One major challenge facing nursing recruiters today is "nurse burnout." With high levels of stress, many nurses are leaving the profession altogether. This mass exodus has made it even more difficult for healthcare organizations to fill nursing positions. However, many nursing recruiters are tapping into innovative ways to attract and hire nurses. In this article, we'll discuss how nurse recruiters are engaging top healthcare talent despite work burnout.
Social Media Helps Nursing Recruiters
A third of nurses plan to quit the nursing field due to burnout. It's hard to find healthcare talent in a highly competitive job market, especially when nursing positions are in high demand. But nursing recruiters are using social media to engage nursing talent and build relationships with nursing candidates.
Rather than rely on nursing job boards and ads, nursing recruiters use social media to stay in touch with nursing professionals even after they're employed. They can build rapport and trust, which is essential for an industry in crisis. And this trust often leads to employee referrals and nursing candidates who may not be actively looking for new positions.
Social media is a valuable tool for nursing recruiters as they build a more engaged nursing workforce and combat the effects of job dissatisfaction.
How are recruitment agencies using social media for nurse hiring?
Some ways include engaging in Facebook groups to connect with nursing professionals and solicit feedback on working conditions and challenges in the field. They also use social media platforms like LinkedIn to post nursing job openings.
No matter the platform, nurse recruitment companies are using social to build trust with active and passive candidates.
Combatting Negative Perceptions of the Healthcare Industry
In addition to finding qualified candidates, nurse recruiters are also fighting against the negative perception of the healthcare industry. Due to the high-stress levels and long hours, many people view nursing opportunities as offering a poor work-life balance. To combat this perception, health recruiting teams highlight the job's positive aspects, such as the ability to help people in their time of need, the opportunity to advance in one's nursing career, and competitive salaries and benefits.
Many healthcare recruiting teams are also working with hospitals and healthcare facilities to create better working conditions for nurses to attract and retain top nursing talent. For example, nursing recruiters may collaborate with hospitals to offer flexible work schedules and higher pay for nurses willing to work nights or weekends.
Talk Openly About Burnout With Candidates
"Nurse burnout" is no longer the elephant in the room during the recruitment and interview process. Nursing recruiters are taking a more open and proactive approach when it comes to discussing the stress and tension that nursing professionals face daily.
For example, nursing recruiters may ask candidates about their experiences with burnout, including the strategies they used to cope. They may also share tips and resources that nursing professionals can utilize to prevent or overcome nursing burnout. They'll also highlight any workplace initiatives and benefits that nursing professionals can expect at their new job to help them better manage stress and workload.
By discussing nursing burnout and outlining strategies for overcoming it, nursing recruiters can both attract nursing candidates and also build a sense of partnership with nursing professionals.
Get Specific About Job Descriptions
Highlighting the job roles and responsibilities can show nursing candidates that the company values a healthy work-life balance. Recruitment teams can work with nursing professionals to create detailed, clear job descriptions that outline each nursing position's nursing roles and responsibilities.
This helps nursing candidates evaluate whether or not the position is a good fit and sets them up for success once they're hired. By clearly outlining the expectations of each nursing role, nursing recruiters can help potential hires thrive in their new positions and overcome stress without feeling burned out.
Nursing Recruiters Are On the Front Lines of Nurse Burnout
Nurse burnout has become a big problem in recent years, and COVID-19 has only made it worse. But, nursing recruiters are taking active steps to address the issue and are working hard to attract and build a more engaged nursing workforce.
At Hire Velocity, we understand the unique hiring challenges of the healthcare industry and the emphasis on patient care. No matter your talent needs, we partner with you to optimize your talent acquisition strategy, from entry-level roles to the C-suite.
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