Talent Management

Healthcare HR departments are often faced with short timelines when hiring. Getting an employee onboarded and up to speed quickly is a challenge, but getting it wrong can mean a disruption in processes, culture and even patient care. Balancing time and effort is crucial for healthcare HR leaders working with new hires.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 43rd National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR) IMAGE Conference in Savannah, Georgia. In 2017 and beyond, successful healthcare recruitment organizations will need to incorporate marketing tactics and strategies in order to meet talent acquisition goals. This trend is evident by reviewing several of the breakout sessions from this year’s conference, which focused on recruitment marketing.

As you might have heard, or even noticed, Millennials (Gen Y) or the population born somewhere in between 1980-1995, have exceeded Baby Boomers (Gen X) to become the largest living generation in nation.

Practical knowledge and experience will always be important factors in determining top talent in healthcare. However, experts say emotional intelligence (often referred to as EI or EQ)—the ability to perceive, manage and express one’s emotions and to recognize and react appropriately to the emotions of others—is an invaluable social skill successful physicians or nurses should possess to effectively deliver quality patient care. 

New challenges call for new tactics when facing talent challenges in the healthcare industry. A wave of baby-boomer-age retirements and high demand for providers have meant changes in the way organizations acquire talent, and healthcare HR leaders need to understand how to find and compete for the best candidates.

Happy National Healthcare Recruiter Recognition Day! Healthcare recruiters play a significant role in our nation’s healthcare system. Not only do they hold the fundamental responsibility in attracting quality talent, they also help organizations fill in the most high-demanding jobs to ensure our nation keeps up with the looming shortage of healthcare talent.

As healthcare HR professionals continue to adapt to the changing workforce, they must also understand and prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. “A new reality in healthcare is here,” says M. Tomás León, MBA, President and CEO at the Institute for Diversity in Health Management, American Hospital Association. “Quality, cost, equity, diversity, and community healthcare are inextricably linked.

As HR departments seek ways to be more strategic, they’re looking at workforce analytics. A report by Deloitte says less than a quarter of companies felt ready or somewhat ready to use analytics in 2015; in 2016, 32 percent of companies did. By some accounts, healthcare organizations are lagging on this trend, but the advantages they could gain through people analytics are numerous.

Burnout among physicians is on the rise and, unfortunately, it shows no signs of slowing down. According to Medscape’s 2017 Physician Lifestyle Report, physician burnout has increased by 25 percent in just four years. In 2013, the overall rate was 40 percent; today, it has risen to 51 percent.

No matter the size or location of your organization, you’ve probably felt the pinch when trying to recruit nurses. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be a net gain of 439,000 nursing jobs between 2014 and 2024. To survive in that competitive landscape,  healthcare employers will have to be at the top of their game when recruiting nurses.