As the unemployment rate continues to drop, the candidate market will only become more competitive. Adding to that difficulty, healthcare staffing is facing shortages like it has never seen before on top of an increased patient load as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age. Organizations will need to think outside the box in order to both fill open roles and keep employees in them once they are filled.
Increase of Contingent or “Gig” Workers
In 2019, 36% of US workers participated in contingent or gig work, contributing over $1.2 trillion to the US economy. As we head into a new year, these numbers are only expected to increase. Not only are the numbers increasing but the work apparently is more rewarding with 78% of gig workers claiming they are happier in their gig role than in a traditional role. What does this mean for the Health Care industry? Companies need to look past the standard 9-5 Full Time roles to remain competitive.
Gig worker roles must be evaluated on an individual basis to determine if they are right for an organization. If your organization experiences fluctuations of patient load throughout the year or provides services on an as-needed basis, gig workers may be right for you. By building a pool of qualified candidates for these types of situations, you can substantially reduce your labor costs and costs to hire when turnover is higher than preferred. With an expansive staffing shortage on the horizon as baby boomers retire, it would be wise to take a serious look into how to fit the gig worker staffing model into your organization.
Recruiting Through Non-Traditional Avenues
Gone is the “post and pray” era of recruiting where simply posting an opening on a company website or job board was enough to build a qualified pool of candidates. With an increasingly competitive job market, recruiters must be savvy in the ways they reach candidates. Candidate sourcing will continue to grow in popularity, and recruiters must find ways to reach the workers who are not actively looking for a new opportunity and entice them to consider theirs. Many organizations are using specialty sites like HospitalRecruiting to gain access to candidates’ resumes and professional experience in an effort to lower the time to fill their open roles.
Recruiters will also continue to lean heavily on social media to attract potential candidates. Social media is a direct line of communication with candidates at a relatively low cost (sometimes even free!). Current employees can also assist in social media recruiting by simply liking or sharing a job posting, not only giving the organization free advertising, but also building the trust of apprehensive potential candidates. Given that so many spend most of their free time on social media, it is a no-brainer that social media employment recruiting will only continue to rise.
Focus on Employer Branding and the Candidate Experience
With record low unemployment rates and an increasingly competitive market for healthcare professionals, organizations must find a way to stand out from others in the industry. Employer branding will be at the forefront of this movement, with many organizations focusing on showing candidates why they should work for them. This will include immersive experiences such as 360-degree tours of facilities, feedback from current employees, and inclusive candidate and patient advertising. Employers will need to make potential hires visualize themselves working for them to have a chance at candidates deciding to leave their current position.
Technology will be at the forefront of employer branding and the candidate experience. As software becomes more efficient, recruiters will be able to connect with candidates more quickly and personally than they ever have before. Candidates want to feel like they are important and not just another resume in a sea of resumes. Recruiters will need to work at making the entire experience from applying through the interview process and onboarding as seamless as possible to build their reputation and maintain any chance at a productive candidate pool.
Like 2019, 2020 will push employers to maximize their resources while focusing internally on how they want to sell themselves to potential hires. With an ever-shrinking candidate pool and continued shortage of healthcare professionals, it will be more important than ever for organizations to become both unique and efficient in their staffing strategies. Social media, candidate sourcing, and the candidate experience will shape the success of the healthcare industry.
