Healthcare institutions are facing an enormous uphill battle to keep and recruit talent into their four walls. With job demands high even post pandemic, employees have had time to reflect on what’s important to them in their work-life balance and many are choosing a different path for a variety of reasons. For some it’s pay and benefits, schedule flexibility or simply burnout, but healthcare workers are and have opted out. The good news is that there are record numbers of new applicants to nursing programs and physician programs. So how can clinics, and institutions retain and attract the talent they need?
1. Invest In Their Future
Support your staff throughout their career by providing ongoing development and help them plan for their future. Providing ongoing development for employees may look like remediating gaps in performance through target training to address skill gaps. As well as, optimizing your onboarding process with compliance and skill gap training to help set your new hires up for success and reduce turnover. Ongoing training and development leads to excellent patient experiences while improving productivity and increasing associate engagement. Equipping associates with both technical and people skills provides them with the perfect toolkit for success in their roles. After all, a well-rounded skill set is essential!2. Celebrate Good Times!
Companies that recognize their employees not only make staff feel appreciated and valued, but it can also have a positive ripple effect on workplace culture, and happiness levels and even boost retention! Support and empower your workplace by cultivating an environment of empowered trailblazers and leaders. When organizations make recognition and engagement a priority within the workplace, employee absenteeism is reduced by 41%, and turnover decreases by 59%. If you don't take care of your people, the clinic across the street will.3. Foster Workplace Inclusion and Belonging
Not fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment cannot be underestimated. Not only does it affect job performance and confidence, but also motivation. It affects the motivation and desire of workers to stay with their current company, as they may not feel safe or supported enough to do so. You want your employees to feel comfortable in the work environment. According to thedreamergroup.com, employers who “are taking action to promote D&I in the workplace–82% say it helps them to attract and retain talent, and 62% say it drives employee engagement.” When an employee develops a sense that they belong, the workplace blossoms into a vibrant atmosphere where the staff can truly excel!4. Focus On Being Well
It's clear that taking care of your team is not just 'good business', but also positively affects employee morale, retention, and overall productivity. During the pandemic, many leading employers expanded their offerings to provide additional programs and services to keep their teams fit - mentally, physically, and financially. Whether it's promoting stress management programs or reimbursing fitness classes, providing employee wellness is an important way your institution can ensure it will reap the rewards of happier and healthier staff members in the future. Employee wellness should be treated like an investment.5. Clear Communication
A lack of communication can quickly become the culprit of lost time, engagement, and productivity. As stated in a recent study by Gallup, 93% of employees don’t have faith in their internal communications - accuracy, timeliness, and transparency. Miscommunication like this can cost companies about $420,000 per year, according to other recent studies. Acting now and taking the initiative to strengthen communication can give your team the edge! Add clarity and unity with proactive communication strategies. Staying in sync is essential for any successful team.Healthcare is at a pivotal moment. The first global pandemic has transitioned to endemic and the industry is shifting - in the way we take care of healthcare workers and in the expectations they have about their careers. Creating an environment with opportunity and flexibility builds loyalty among your staff. All five techniques are essential to increasing employee retention rates, but the details and specifics require your personal touch. Being authentic and truly caring about what employees need is key to understanding exactly how they feel and what you can do to make them more successful. With this knowledge and an empathetic view, you can create an environment that is both engaging and supportive; one where your staff feels appreciated and secure. It’s time to start transforming your work culture today! Ready to get started?