Tips for Retaining Your Healthcare Employees
Why You Need to Keep Your Team Happy, Engaged, and Connected
There are many challenges for healthcare organizations, but among the most difficult is retaining employees. Turnover among healthcare employees is typically high, even without the added strain on the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PeopleScout, in a recent article about medical staffing, reported that, out of a group of 852 clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers, 43% of respondents had been with their current organization for less than two years and 65.7% had been with their hospital for less than five years. This lack of employee longevity within an organization causes challenges with staffing as well as onboarding.
What is the reason for high healthcare employee turnover? In many cases, it comes down to employees feeling disconnected, disengaged, or unsupported. There are some steps you can take to better retain your employees and contribute to the long-term success of your organization.
Fully engage employees during the onboarding process.
From day one, make sure that new hires understand their role and how their work will support your organization’s goals. We recommend introducing new hires to their coworkers—even if it is through an email message to the team—as soon as possible. Consider organizing some lunch dates with team members during the employee’s first week to help break the ice and put him or her more at ease. All of this will contribute to the employee feeling welcome, productive, and part of the team.
Provide opportunities for professional development.
Remember that an employee’s sense of fulfillment in his or her work goes a long way toward their engagement with and commitment to your organization. Encourage learning opportunities for all employees to develop new skills and gain professional experiences.
Prioritize work-life balance and flexibility.
Given the current challenges of COVID-19, many healthcare workers are feeling significant stress and their work-life balance is likely strained. Make sure employees know you care about their personal health and well-being and, when possible, provide time-off opportunities and flexible scheduling for employees.
These tips are just a starting point, but we hope you feel committed to improving employee retention within your organization. If we can provide any additional information or assistance, please do not hesitate to connect with our team.
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