Every healthcare organization has been feeling the crunch when it comes to staffing: between 2020 and 2022, an unprecedented 524,000 healthcare professionals left the field, leading to over 16% of healthcare systems reporting critical staffing shortages that threatened to shut down their operations. More facilities are fighting to attract fewer applicants, which means that you need to use every tool in your arsenal if you want to find high-quality employees to keep your system running smoothly.
When you’re already low on staff, you need your current employees focused on their jobs at all times; this is why it makes great sense to outsource your recruitment to a well-qualified and experienced staffing firm that will connect you to excellent candidates. Utilizing a professional staffing agency can reduce the workload for your HR team, improve your company’s turnover rate, and prevent serious staffing shortages that could imperil your entire organization.
You will receive higher-quality candidates, reducing the strain on your HR team
Recruitment is incredibly difficult, especially if you have highly specialized positions which need to be filled. A general job listing might not attract the right candidates; worse, it could force your team to wade through dozens or even hundreds of irrelevant applications, sometimes even from those who are not in the healthcare field at all. This means that your hiring managers don’t have time to onboard those who have joined your team, as they are busy reviewing applications to find any that might be of relevance.
However, medical recruiting firms like The Medicus Firm are entirely focused on getting you the right people for the job; they have a broad network of connections and will be able to deliver a thoughtfully curated candidate pool right to your team. This means that your hiring managers can spend their time getting to know those applicants who will be a great match rather than rejecting dozens of applications from those who don’t have the credentials necessary.
By connecting you to the right candidates, a recruiting firm can reduce turnover
The other important element of using a recruiting firm is that it can vastly diminish turnover, which is the bane of every organization. Turnover is an especially concerning problem within the healthcare industry because it reduces the quality of care; if your staff is constantly having to onboard new employees, they can’t provide great service to patients, and they will grow dissatisfied as well. It also begins to erode trust in your organization amongst established staff, who may also find themselves wondering if they should move on to greener pastures.
Recruitment firms can help reduce this burden by finding candidates who are a great organizational fit, getting to know their needs on an individual level and ensuring that they fully appreciate the parameters of the role. When your new staff have clear expectations for what the job will entail, they are less likely to balk once they’re actually hired and begin working, which means you can rely upon them to stay beyond onboarding.
In addition, a proactive approach to staffing is highly preferred by candidates, who often feel more motivated to accept an offer if they were approached versus applying without any communication from the organization. Recruitment firms can provide that personal touch to your candidates without requiring a large time investment by your hiring team.
You’ll be able to prevent critical staffing shortages that could hamstring your whole operation
One of the greatest issues facing hospital systems and clinics today is a lack of staff to perform the essential roles of their organization; this isn’t just frustrating for current employees, but potentially dangerous for patients too.
Having appropriate staff-to-patient ratios reduces medication errors, prevents potential injuries to patients from inadequate supervision, and provides a pleasant experience for patients so that they’re encouraged to patronize your hospital system again. Worse, inadequate staffing could cause non-compliance with federal guidelines, imperiling your hospital’s funding and even leading to fines.
Healthcare recruiting companies can ease these concerns by representing your organization in the marketplace, helping to draw in great candidates who will choose you over others. This will, in turn, boost your reputation amongst consumers and employees alike, serving as an attractant for more staff over time.
In difficult staffing conditions, you need to use every resource possible to win the hiring game
Given that nurses and physicians may relocate for the best opportunities, you are in competition with every hospital system in America when you open up a position; it’s essential that you have a great plan to draw in good candidates. Recruiting firms can assist with this by developing an action plan, relying upon their vast network of connections, and clearly communicating the role to potential employees so that you’re assured of a good match. This, in turn, eases the strain on those responsible for interviews and onboarding, prevents high turnover, and ensures you have adequate staff for your patient population. It’s an excellent option for those hospital systems and private practices that are struggling to find and retain good talent, one that will likely grow all the more valuable as the staffing crunch deepens over the next few years.
