The health care industry is one of the fastest-changing sectors today, and the way in which appropriate candidates are found to fill available hospital and health system positions is no different. Technology has considerably changed the way health care organizations find employee candidates, and there are a few main staffing trends that recruiters should keep in mind as they look to round out their institution's workforce:
1) Health care workforce demands continue to rise
For those in the medical industry, increasing demand is nothing new. However, current conditions in the health care sector have put more pressure on human resources recruiters and hiring managers than ever before.
"The growing population coupled with the age of the current workforce will create more open health care positions."
According to a new report from Researchmoz, the growing population coupled with the age of the current workforce will create more open health care positions in need of qualified candidates. Demand for nurses is on track to increase 16 percent through 2021. What's more, experts estimate that more than 500,000 nurses will retire in the next five years.
Nurses represent a critical part of the health care workforce, and any open positions could put overall patient care in jeopardy. It's important that HR managers and hiring stakeholders understand the impact these heightened demands will have on their organization and its ability to staff.
2) Technology brings together recruiters and candidates
As medical institutions look to fill an increasing number of open positions, there is good news: technological advances are now making it easier for recruiters to connect with qualified candidates, no matter where they are.
Solutions like video conferencing enable recruiters and hiring managers to have face-to-face interviews with candidates across the country, and around the globe. In this way, geographical borders no longer need to hamper recruitment and hiring practices.
In addition, online assessments are streamlining the hiring process for both employment candidates and recruiters, eliminating the time-consuming and cumbersome process of in-person paper tests. Now, qualified candidates can complete their assessment online, reserving travel for the time when their employment is confirmed by the hospital or medical office.
Recruiters and other members of the health care community are also turning to crowdsourcing, allowing qualified candidates to be referred and more easily identified through online groups.
3) Outsourced health care staffing now plays a larger role
Current conditions in the health care industry have made it increasingly difficult for hospitals and other institutions to find candidates and fill their open positions on their own. Now, HR and other hiring stakeholders are more often turning to outsourced assistance to ensure that their organization is fully staffed.
These demands have put the U.S. health care staffing market on track for more than 13 percent compound annual growth, reaching revenues of $28.3 billion by 2021. In this way, outsourced staffing agencies are becoming more important for the health care industry, particularly as it continues to operate under employment shortages and rising retirement rates.
"The industry has grown and now takes a more strategic role in offering a variety of workforce solutions and services to their client employer," Researchmoz noted. "In the US, the staffing industry impacts the economy through its service offerings and offers jobs and career opportunities to about 16 million employees per year."
As health care institutions look to find the best candidates for their available positions, it's imperative to work with a strategic partner that can provide hiring managers with the staffing capabilities they need. BlueSky Medical Staffing Software includes all the key features HR departments need, including recruiting tools, competency testing, staff scheduling and more.
Visit our website to find out about how BlueSky Medical Staffing Software can help your health care institution.
