9 Strategies for Retaining Healthcare Employees
Learn the top causes of turnover in healthcare and how these strategies will directly combat them to boost employee retention.
Is the healthcare system starting to flatline? High turnover rates are putting its success at risk. Alarmingly, 48% of healthcare professionals are either considering resignation or currently contemplating it.
High turnover in healthcare directly affects patient care and ultimately impacts all of us. That’s why nursing homes, hospitals, and other facilities need effective strategies to improve employee retention rates.
Key Takeaways
- Burnout, inadequate pay, and limited career advancement opportunities are significant factors driving healthcare employees to leave their jobs.
- Impact of Retention on Patient Care: Retaining experienced staff enhances continuity of care, leading to better patient outcomes and more personalized care.
- Strategies for Retention: Offering competitive salaries, promoting work-life balance, and providing clear career advancement opportunities are essential strategies to improve retention rates in the healthcare sector.
What Causes Turnover in Healthcare?
Turnover among healthcare employees stems from a variety of factors, many of which are unique to the demands of their industry. Understanding the following factors is critical to mitigating employee turnover efficiently:
- High workload and stress: Healthcare professionals often face heavy workloads, long hours, and high-stress environments. Ongoing staff shortages add to the demands. Constant pressure to meet patient needs, handle emergencies, and maintain quality care can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction.
- Lack of work-life balance: Balancing work responsibilities with a personal life can be challenging in healthcare, especially for roles that require on-call shifts or irregular hours. Employees may experience fatigue, strains on relationships, and overall dissatisfaction when work-life balance isn’t prioritized.
- Limited career advancement opportunities: A lack of clear pathways for career advancement and professional development can lead to frustration and stagnation among healthcare workers. When employees feel there are limited opportunities for growth within the organization, they may seek opportunities elsewhere.
- Inadequate compensation and benefits: When people feel their pay and benefits don't reflect their efforts, they're more likely to start looking for other jobs.
Addressing these underlying causes of turnover will take more than quick fixes. Instead, employers must take a more holistic approach.
Why Is Retention in Healthcare so Important?
Employee retention in healthcare is about more than achieving favorable results for a medical facility — it’s about delivering quality patient care.
Continuity of care is essential for patient outcomes. When healthcare professionals stay with an organization long-term, they develop strong relationships with patients, understand their medical histories, and can provide more personalized care. High turnover can lead to disruptions in care, increased medical errors, and reduced patient satisfaction.
Retaining experienced staff contributes to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery. Experienced professionals are better equipped to handle complex cases, navigate challenging situations, and mentor newer team members. Their institutional knowledge and expertise are invaluable assets to healthcare organizations.
Employee retention impacts the financial health of healthcare institutions. The costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new employees are substantial. For example, considering the average turnover rate among Registered Nurses in hospitals (RNs) is 16.4% and the average annual salary is $80,010, an organization employing 25 RNs would spend more than a quarter of a million dollars annually on turnover alone.
By reducing turnover and retaining skilled and qualified staff, organizations can save on recruitment expenses and maintain a stable workforce.
9 Strategies for Increasing Employee Retention in Healthcare
Responding to healthcare employee turnover challenges requires effective strategies for improving staff retention rates and enhancing employee satisfaction.
1. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
Offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages is a key strategy for retaining healthcare professionals. These incentives demonstrate the organization values its employees and invests in their wellbeing and career development.
Conduct regular salary reviews to ensure pay equity and adjust compensation based on market standards. Additionally, provide comprensive benefits such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), 401(k) matching, childcare assistance, and tuition reimbursement.
2. Promote Work-Life Balance
It’s no secret healthcare professionals often face demanding work schedules and high levels of stress. Although the nature of a lot of healthcare work requires 24-7 scheduling, giving employees some control and flexibility can go a long way.
Empower employees by providing self-scheduling options that allow them to request shifts that fit their preferences, easily swap shifts with colleagues, and receive real-time notifications about available shifts.
Managers should actively monitor overtime to identify and address workload imbalances, ensuring that no one is overburdened. Smart scheduling systems can notify managers when employees approach overtime limits, allowing time to adjust workloads and ensure balance.
3. Career Development and Advancement Opportunities
Create pathways for career advancement within the organization. When healthcare workers see a clear path for advancement, they’re more likely to stay committed to their roles. What’s more, research shows offering continuing education for employees positively impacts patient outcomes.
Offer training programs, mentorship opportunities, and support for professional certifications or higher education. Encourage employees to set career goals and provide opportunities for growth and development.
4. Maintain Optimal Staffing
Adequate staffing through effective headcount planning is crucial. When workloads are balanced, employees experience less burnout, higher job satisfaction, and improved morale. Proper planning ensures teams are supported, fostering a positive work environment that encourages long-term commitment.
5. Offer Recognition and Rewards
Your team deserves recognition for their hard work. Show them you appreciate their contributions and achievements through verbal recognition, bonuses, awards, or promotions.
Gallup research shows a huge opportunity for medical facilities, stating recognition can make employees feel four times more connected to the organization.
Acknowledge milestones like years of service, successful projects, or positive patient feedback. Celebrating accomplishments boosts morale, fosters a positive work culture, and reinforces employee loyalty.
Learn More: 16 Employee Appreciation Ideas to Show Gratitude
6. Create a Positive Work Environment
Foster a supportive and inclusive work culture where employees feel valued, respected, and heard.
Encourage open communication, transparency, and collaboration among team members. Address conflicts and issues promptly and provide opportunities for feedback and suggestions. A positive work environment contributes to employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
7. Enhance Engagement and Communication
There's a strong correlation between engagement and retention. It’s important to keep healthcare workers feeling involved and aligned with your organization’s mission and values.
Make it a priority to share regular updates about goals, initiatives, and any changes happening within the organization. Use pulse surveys to regularly gather employee feedback and get insights into their needs, concerns, and ideas. Invite employees to be part of the decision-making process and ask for their input on improving workflows or enhancing patient care. Foster a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and shared purpose to help staff feel more connected and motivated.
8. Invest in Onboarding
It’s important to get new staff started off on the right foot. Studies show that well-structured onboarding programs can significantly improve healthcare staff retention rates. Programs focusing on practical training, support, and integration foster long-term commitment and reduce burnout.
9. Conduct Exit Interviews and Gather Feedback
When employees do leave the organization, conduct exit interviews to understand their reasons for departure and gather valuable feedback.
Use this information to identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes to enhance staff retention efforts. Addressing common concerns or issues raised during exit interviews can help prevent future turnover.
Improve Retention with a Modern HCM Solution
Employee retention in healthcare is a multifaceted challenge that requires proactive strategies and a commitment to creating a positive work environment with the employee experience in mind. Prioritizing employee wellbeing and engagement is not only beneficial for the workforce but also for the overall success of healthcare institutions and the patients they care for.
By integrating technology solutions tailored to the healthcare industry, facilities can enhance their retention efforts and create a more efficient and supportive environment for their workforce. Modern HCM platforms include:
- Compensation management to ensure fair market pay.
- Learning management system for trainings and certifications.
- Recognition and rewards capabilities.
- Employee engagement survey tools to gain insights.
An online Community for collaboration and communication.
Request a demo today to see how Paylocity’s integrated platform can make your medical facility an even better place to work.
Grow Your Talent with Better Training
Now, more than ever, employees want more career development opportunities from their employers. The right Learning Management System (LMS) can help develop new skills while training your workforce on company policies, products, and more. Empower your employees to grow professionally with Learning, a modern, mobile solution that fits different learning styles and connects to your existing systems and processes.
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