported by someone that you have a connection with, and providing more permanent employment can ensure that residents and carers achieve that bond,” said Evan.

CareBridge is now in the process of developing member packages to encourage more carers to join as well as developing partnerships with local training organisations to provide qualifications for members who may be interested in care work but are unqualified.

The service also plans to move into other states by 2023 where Evan hopes it will see comparable results.

“Providers can use their resources more wisely,” he summed up.

“You can be spending more time strategising about how to take care of your existing staff and how you can reduce your staff turnover which will in turn improve the quality of care and reduce the risk of non-compliance.”