This article is sponsored by Smartlinx. In this Voices interview, Skilled Nursing News sits down with Mark Stoever, CEO of Smartlinx, to talk about the importance of optimizing and engaging existing employees to alleviate staffing challenges and reduce labor costs. He breaks down the most pressing challenges in today’s staffing environment and explains how Smartlinx is partnering with providers to overcome them. He also shares key strategies for reinvesting labor cost savings to achieve the greatest return on investment.
Skilled Nursing News: What life and career experiences do you most draw from, in your role today?
Mark Stoever: I’ve been in software technology for over 30 years, primarily working on innovations that tackle major industry challenges. My focus has always been making sure that software development isn’t just about building technology, but delivering real outcomes that serve the market’s needs.
As my career progressed, I spent a lot of time in labor, staffing, and employment management, including a decade at Monster.com, where I focused on workforce management challenges. That experience gave me a strong foundation for understanding the complexities of skilled nursing—especially the data and analytics behind how facilities can better manage their workforce. When facilities operate more efficiently, they can continue investing in what matters most: delivering high-quality care.
What are some of the greatest challenges SNFs face today, and how is Smartlinx helping providers overcome them?
I think the biggest one is the increasing demand for caregivers. For us, that directly ties into workforce management. It’s no surprise that labor shortages remain a significant issue—not just in terms of overall supply, but also within a market that is already difficult to work in. Providers are dealing with employee retention challenges, work environment concerns, and the need to maintain a high-quality workforce.
On top of that, the industry’s strict regulations and evolving regulatory environment mean compliance is critical. When you take everything into account, software providers like Smartlinx must think carefully about workflows and data flows so facilities can run as efficiently as possible while supporting the staff who need it most.
We’re moving away from the days of manual schedules, paper-based processes, and outdated systems—just as other industries have already done through software transformation. Skilled nursing is no different, though it has lagged in adopting technology. Facilities that have recognized the value of tech investment and implemented solutions like Smartlinx are already seeing the benefits—particularly in how these tools help them manage operations and, ultimately, improve care quality.
As providers scramble to find talent, what strategies can they put in place to retain the employees that they already have?
People often single out skilled nursing when it comes to staffing and employee retention, as if it’s uniquely challenging. While it is one of the most demanding industries—given the level of care and protection required—it ultimately follows the same principles as any other workforce.
Going back to my time at Monster, we put a lot of effort into helping employers understand what drives and motivates their employees. And when I reflect on those years and compare them to my time here at Smartlinx, the core truth remains the same: creating an environment where employees feel valued and recognized is key.
One of the biggest challenges for those working in skilled nursing is walking into a facility with insufficient staffing levels. When facilities struggle to manage staffing effectively, that burden falls directly on the employees, which is often the number one reason for turnover. Often people leave because they don’t feel like the facility is handling staffing in a way that supports them.
Beyond staffing levels, caregivers need the same things as employees in any other industry. They want support, career growth, flexibility—everything that makes a job fulfilling. Facilities must recognize that while their primary mission is patient care, achieving that goal depends on how well they care for their caregivers.
That can mean different things to different people, but it starts with fostering an environment where employees feel recognized and invested in. Whether that’s through strong operations that prevent them from carrying unnecessary burdens, or through training, development, and certification opportunities—employees need a reason to stay invested in their facility. And in turn, facilities must invest in their people.
What steps can post-acute care providers take to control labor costs in this challenging staffing environment?
For me, this is the question that really sums up Smartlinx—because it all comes down to data analysis. It’s about understanding how resources are being underutilized. When labor shortages are the number one challenge, facilities must be able to staff to census levels while meeting regulatory requirements, or they risk fines. But they also have to stand out and distinguish the quality of their care.
If I’m looking for a facility for my parents or grandparents, I can walk in and immediately tell which ones are running things smartly. And by smartly, I mean using technology the way it’s intended. Ideally, they’re using Smartlinx, which was purpose-built for this industry. It analyzes census data in real-time to determine exactly what staffing is needed, where, and at what acuity level—not just for the short term, but for mid- and long-term planning. That’s nearly impossible to do with manual processes like paper and spreadsheets.
Workforce management is often thought of as payroll, benefits, and other operational necessities, which are important, but that’s not the strategic angle. That’s not what’s going to make one facility more efficient than the next. And let’s be clear—many of these facilities aren’t in it for profit. A lot of them are nonprofits.
