Increased use of health services

The world population is aging as a whole. The baby boom generation is entering the elderly age and now they require more health services. The United States has the largest number of Americans who are above the age of 65 years. As the population is aging the need for healthcare services is also increased (Baumbusch & Shaw, 2011). Older persons have more than one morbidities that require treatment and care. Due to advancements in medical technology and science, life expectancy has greatly increased, causing an increased use of health services. Increased chronic ill patients require an increased healthcare workforce and nurses. Nurse to patient ratio is very low in the United States. On average there is only one nurse for 5 patients.

Pandemic outbreak

Due to the surge of pandemic, nurses as frontline healthcare workers were at high risk of getting infections. During the first wave, there was an increased burden on the nurses as there was an increased number of critically ill patients. Along with increased burden and low nurse-to-patient ratio, there were limited resources and inadequate personal protective equipment that caused fear and frustration in nurses and they started to leave the bedside care. They preferred administrative roles or started to work for staffing agencies where they were paid well. Some nurses left to become travel nurses as their salaries were substantially increased during the surge of the pandemic. Some nurses leave the profession due to burnout at the workplace. This could be due to increased workload, insufficient control on available resources, lack of reward or appreciation, workplace environment, emotional exhaustion, etc. The national average rate for nurses’ turnover is 8.8% to 37.0% depending (Haddad et al., 2020). The majority of healthcare facilities have long working hours for nurses. Nurses usually have to work 12 hours shifts. They may have to work on weekends as well depending on the workload. In such circumstances, nurses have to sacrifice their family time and the comfort of their homes due to their job. However, the female nurses during their childbearing years or some other responsibilities, tend to leave their profession and move to some other jobs.

Workplace violence

Emotional and physical abuse at the workplace adds to the already stressful working environment of nurses. It takes a toll on their physical and mental well-being. Healthcare workers are at great risk of workplace violence all over the world. According to research 8 to 38% of healthcare workers are facing some sort of violence during their professional career (Haddad et al., 2020). It creates the environment toxic for nurses and they decide to leave their jobs.

Baumbusch, J., & Shaw, M. (2011). Geriatric emergency nurses: addressing the needs of an aging population. Journal of emergency nursing, 37(4), 321-327.

Haddad, L. M., Annamaraju, P., & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2020). Nursing shortage. StatPearls [Internet].

Hayes, L. J., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Duffield, C., Shamian, J., Buchan, J., Hughes, F., . . . North, N. (2012). Nurse turnover: a literature review–an update. International journal of nursing studies, 49(7), 887-905.

The job market is competitive right now – many employers are hiring and there is a limited amount of people looking for work. According to the National Federation of Independent Business in March, 42% of business owners reported having job openings they could not fill. 91% of those business owners currently hiring could not find qualified candidates. And those numbers are growing. 

There are a number of reasons for people choosing to not reenter the workforce – from not wanting to become vaccinated, receiving unemployment checks that pay more than a starting hourly wage, to not having childcare for schools that remain virtual. While the reasons may be valid in some cases, it makes things very difficult for businesses to remain open without any labor.

The key many employers need for finding people for their job openings is to sell the position and attract those looking for work.

How to Find Good Employees In a Tough Market

Sell the Position

Your recruiters are your best sales team. Even if you aren’t looking for someone for a certain position, you should always be recruiting and selling the position. Make a prospect list, create a strategy, and consistently work to attract your talent.

Talk to former employees, ask about referrals, and perhaps even convince them to come back on board. Identify talent and sell the job – don’t rely on a job posting to do the hard work for you. Many employers make the mistake of listing qualifications and requirements for the job and leaving it. In a competitive market, the job post needs to sell. 

Write simply and clearly. Avoid jargon, buzzwords, and industry cliches. Provide details of the job responsibilities, a clear job title, and specify the salary range. Most quality candidates know their desired salary and will be more willing to apply for a job that is straightforward and transparent.

Showcase the Company Culture

When the market is competitive, quality employees know they have choices. The place of business is important – the culture is critical. When selling the position, sell the company. Show prospective employees how wonderful your company is and your company culture. Spotlight current employee’s testimonials on social media and your website. Make sure when potential employees look for information about your company, they find engaging, fun, and impressive information that draws them in. Build a reputation of being somewhere that people want to work.

Make Your Purpose Known

You may be surprised at how important your company’s purpose is to prospective employees. Attracting and retaining talent relies on their ability to connect with a business and know what they are doing is making a difference.

Conveying a well-defined purpose will ensure that your potential employees understand what you’re trying to accomplish. If someone buys into your purpose, drive, and goals, they will be much more likely to stay long-term. While it takes a lot to attract new employees, as soon as they see themselves as a part of something bigger, they will stay.

Hiring employees in a tough market is a challenge many businesses are faced with. These strategies will help you normalize your hiring process and attract high-quality employees.

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