When your healthcare organization experiences hiring challenges for allied healthcare positions, it’s important to assess your specific hiring barriers and understand where things are going wrong. Consider using these five tips to overcome some of the most common hiring challenges regarding allied healthcare workers.
1. Develop a robust communication process between the hiring manager and recruiter.
More often than not, hiring challenges stem from rushing through the hiring process, misalignment between the hiring manager and the recruiter, misleading or incomplete job descriptions (or advertisements) and talent management. All of these issues may result in poor hires who are not fully qualified for their jobs. Establishing a process that involves a job description review by the hiring manager, in-depth pre-search conversations between the hiring manager and recruiter, and ongoing feedback about candidates can help ensure that everyone, from the manager to the recruiter to the candidate, is on the same page.
2. Establish a consistent onboarding process.
Unlike many companies, healthcare organizations often have complex hiring needs, which, if you’re not careful, can lead to inconsistent hiring practices. Rather than having every department of your organization carrying out its own hiring procedures, utilize a cloud-based recruiting software to centralize and simplify the recruitment processes. With a unified system, all departments of your organization will be able to input and track hiring updates and candidate information in one place. This will help your organization file records within one electronic location, making it easier for your human resources team to oversee each department’s hiring practices and verify that industry standards are met.
3. Accelerate your screening procedures.
A slow screening process can frustrate applicants and cause them to walk away. To make your screening process as efficient and user-friendly as possible, use an online platform in which applicants can easily track and check their application status, complete required forms, and electronically sign documents. Having a system like this in place will keep applicants engaged in the hiring process and informed about next steps.
4. Hire internally if it suits the situation.
Poor employee retention can be the result of ill-equipped employees who cannot handle the demands of your organization, and either quit or are fired. To combat this issue, consider candidates from within your organization. Seeking candidates internally can help ensure that your hires are competent and aligned with your organization’s mission and values.
5. Seek strategic partnership to fulfill hiring needs.
Developing strategic partnerships with educational institutions and staffing agencies can help you find top notch talent within a short timeframe. Partnerships can be especially helpful when urgent hiring needs arise and vacancies need to be filled quickly. It’s worth the time and effort to develop some strategic partnerships that can help you meet hiring goals.
Failing to overcome allied healthcare hiring challenges can have many negative results for your company as a whole – potentially harming your organization’s public reputation. By being proactive about your hiring process, you can develop a talented workforce to meet the demands of your organization and create a culture of growth and innovation.