So, it’s not about squeezing out extra earnings—it’s about saving money in the right places so providers can reinvest in staffing, whether that’s hiring more people or training the ones they have. The smartest facilities recognize this and come to us asking how they can do more of it—because in many cases, this level of workforce optimization is entirely new to them.
How should SNFs invest these saved costs to see the greatest return?
SNFs should start with optimized scheduling and understand the cost savings of adopting workforce management software. In some facilities, it’s simply a matter of having enough people, and they can use the saved costs to hire more staff.
I talk to a lot of customers, and when we discuss the ongoing regulatory debates, they’ll often say, “It’s frustrating because when you read certain articles or hear discussions, it almost sounds like we don’t want to spend the money. But the reality is, we just need the money. If we have the money, we’ll spend it.” And that’s exactly where, in its own small way, Smartlinx helps—by finding ways for facilities to save money so they can reinvest where it matters most.
I’d invest in technology first because that’s what gives you visibility into cost savings and future needs. But once you start seeing those efficiency gains, you reinvest in training, development, and creating the kind of environment where caregivers can thrive and feel supported.
Facilities need to become an employer of choice, just like in corporate America. Everyone knows there’s a war for talent, and skilled nursing is no different. In fact, it’s even greater because demand is high and caregivers have options. So, what’s going to make one facility stand out from another? It has to be the investment in people and the ability to demonstrate that resources are being managed wisely.
What other key trends are you seeing among your customer base?
I think the progressive clients are becoming much more data-driven. They want help making smarter decisions, and many of our conversations are centered on that. It’s not just about providing utility-based workflow software for employee management, but rather the strategies, the insights, and the data that smart operators can use to assess where they are, how they compare to others, and what they could achieve. The next step is figuring out how to deploy those strategies.
Data-driven decision-making is a growing trend, but I’d be remiss not to mention that a large percentage of facilities still operate manually. Many haven’t fully adopted software for its intended purpose. It’s not always a matter of awareness since often these processes have been ingrained for so long that they feel comfortable, and in their view, they still “work.”
We’re not here to dismiss a 15-year process that feels effective, but rather to highlight that no matter how well it functions, it’s not providing the data and insights needed to truly optimize operations. Only by adopting software to run that process can facilities unlock that level of insight. Fortunately, we’re seeing positive movement in this direction, but there’s still more progress to be made.
Lastly, for both the industry and the country as a whole, there’s a growing focus on employee value and retention. We spend a lot of time discussing retention, but also hiring, because the need for more staff is ongoing. I always tell people; you can’t separate the two.
If you think it’s just about hiring, and you’re bringing in new staff without a strong retention plan, you’re wasting resources because churn will continue. Smart facilities recognize that acquisition and retention go hand in hand, and we’re seeing more organizations understand that as a key strategy for solving their workforce challenges.
Finish this sentence … “In the skilled nursing industry, 2025 will be defined by…”
…those who lead the pack and position their facilities as the standard others aspire to—where employee satisfaction and retention are high, and ultimately, where caregiving quality stands out.
The entire industry is defined by quality of care. Those who want to stand out are recognizing the necessity of software tools that help them better analyze data, understand workforce challenges, and make informed decisions to achieve better outcomes. They’re not just adopting these applications, but actively reviewing their data, adjusting strategies, and continuously improving how they operate.
Those are the front-runners with the highest ratings, the highest quality of care, and the best employee retention and satisfaction. They set the bar for the rest of the industry.
That’s not to take anything away from the facilities that are doing their best with what they have. But we also must acknowledge that this approach works. We live in a world where technology and software exist not just to eliminate the mundane, but to help us be smarter about where we allocate resources.
I truly believe that in this market, it’s not about profit or earnings—it’s about providing better care. If we can save money and invest in hiring new people or developing existing staff to improve care, that’s a home run.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length and clarity.
Providing Workforce Optimization solutions to over 4,000 post-acute facilities, Smartlinx is the leading Workforce Management provider for long-term care. With census/acuity-based scheduling, time and attendance, PBJ report generation, payroll, benefits, and more, Smartlinx works only in the long-term care industry and offers solutions tailored-made for the industry’s unique challenges.
The Voices Series is a sponsored content program featuring leading executives discussing trends, topics and more shaping their industry in a question-and-answer format. For more information on Voices, please contact [email protected].
