The talent shortage in the healthcare space is a growing issue on a worldwide scale. In a recent global study, the World Health Organization concluded that by 2035, there will be a shortage of 12.9 million healthcare workers worldwide. And with healthcare workers experiencing burnout and emotional stress at a record pace due to the ongoing pandemic, this number may rise with many exiting the industry altogether.
So what’s the solution to attracting and retaining healthcare workers in such a demanding market? The answer – having the right mix of strategy combined with the right tools. Here are a few things to consider:
Evaluate your company culture
The culture of your organization impacts everything – from productivity and engagement – to retention and growth. An organization’s culture consists of the beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and values that employees share. The best organizations understand their culture and take careful steps to manage and promote it effectively. This can be achieved by gathering feedback, often by an employee survey, to uncover how aligned they are with your current culture. The results can help you understand the current environment and help you create meaningful, well-aligned messaging to increase your value both with your current employees as well as new ones.
Boost your brand – It starts with your careers page
With healthcare jobs in high demand, it’s important to stand out and evaluate how you’ll efficiently communicate your vision and values with prospective candidates. Enhancing your careers page is a great place to start. A good careers page should tell your company story and inspire others to join and be part of your journey. Before top talent hits the apply button, they want to learn more about who you are as an organization. The careers page is often the first place they land. If your page doesn’t grab their attention, engage, and convince them to apply, you could be missing out on landing top talent.
Engage your employees – Invest in a referral program
Your employees hold a lot of power when it comes to hiring. They can be your company’s biggest cheerleaders when it comes to sharing your latest opportunities with their friends, family, and colleagues in your industry. Having a strong Employee Referral Program (ERP) can be an effective tool in your recruiting toolbox. Here’s why:
- Employees who are hired through referrals tend to stay with the company longer than other candidates.
- ERPs open the door to inactive job seekers who may join your organization with the encouragement of a friend or a trusted networking contact
- ERPs are a quick, low-cost, and high-quality way of finding candidates.
Utilize the right software
Having the right tools can help you in all stages of the recruiting process. A good applicant tracking system, or ATS, is designed to automate, streamline, and improve the hiring process – from sourcing through to tracking and evaluating candidates. Alternatively, a good recruitment CRM (candidate relationship management) system allows hiring professionals to build and maintain relationships with job candidates while simultaneously managing the entire recruitment process. These tools can work separately or in unison with one another to save you time and provide you with valuable insights into your hiring process such as time to hire or cost per hire. It’s important to identify your recruiting challenges first and then evaluate whether an ATS or a CRM is right for you.
Want to learn more? Aye Aye can help you uncover the best approach and give you a competitive edge in attracting and retaining the best talent in healthcare.
