HR professionals remain busy in 2023 as they grapple with a tight labor market, economic uncertainty, rapidly changing technology, and more.

Explore three trends healthcare HR leaders should track as they manage their workforce this year and beyond.

1. Automating HR Processes

Many organizations across industries run on legacy systems, and healthcare is no exception. Many of these outdated systems keep healthcare organizations running and help them manage patient information.

Healthcare leaders realize that they need to modernize their technology and embrace automation and artificial intelligence (AI). HR can benefit from this trend, as automating HR processes improves efficiency and accuracy while freeing up HR professionals for higher-level, more strategic work.

Across industries, 25% of organizations are already using AI for HR activities, especially around recruiting and hiring, according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey.

“Recruiters can now look through resumes and applications considerably more swiftly and correctly, thanks to sophisticated algorithms and software,” says Steve Pogson, Founder and Strategy Lead at Helm Digital. “Due to this, healthcare businesses may now more quickly fill open positions and streamline their hiring procedures.”

2. Taking a People-First Approach to Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers have suffered from high rates of burnout and turnover in recent years, leading to a tight labor market for employers. A recent survey by Bain & Company found that 25% of clinicians are looking at switching professions, with 89% of those professionals citing burnout.

In response, many organizations are looking to change their HR and people processes. They want to reduce burnout, help employees feel a greater sense of belonging, and improve engagement so employees don’t look elsewhere.

“The adoption of a ‘people-first’ approach is the response to how staffing is heavily related to consumerism behaviors now,” says Stephen Saville, President of talent marketplace SkillsGigs.com. “Job candidates have access to data, review sites, and social media to really shop around before deciding. This forces HR professionals to be more transparent, inclusive, as well as humanize the experience.”

3. Improving the Employer Brand

An employer brand is the image of a company as an employer. It’s often the first thing job applicants see, while new hires consider it the promise you’re making to them. Healthcare employer brand is essential for attracting high-level talent and getting referrals from your existing workforce.

“Nobody will encourage their friends to apply for a job at a company where they had a negative experience,” says Aaron Barsalou, Managing Partner at Psyclarity Health. “Likewise, top prospects are more likely to accept your offer if your company has a strong brand, regardless of how they learned about the position.”

To improve your employer brand with existing employees, focus on employee satisfaction and retention. This can be achieved by offering competitive wages and benefits, creating a positive work environment, and providing training and development opportunities.

While recruitment is a crucial stage, employer brand must be cultivated throughout the employee life cycle, especially if you want current and former workers to recommend you to applicants.

Preparing the Future Workforce

Healthcare HR leaders have a lot of responsibilities during this year and beyond. They must move their organizations to modern technology platforms, solve for employee burnout and turnover, and cultivate a reputation as a desirable employer.