Trends and Challenges in the Healthcare Workforce in 2020

It’s no secret that healthcare Workforce management has its issues. High-stakes situations that may easily lead to burnout are inherent to many jobs. Human resource workers in the healthcare business face a unique set of problems due to the industry’s constant push to enhance the quality of patient care while concentrating on cost reduction.

To begin addressing these issues, the healthcare sector must thoroughly understand the specific problems it faces.

Let’s examine the healthcare industry’s workforce issues more closely.

Employee recruitment and retention must become top priorities if healthcare facilities retain the high quality of treatment they promise their patients. Recruiting and retaining excellent personnel is difficult in healthcare because of the many obstacles the sector faces. The healthcare business has several workforce difficulties, five of which are listed below.

The nature of the work often causes burnout.

Recent research shows that over 35% of nurses and 50% of physicians are experiencing burnout. Those constantly working with signs aren’t the only ones who become burned out. It has repercussions for the rest of the staff and patient care. From a human resources perspective, higher employee fatigue also causes turnover. More specifically, recent research found that hospitals’ national average turnover rate was 18.2 per cent.

The need for healthcare professionals has grown.

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, the healthcare sector is projected to gain about two million jobs over the next decade. This adds to a 14 per cent rise in worker demand for the next decade. This rise may appear impossible for human resources executives in the healthcare sector when the business is struggling to attract and retain staff.

The widening skills gap

The lack of qualified workers is a problem for businesses across all sectors, but it is particularly severe in the healthcare industry. By 2020, half of all registered nurses will be eligible for retirement, citing data from the BLS. As if that were not concerning enough, other studies suggest that by 2030 the United States might be short more than 100,000 physicians.

This is simply one example of the business’s many difficulties due to a lack of talent. In light of the proliferation of IT tools, healthcare facilities now need to recruit personnel who are computer savvy or have the capacity to acquire such abilities quickly. Healthcare organizations should also prioritize the ongoing development of both clinical and technical expertise.

Applicants drive the modern employment market.

We now have a candidate-driven labour market due to the low unemployment rate and the ageing of the baby boomer generation. This implies that the battle for identifying, attracting, and outstanding onboarding people will be fiercer among HR professionals. What’s more, job-seekers have more tools at their disposal than ever before to learn about an organization’s history, culture, and values before applying. Human resources departments must not only concentrate on talent acquisition but also on preserving their image as an excellent place to work.

The Increasing Mobility of the Workforce

It was the norm for employees to stay with the same company for ten, twenty or even thirty years. It’s not the standard anymore to do this. Modern employees have no qualms about jumping ship if a better offer arises. The desire to have a meaningful career rather than merely a job is a significant factor in today’s highly mobile labour market. Employees are open to new opportunities and eager to transfer jobs if they provide them with the training or advancement they need to climb the professional ladder.

How can these challenges be overcome?

Recognizing the most pressing personnel issues in the healthcare sector is just the beginning. Professionals in human resources within the industry must also work toward solutions for these problems. Employee engagement is gaining popularity as a means to overcome these challenges, and with good cause. Better employee engagement has enhanced satisfaction at work, output, and loyalty.

Studies suggest that the percentage of engaged employees has been around 34% for many years. However, there are several actions that businesses can take to boost employee engagement and satisfaction.

Create a compelling EVP

It will be pretty challenging to recruit healthcare experts to your firm if you are unaware of the benefits they will get from working with you. A solid Employer Value Proposition (EVP) that aligns with corporate objectives and company culture will help you escape this trap. A compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP) will explain why a healthcare professional should want to work for your firm. Once the EVP is set, it should be maintained throughout the company’s interactions with potential employees and the general public.

Recognizing employees should be a top priority.

Employees want to know that their efforts are seen and valued, and studies indicate that public acknowledgement is the most critical factor in boosting employee commitment. Despite this information, 45% of workers claim they haven’t been publicly acknowledged for their contributions to the company in over six months. Employee satisfaction and loyalty may be increased by prioritizing employee appreciation. Employees like it when they are often recognized for their contributions.

Create a mentoring system

The ageing population of baby boomers is a significant problem for the healthcare system. They have years of experience in the field and a wealth of information that can’t be taught in a classroom. You don’t have to let these workers depart without giving them a chance to share what they’ve learned with their successors. Setting up a mentoring programme may have far-reaching effects. Inspiring your company’s rising stars to act as mentors to more junior employees is a crucial goal of any mentoring programme.

Actively listen to your employees.

Compared to other fields of labour, the healthcare sector demands a more diversified workforce. Administrative personnel, maintenance employees, case managers, and cafeteria workers are also a part of the healthcare business alongside the more apparent physicians and nurses. If you don’t take the time to listen to your employees, you won’t have a chance to understand the specific difficulties and pressures they face on the job.

You can learn a lot about your team by doing pulse surveys and using other forms of employee input. Communicating to your staff that you value their information is just as crucial as asking for it. Make sure your team knows they are being heard by providing timely feedback and frequent updates on the progress of their requests.

Make training and development investments.

While it’s true that professionals in the healthcare sector must be committed to lifelong learning, it’s important to remember that they need more than just healthcare expertise to do their jobs. Maintaining your personnel properly educated will become more complex as new technologies like ML (Machine Learning) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) emerge at fast rates. Having a training and development programme in place that specifically addresses this problem is critical. This supplementary education can reduce your business’s skills gap and boost employee retention rates.