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Challenge
Caribou, founded by Alex Oosterveen, set out to tackle one of the most pressing issues in healthcare: the caregiver staffing crisis. Home care organizations struggled to recruit and retain workers, and caregivers often lacked recognition, stability, and meaningful career pathways. The company, then known as Qualicare, needed to validate new ideas and test potential product directions.
Objective
I worked with the founding team in the early stages to better understand caregiver and employer needs, and to shape product concepts that could meaningfully address retention challenges. Our aim was to uncover insights that could inform Caribou’s product direction and position the company to make a measurable impact in care organizations.
Outcome
Through interviews, user research, and rapid prototyping, we explored how employers could better engage caregivers, improve recognition, and strengthen loyalty. One of the core insights that emerged was the potential to frame the solution around loyalty and recognition—giving employers tools to delight staff, reduce churn, and make caregiving roles more attractive.
Outcome
Through interviews, user research, and rapid prototyping, we explored how employers could better engage caregivers, improve recognition, and strengthen loyalty. One of the core insights that emerged was the potential to frame the solution around loyalty and recognition—giving employers tools to delight staff, reduce churn, and make caregiving roles more attractive.
Impact
These early research and prototyping efforts helped lay the foundation for Caribou’s eventual pivot toward loyalty and rewards as a core product strategy. Today, Caribou Rewards enables care organizations across North America to grow their staff by over 10% in 90 days, while improving recognition and retention. The company continues to expand its impact, supporting thousands of caregivers and positioning itself as a trusted partner in solving the caregiver staffing crisis.
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