Mental health services in high demand for professionals seeking employment in healthcare, yet lagging in technology education, according to recent findings.
The healthcare industry is facing a unique set of challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. A recent comparison shows that while 86% of healthcare professionals want their workplace to feel like a community, this figure drops to 74% for energy and 72% for automotive sectors [1]. This trend underscores the need for employers in healthcare to focus on culture and connection.
According to Sander van 't Noordende, CEO of Randstad, building connected, future-ready workplaces is essential to attract and retain healthcare talent [2]. One key factor is mental health support. Prioritizing psychological well-being is critical, as it directly impacts employee satisfaction, innovation, and turnover intentions. Healthcare organizations that support mental health through benefits like mental health coverage and programs reduce turnover and improve morale [4][5].
A strong workplace culture, emphasizing inclusion, diversity, psychological safety, and trust, is another essential factor. Candidates and current employees evaluate organizations on these factors, which influence their decision to join and stay [2][3]. Embedding culture into recruiting and hiring processes helps ensure alignment between employees and the organization’s core values, improving retention [3]. Positive organizational politics and work-life balance further enhance job satisfaction, reducing turnover intentions [4].
Leveraging technology in recruitment and ongoing training is also important. Digital health programs, including those for musculoskeletal (MSK) and mental health, serve as attractive perks and improve workforce health and productivity [5]. Adapting talent strategies to evolving healthcare technologies ensures the workforce remains skilled and agile, meeting changing industry demands [2].
Competitive and fair compensation remains a fundamental barrier or enabler for both attraction and retention [1][4]. Opportunities for career growth, leadership development, and supportive mentoring programs contribute to employee engagement and retention [1][2]. Employee engagement through regular feedback and recognition further supports retention by making staff feel valued and connected [2][3].
The data indicates that a strong sense of community is crucial for the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals. In fact, 88% of healthcare professionals said that a sense of community at work is important to their mental health and wellbeing [3]. Moreover, healthcare professionals are more likely to prioritize a positive workplace culture over equity-oriented efforts [6].
The healthcare sector is experiencing a projected global shortfall of 11 million workers by 2030 [1]. Creating inclusive, equity-focused cultures at work is essential to alleviate talent scarcity challenges, with men comprising 65% of the workforce [7]. Nearly half of healthcare workers (47%) are ready to walk away from employers who don't foster a supportive culture [3].
In summary, healthcare organizations that integrate mental health support, cultivate inclusive and psychologically safe cultures, invest in technology-enabled skill development, and offer competitive pay and career advancement are better positioned to attract and retain talent effectively in 2025 [1][2][3][4][5]. It's clear that prioritizing the wellbeing and satisfaction of healthcare professionals is not just beneficial for employees, but crucial for the future of the industry.
References:
- Healthcare Workforce Statistics and Information System (HWSI)
- Sander van 't Noordende, CEO of Randstad
- The Healthcare Workforce Crisis: Solutions and Opportunities
- The Impact of Mental Health Benefits on Employee Turnover
- Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture: The Importance of Mental Health
- The State of Healthcare Employee Engagement 2021
- Gender Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce
- To effectively attract and retain healthcare talent in 2025, robust mental health support should be integrated into workplaces, as it significantly impacts employee satisfaction, innovation, and turnover intentions.
- A work environment that cultivates an inclusive, psychologically safe culture, emphasizing diversity, trust, and positive organizational politics, is crucial for both recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals.
- By investing in technology-enabled skills development, such as digital health programs for mental health, healthcare organizations can improve workforce health, productivity, and overall well-being.
- Offering competitive pay, career advancement opportunities, and supportive mentoring programs contributes to employee engagement and retention, making staff feel valued and connected in the ever-evolving healthcare industry.
