The social care sector is facing a crisis that threatens the well-being of millions, but there’s a solution that might just turn the tide: investing in better pay and training for caregivers. While it sounds straightforward, this approach is backed by groundbreaking research that reveals its profound impact on care home performance and resident satisfaction. But here’s where it gets controversial: could this strategy alone be enough to solve the crisis, or are we missing a critical piece of the puzzle?
According to a recent study published in Human Resource Management (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hrm.22321), care homes that prioritized staff training saw a 4% increase in new residents, while those that improved pay and working conditions experienced a 3.1% rise. These numbers aren’t just statistics—they’re a testament to the power of valuing the workforce. The research, which analyzed data from 36,460 establishments and 1.9 million workers over five years, tracked everything from staff turnover to job security, revealing a clear link between HR practices and care home success.
Dr. Andreas Georgiadis of Leeds University Business School emphasizes that the government must step in to support care providers in offering better pay, conditions, and training. Without this, he argues, the crisis will only deepen. Meanwhile, Dr. Andreas Kornelakis from King’s College London points out the dangers of cost-cutting HR strategies, calling them short-sighted and counterproductive. He warns that relying on low-skilled, underpaid workers undermines long-term success—a bold statement that challenges the status quo.
But this is the part most people miss: the study also suggests that the benefits of improved pay and training plateau once a certain level of staff skill and experience is achieved. At that point, care homes need to explore other strategies, such as adopting new technologies or improving operational efficiencies, to keep thriving. This raises a thought-provoking question: Are we focusing too much on immediate fixes and not enough on sustainable, long-term solutions?
The findings, detailed in Pay and Train to Sustain: A Dynamic Human Capital Resources View of the Relationship Between HRM Practices and Organizational Performance Over Time (2025), offer a roadmap for addressing the workforce crisis. However, they also invite debate. Is it fair to expect care providers to shoulder the financial burden of better pay and training, or should governments and society share the responsibility? And what role should technology play in the future of care?
As we grapple with these questions, one thing is clear: the social care crisis demands urgent action, and investing in the workforce is a critical first step. But is it enough? We’d love to hear your thoughts—do you agree with the researchers, or do you see another path forward? Let’s start the conversation in the comments below.
More information: Andreas Georgiadis et al, Pay and Train to Sustain: A Dynamic Human Capital Resources View of the Relationship Between HRM Practices and Organizational Performance Over Time, Human Resource Management (2025). DOI: 10.1002/hrm.22321 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22321)
Citation: Cracking the social care workforce crisis with improved pay and training practices (2025, November 17) retrieved 17 November 2025 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-social-workforce-crisis-pay.html
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