6 ways to overcome the rural healthcare workforce shortage

Rural healthcare organizations are facing a historically challenging labor market. Demographic shifts mean that there are more jobs available than there are people in the workforce to fill them, yet healthcare continues to grow in job openings.

As the market continues to grow more competitive, it’s crucial for rural health providers to evaluate their approach to retention and recruitment.

Here are six strategies you can use to counter the rural healthcare workforce shortage: 

Talent retention strategies

The challenging labor market has many organizations switching to a focus on “retention first” to help ensure that they have the staff they need and avoid turnover costs.

Here are three ways you can improve retention in rural healthcare:

1. Offer flexible hours

Offering staff flexible hours is one way to help employees achieve a better work-life balance and increase employee satisfaction. Most rural healthcare organizations do have core hours, but there are still some ways you can offer greater variety in your scheduling.

For example, consider switching to a schedule of 10-hour days, four days per week — with an on-call strategy for the days the organization is closed. Or consider alternating schedules to achieve five-day coverage. These alternative schedules provide staff with an extra day off at no extra cost and help address the issue of employee burnout.

Offering part-time hours is another option. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees in the healthcare industry left the market. Now some of them are ready to return, but perhaps not at a full-time capacity. Providing part-time hours can supplement the workforce with skilled professionals, some of whom may have been your employees in the past.

Job sharing through part-time positions can also help meet the needs of employees who may not be able to work traditional hours. It’s an untapped opportunity to find people who are seeking employment.

And part-time employees do not receive benefits, helping reduce costs.

2. Recognize staff 

Labor shortages usually mean that staff need to do more work to fill gaps.

It’s critical to recognize the staff who are doing more to continue providing quality care and may be performing more duties than they have in the past. Consider implementing a recognition program that offers benefits such as time off, bonuses or salary increases to reflect employees’ additional responsibilities.

Recognizing the effort that staff put into supporting the organization helps prevent burnout and increases employee satisfaction.

3. Gather feedback

Gathering employee feedback through the stay interview process facilitates a clearer picture of how to effectively support and develop staff.

Supervisors should be regularly asking their direct reports key questions such as:

• Why do you work for the organization?
• What would you change about the work environment if you could?
• How can I, as your supervisor, support you better?
• How can I facilitate your career advancement?

Surveying employees to determine which benefits they consider high value can also provide critical feedback. Understanding which benefits are important to your staff helps better allocate resources in creating an attractive benefits package and focuses benefit offerings.

For employees who are leaving, be sure to conduct exit interviews. Asking for feedback provides insights into how retention can be improved and provides intel on pay and benefits of your competitors.

Recruitment strategies

Today’s job seekers are entering the current labor market in a position of power. There are more opportunities than ever for a shrinking workforce, allowing job seekers to be choosier and forcing recruiters to have to work harder.

Here are three strategies to consider when recruiting healthcare professionals to rural areas:

1. Expand your search

To attract more talent, consider how the job search is being conducted.

One option to expand reach is to implement an employee referral program. Current employees are one of the most effective resources for future employees. They understand the organization — and their reputation is at stake — helping them identify talent that fits the culture and role.

Investing in a recruiter seat on job search websites can also expand your reach. According to LinkedIn, 70% “of the global workforce is made up of passive talent who aren’t actively job searching.” A recruiter seat provides access to candidates who are interested in learning about jobs but may not be actively pursuing opportunities.

2. Build your brand

In a challenging labor market, the HR department must have a marketing mindset. Consider employee brand positioning and the value proposition for candidates.

Rural health providers can use recruiting as an opportunity to emphasize their mission. Rural healthcare organizations serve the community and improve people’s lives by offering quality care to often underserved populations. Articulating this mission in the hiring process helps attract people who share that passion.

Another impactful method is to get creative in conveying the brand message. Consider creating a recruitment video that includes staff and patient testimonials to showcase the organization’s positive work environment and mission. Given the opportunity, develop a reputation as being a great place to work, either through formal or informal channels.

3. Streamline the application process

In order to help ensure the highest possible applicant count, review the application process. According to Appcast, the candidate drop-off rate for job seekers who click to apply on an application but never complete it is 92%.

Evaluate the application from a candidate’s perspective. Is it too lengthy or complicated? Are you asking applicants to upload a resume only to have them duplicate that information later in the process?

Streamlining the application process can help keep potential candidates engaged and will likely increase the candidate pool.

How Wipfli can help

Wipfli is ready to help your organization find new ways to improve your organizational and financial health. We take an integrated approach, supporting you in key areas (including talent and technology) so that you can take advantage of the latest opportunities to enhance your services.

Reach out to learn more about how we can help you create a more stable organization.