Hiring is hard. Retaining skilled staff? That’s the real test.
International Women’s Day invites us to pause. To reflect and to take action. UN Women Australia’s theme for 2026, Balance the Scales , challenges us to confront the structural barriers that still limit equality, safety and fairness for women. In Australia’s healthcare sector, the imbalance is clear. Women make up around 74% of the health workforce a s a whole, delivering care, supporting patients and holding the system together every day. Yet when we look at who leads our healthcare organisations, the picture shifts. According to the Australian Academy of Health & Medical Sciences , leadership teams still don’t reflect the people powering the sector citing that women make up just 26% of leadership roles. A workforce powered by women . Women make up the overwhelming majority of Australia’s healthcare workforce. This is particularly visible across nursing , midwifery, allied health and community care , where women deliver frontline care, support patients and keep the system running day to day. They are, quite literally, the backbone of the workforce. Yet despite this strong representation, the same balance is not reflected in leadership. According to data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency , women hold just 19.4% of CEO roles and 32.5% of key management positions nationally , highlighting the gap between who powers the sector and who leads it. Healthcare is no exception. While nearly 90% of Australia’s nursing workforce is female , leadership roles remain far less representative; even in sub sectors where they make up the majority of the workforce. Balancing the scales through fair, consistent recruitment . To create leadership teams that reflect the people delivering care, organisations need recruitment processes that are transparent, inclusive and consistent. From our experience here at MAYDAY Healthcare, these five practical steps make a meaningful difference: Use a standardised recruitment process - ensuring every candidate is assessed against the same criteria and interview structure. Form diverse interview panels - bringing multiple perspectives into decision making and reducing unconscious bias. Advertise roles inclusively - using neutral language and highlighting flexibility to attract a broader, more representative talent pool. Develop internal leadership pathways - giving existing staff access to sponsorship, development, and stretch opportunities. Document and review hiring decisions - creating transparency and accountability in how leaders are selected. A leadership team that reflects the workforce . Healthcare is built on empathy, diversity and service. Leadership should reflect those same values. When executive teams mirror the workforce, organisations benefit from stronger culture, better decision making, and improved patient outcomes. Balancing the scales isn’t about favouring one group over another—it’s about ensuring the systems we use to select leaders are fair, consistent and aligned with the reality of today’s healthcare workforce.
Hiring in aged care and community services isn’t one-size-fits-all. Residential aged care, home care and NDIS services may sit under the same umbrella, but the skills, mindset and workforce risks in each are very different. Getting this wrong doesn’t just impact rosters. It affects continuity of care, compliance, client outcomes and team morale. Here’s what hiring managers need to know when building teams across each model. Residential Aged Care: Consistency, Clinical Confidence & Team Fit Residential aged care runs on structure, routine and teamwork. Staff are caring for residents with higher acuity needs, often in regulated, fast-paced environments where clinical confidence and reliability are non-negotiable. What matters most when hiring: Experience in residential or acute-style settings Strong medication management and documentation skills Comfort working within strict policies, procedures and accreditation standards Ability to collaborate under pressure as part of a larger care team Common hiring mistakes: Prioritising speed over experience Assuming home care or disability backgrounds will automatically translate Underestimating the importance of shift reliability and roster stability The right hire here is steady, structured and clinically confident, not just caring. Home Care: Independence, Emotional Intelligence & Trust Home care is deeply personal. Your staff are entering clients’ homes, often working alone and building one-on-one relationships over time. Success here relies less on task execution and more on judgment, communication and consistency. What matters most when hiring: Proven ability to work autonomously Strong communication and interpersonal skills Respect for client independence, privacy and routine Reliability - missed visits have a direct impact on client wellbeing Common hiring mistakes: Hiring clinically strong candidates who struggle without team oversight Underestimating the emotional labour involved Overlooking cultural fit and values alignment In home care, trust is everything and the wrong hire is felt immediately. NDIS: Adaptability, Boundaries & Person-Centred Thinking NDIS roles require a very specific skill set. Support workers need to balance flexibility with professionalism, compassion with boundaries, and client choice with compliance. No two participants are the same and neither are their support needs. What matters most when hiring: Experience with diverse needs and behavioural support Clear understanding of professional boundaries Strong documentation and reporting habits Adaptability across different participants, schedules and environments Common hiring mistakes: Assuming “support worker” experience is transferable across all participants Underestimating the complexity of participant-led care Not screening for resilience and emotional regulation NDIS hiring is about mindset as much as skill. Why the Care Model Should Shape Your Hiring Strategy Many workforce challenges stem from misaligned recruitment, hiring good people for the wrong environment. Residential, home care and NDIS services each require: different screening criteria different onboarding approaches different retention strategies Treating them the same increases turnover, burnout and service disruption. How MAYDAY Healthcare Supports Smarter Hiring At MAYDAY Healthcare, we don’t just recruit “aged care staff.” We recruit for the care model you operate in. Our consultants understand: compliance and accreditation requirements acuity differences workforce pressures unique to each setting what success actually looks like on the floor We tailor our sourcing, screening and shortlisting to ensure the people we place are: technically capable culturally aligned job-ready from day one Hiring across Residential, Home Care or NDIS? Let’s talk about the workforce model that fits your service, not just your vacancy. [Submit Vacancy] [Talk to MAYDAY Healthcare]
