Values-based recruitment in care: hiring for the 3am shift

Turnover in adult social care remains stubbornly high — but not evenly. Services that recruit against explicit values consistently retain staff at nearly double the sector average. The difference isn't luck; it's method.

What values-based interviewing actually means

Instead of "tell me about your experience", candidates respond to situational prompts scored against defined behaviours: dignity, patience, initiative, honesty under pressure. The scoring rubric matters more than the questions.

Three prompts that reveal more than a CV

• "A resident refuses personal care for the third day. Walk me through your next hour."
• "You notice a colleague speaking sharply to a resident. What do you do that shift — and the next day?"
• "Tell me about a time you got something wrong at work. Who did you tell?"

The answers separate people who see care as a shift from people who see it as a responsibility. Hire the second group.