27 Sep Recruitment strategies in healthcare require a strong EVP
Whatever channels or methods your organisation uses for recruitment, your success at attracting the best candidates all hinges on your hiring strategy. At the heart of this is your EVP, or employer value proposition.
Good candidates for healthcare roles are increasingly hard to come by, with recent reports showing a 42% decline in applications for vacancies within the sector. But it’s not just a UK problem, as over in the US around 49% of healthcare workers told a survey that they were likely to leave the workforce soon. A further 84% reported feeling the effects of burnout.
So, it’s clear that healthcare recruiters and employers need to pull out all the stops to stay ahead in a competitive hiring market.
Upgrading your organisation’s EVP is a great place to start. Around 65% of candidates in a recent Gartner study have left the hiring process because they believe the firm isn’t a great place to work.
Employees need to feel they’ll be joining an inclusive workplace culture with a healthy work-life balance. They want support for emotionally and physically demanding work, and opportunities for career development. And of course, there are wages, benefits, flexible working and other perks to consider.
So, how do you communicate all of this to future hires? Here are our tips for developing a strong EVP:
- Start with salary
Money isn’t always the primary motivator for joining an organisation, but it will always be a critical factor. Employers need to offer increasingly attractive compensation packages to attract the best candidates. More than this, their salary and benefits offer needs to reflect changes in the world, such as Covid-19, rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.
- Look into remote working options
Obviously, not all healthcare roles can be done remotely. But for those where it is an option, employers should give it some serious thought. It may require some investment and training into virtual meeting and collaboration tools, but these are obstacles that can be overcome.
And crucially, this is what many workers want – nearly 60% of healthcare employees surveyed by Software Advice said remote working made their job easier. If you offer no flexible working options at all, you’ll almost certainly lose talent to competitors who do.
- Work on building a healthy work culture
This is essential if you want employees to avoid burnout, stay motivated and feel welcomed in the workplace. Building a positive, inclusive workplace culture can be complicated, but it starts with defining your values. Focus on concepts such as communication, kindness, transparency and trust, and draw on feedback from your team to create a set of shared core values.
- Ramp up your marketing
Once you’ve put in the work to define and improve your EVP, it’s time to shout it from the rooftops. Harness your current employees as brand ambassadors, launch a referral scheme and consider working with a specialist recruitment marketing agency to boost your image. It all helps to get your organisation noticed in a highly competitive marketplace.
Need help hiring the healthcare talent you need? Work with our dedicated team here at Linq Healthcare Recruitment Specialists. Get in touch to start your search – call us on 0161 924 1433 or email info@linqhc.co.uk.