"Very satisfied"

Hilfswerk takes stock: customers confirm course

People who work in the care sector rate the profession much more positively than its image would suggest.

(Bild: SKW - stock.adobe.com)

Hilfswerk Niederösterreich sees itself "further improved" in customer survey. "People's needs must be at the forefront," says the organization's President Michaela Hinterholzer. And this is exactly what the customers appreciate, but there are plenty of challenges.

One thousand customers were surveyed and the results show that Hilfswerk Niederösterreich has been able to keep up with customers' increased demands and improve. The quality of the services and the professional and social skills of the employees were rated particularly positively. "We can be very satisfied with this and congratulate our employees," said the President.

Erich Werndl, Kantar Info Research Austria and Michaela Hinterholzer, Christoph Gleirscher from Hilfswerk Niederösterreich.

(Bild: Julia Bonau)

Parallel to the customer survey, a representative study was carried out with 400 Lower Austrians on their awareness and perception of Hilfswerk Niederösterreich. The result: 90 percent are familiar with Hilfswerk and its logo, and most associate it with the care sector. In terms of trustworthiness, the professional and social competence of its employees and the quality of its services, Hilfswerk scored very highly.

Development with challenges
High quality standards are the top priority, while at the same time the simplification of processes is being driven forward through increased digitalization. From 2025, documentation will be digitalized and services will be recorded digitally instead of in a physical folder. Despite the positive development, the shortage of skilled workers remains a challenge; the Hilfswerk has been able to maintain its staffing levels with only minimal fluctuations, but it is also clear that this will not be enough in the future.

It is also interesting to note that the public's perception of the nursing profession differs from the assessment of those who work in this field on a daily basis. Those who work in nursing rate the profession much more positively than its image would suggest. In the last four years, the recommendation rate for the nursing profession has risen from 23% to 33% - a sign that the profession is perceived as meaningful and future-proof.

Demands for the care sector
The demands on politicians remain: Further measures are needed to better support the care sector in Austria. In particular, greater financial support and the removal of structural hurdles, such as the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, would be important steps towards a sustainable improvement in the situation in the care sector.

Overall, Hilfswerk Niederösterreich is well positioned and has made progress in several areas in recent years. However, it remains clear that the requirements of customers and the challenges of the care sector are still dynamic and require constant adjustments. The image of the nursing profession also needs to be further improved.