Area Facilities Using Strategic Recruitment and Retention Tactics to Head Off Shortages

Central Florida Media Group, Health News December 2024

By: REBEKAH PIERCE

In a world where many workers are deemed “essential,” healthcare workers stand out as pillars of our communities — perhaps the most essential of all. Yet, despite soaring demand, the healthcare industry faces a significant and growing shortage of professionals.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American healthcare industry is bracing for a worker shortage in the hundreds of thousands over the coming decade. According to Hayley Hercamp, a recruitment specialist at AdventHealth, the looming crisis stems partly from an aging population that has increasing healthcare needs.

“This is certainly a challenge for all healthcare systems,” she asserts.

AdventHealth has responded by hiring more than 1,000 team members organization-wide in the past year.

Although it’s clear that there are challenges that must be overcome, local healthcare facilities are going above and beyond to recruit, retain, and train talented professionals. It’s not just about attracting the nation’s best physicians, but also nursing and support staff — and about keeping them around for the long haul.

Recruitment Strategies Take Center Stage

Recognizing the need for innovative recruitment strategies, local facilities are taking bold steps.

According to Zac Marius, HR Director at Bond Clinic, it’s about starting early. The facility takes a proactive approach by forging strong connections with local schools and workforce development agencies.

This includes engaging in community initiatives, conducting mock interviews, and participating in job fairs.

“We’re actively involved in the community to inspire potential candidates and prepare them for real-world opportunities,” Marius says. He emphasizes that simply posting on job boards isn’t enough, and engaging in informative speaking events is crucial to “inspire and educate potential candidates.”

Meanwhile, AdventHealth capitalizes on multiple recruiting platforms and their own career site to attract new graduates. Hercamp explains that their “Walk-In Wednesday” events offer on-site interviews and instant job offers. They host annual hiring events and focus on recruitment beyond local borders, providing relocation assistance to entice talent to relocate.

BayCare is also pushing the envelope with workforce development initiatives targeting various roles, including non-collegiate positions. By engaging with middle school, high school, and technical school students, they aim to build a long-term pipeline of future healthcare professionals.

At Watson Clinic, the focus is on meeting a more immediate demand. “We are currently using sign-on bonuses for several hard-to-fill clinical positions,” says Kelly M. Lonsberry, MBA, Chief Human Resources Officer.

Retention Through Incentives and Development

Attracting new talent is only half of the battle. Keeping them engaged and invested is also important. Local healthcare facilities now offer a variety of incentives and professional development opportunities to meet this need.

“We believe committed employees drive more committed employees to us,” explains Marius of Bond Clinic. The facility offers in-house training and “boot camps” for specific roles to help employees achieve coveted certifications. Marius emphasizes the importance of being “intentional” with retention strategies, offering informal opportunities for staff to have fun and hosting structured “Lunch and Learns” throughout the year.

AdventHealth focuses on whole-person care for both patients and staff. Hercamp highlights, “We offer excellent benefits, student loan support, educational assistance, and flexible scheduling.” Team members remain “engaged and involved with decision-making efforts” and benefit from an extensive employee wellness incentive program.

Similarly, BayCare offers generous benefits, retirement plans, and recognition programs. Angel Brown, BayCare’s Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Inclusion, says that in 2023, they invested $70 million in education, training, and onboarding. The “High Five” program rewards team members who exhibit BayCare values with points that can be converted to rewards or gifts.

Training and Upward Mobility

Retention efforts also hinge on training and promoting upward mobility. Brown says BayCare expanded its tuition reimbursement program, offering up to $5,250 per team member annually for eligible courses. The facility provides more than 30 career pathways and specialized training to support upward mobility.

Bond Clinic, on the other hand, partners with vocational colleges and universities. They go the extra mile to make it personal.

“Many upper management team members have been with the company for a long time and have worked their way up the ranks. Our management’s hands-on approach to supporting staff enables us to partner with employees to understand their career goals” Marius explains. “We actively help them achieve these goals within the organization.”

At Watson Clinic, Lonsberry touts their liberal transfer policy that, “allows team members to learn new skills by moving to open positions within our over 40 medical specialties. Our learning management system offers a wide variety of courses that team members can take, which also help them to maintain their credentials.”

Addressing Challenges Head-On

Like any other industry, the healthcare industry sees peaks and valleys in hiring demand throughout the year. Bond Clinic recently experienced a drop in the severity of its hiring needs, which is a welcome relief after several years of peak demand.

However, there are still challenges to overcome. Although roles are filled daily, the facilities cite a gap in experience due to an influx of new healthcare professionals.

Because of this, attention to training and development for current employees, particularly those new to healthcare, is proving to be just as important as recruitment strategies. Above all, flexibility is key.

“During and immediately following the pandemic,” Watson Clinic’s Lonsberry says, “we experienced a spike in turnover like most employers. Things have stabilized a lot since then, but we still have shortages in some areas. The cost of labor continues to climb, and in some specialties, long-term team members are retiring, and the labor pool in which to find replacements is reduced.”