AAPPR Survey Shows High Levels of Job Satisfaction Among Physician Recruiters

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A recent survey by the Association for Advancing Physician & Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) found the majority of physician recruiters are satisfied or highly satisfied with the work they perform. The survey polled about 300 professionals and found 74% reported a good to very good level of job satisfaction. The data uncovered personal fulfillment, involvement in decision making, and being valued by their organization were high ranking factors in overall satisfaction on the job.

The majority of respondents work within a multi-hospital/integrated health delivery system with an average tenure of three to five years at their current facility – 10 years overall in recruitment. When asked to describe their organization’s culture, the top response was patient focused.

A majority, 60% of recruiters, report they feel a sense of accomplishment from their work. Emerson Moses, President-Elect, Association for Advancing Physician & Provider Recruitment tells HospitalRecruiting.com why she feels there’s such a high percentage of job satisfaction in the profession:

“I think if you are a purpose-driven person, which many individuals in our field are, you feel rewarded by the sense that you are doing something good. The providers we recruit serve our communities, and there is nothing more satisfying than hearing of great patient feedback or a great accomplishment one of your providers achieves.”

The numbers reflect Moses’ perspective. The survey showed 60% of respondents cited a sense of accomplishment in their work as a factor in job satisfaction. Eighty-one percent ranked personal fulfillment as somewhat to very high, as well.

“Additionally,” adds Moses, “we are helping people with major decisions in their lives and careers. We all have been in that same situation in one way or another, and so I think being able to navigate through that with someone, build relationships, and truly feel like you add value and support in such an important moment - that is also very satisfying. While the value of the work we do hasn’t always been recognized by the organizations we support, we tend to be a group of people who find intrinsic reward in our work because it is serving a greater purpose than just filling jobs.”

The survey uncovers there may be a need for more recognition of these professionals. A reported 37% strongly agree they are valued by their organization while another 37% only somewhat agree. As physician recruiters work hard to keep their institutions staffed with the best talent available, acknowledgement of the work they perform and the challenges they overcome should be top-of-mind for all facilities.

Moses cites key takeaways from the data. “The first thing that really stands out to me is the progress our profession as a whole has made over the course of 10-15+ years in the areas of fair compensation, work/life balance, and flexibility in work schedules. If this survey were done 10, or even 5 years ago, I think we would have seen different results.”

When it comes to job stress, the ability to separate working pressure with personal life is often key to job satisfaction. For the respondents of the AAPPR survey, 67% report work/life balance is good to excellent.

When asked about challenges in their field, the top answer was finding candidates.

“The word cloud on challenges presents no surprises,” said Moses. “Finding candidates is becoming more and more difficult as the demand outweighs the supply. The workload has always been a major challenge for our profession as we juggle numerous responsibilities on any given day with competing priorities, and we all know that people leave managers, not organizations.”

“What also stands out to me is that our jobs remain very stressful, and the statistic that 41% of recruitment professionals plan to leave their organization within the next 3 years tells me a few things: pressure and demands are increasing. The ability to move up, whether in position or in total compensation, within one organization is still a challenge.”

As shifts in the industry and economy continue to pressure healthcare providers, an important revelation of the survey may be that most physician recruiters are highly satisfied with their job. The key will be to keep these motivated professionals on staff at your facility, rather than another.

While overall job satisfaction is high, the details may point to areas for improvement that could increase retention. The average recruiter cites a 47 to 50-hour average workweek, which may be an area to address. When it comes to staffing levels, 35% believe there are not enough recruiters on staff at their facility; another 52% reveal not enough support/other workers in their department. Institutions looking to reduce turnover in this valued category could look to the survey data to find other areas where they can increase recruiter satisfaction on the job and within their facility.