Homeless services workers with lived experience: characteristics, work experiences, and intention to leave

Introduction Research on the homeless services workforce has not focused on workers with lived experience. This report compares workers with and without lived experience across a range of characteristics and then examines the relationship between a history of homelessness and turnover intention.Method This analysis uses data from a national workforce survey (N = 1032), which includes demographics, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and turnover intention. Bivariate testing compared workers with and without lived experience, and a multivariate model examined the relationship between history of homelessness and turnover intention.Results Findings showed differences between workers with and without lived experience across several variables, including demographics, caretaking, ACEs, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. The multivariate analysis showed homelessness history was associated with a lower likelihood of intending to leave, higher burnout was associated with a higher likelihood of intending to leave, and higher job satisfaction was associated with a lower likelihood of intending to leave.Conclusion This study presents novel findings. Most notably, the association between homelessness history and intention to leave raises questions about retention drivers. We offer recommendations for future research and ways to support workers with lived experience.