The U.S. is already short 1 million nurses.

It’s predicted we’ll be short 400,000 home health aides by 2025, and 122,000 physicians by 2032.

Globally, the World Health Organization predicted a shortage of 10 million healthcare workers globally by 2030.

The pandemic spurred severe burnout across healthcare professions. Despite their commitment and extensive training, the healthcare industry faces concerning trends:

    • Approximately one-third of nurses in the U.S. are considering leaving their profession within the next year. 
    • Enrollment in Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs has declined since the pandemic. 
    • Even medical students are increasingly exploring other career opportunities, as the number of students seeking a dual MD/MBA degree has increased 3x

 

Unfortunately, fixing this worker shortage is not as simple as increasing your recruiting and hiring efforts to fill the positions. Filling positions already plagued with high turnover will simply result in continued turnover and shortages. A long-term solution must address the root of the problem, creating an environment that people actually want to work and thrive in.


How do you create such an environment in Healthcare?

 

Create positive and fulfilling work environments

This is key to retaining workers. According to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Management, factors such as supportive leadership, professional development opportunities, and recognition of employee achievements are significantly associated with job satisfaction among nurses . Encouraging a culture of appreciation, where employees feel valued and supported, can greatly enhance their workplace experience.

Strategically communicate with your employee base 

Next, evaluate your internal communications. Employees need to feel communicated with in order to feel engaged. Make your communications timely, transparent, and accessible for a frontline workforce. Leveraging communication tools with mobile apps are critical for reaching frontline workers with push notifications.

Foster connections amongst a distributed team 

Another critical pillar of engagement is connection among employees. Leveraging platforms for peer recognition, such as employee-driven shoutouts or celebrations of work anniversary milestones, can foster a sense of community and belonging among staff. When burnout is rampant, the need for appreciation is even more critical to helping employees remember why they chose the healthcare field.

Onboard extremely well

Perhaps most critically, implement a best-in-class onboarding program for new hires. Strong onboarding is shown to improve retention by up to 82%! To solve the worker shortage, it is so important to make a great first impression on every new hire entering the healthcare industry. Remember that learning and professional development doesn’t end with onboarding. Ensure you’re prioritizing opportunities for staff throughout the employee lifecycle.

Once you’ve implemented these improvements, leverage your employee brand. Fulfilled employees will be the best advocates for your organization, and success stories inspire potential new healthcare workers. Sharing these stories through social media and press will positively impact your recruitment efforts.

The healthcare worker shortage is repairable, but only by starting within the organizations themselves.