Successfully Recruit and Retain the Patient Care Workforce
Today’s hospital and health system leaders must be innovative and assertive to manage costs in an incredibly challenging environment—a task that has been further complicated by persistent workforce shortages and turnover. Efforts to address these challenges range from monetary incentives—including higher wages, signing and retention bonuses, and increased shift differentials—greater reliance on traveling or agency staff, new recruiting efforts or expanded nurse residency programs, and staff wellness and mental health support. Key emerging insights on these efforts include:
Our labor and productivity experts help hospitals and health systems on a range of strategies to enhance retention, including the following:
- Enhancing review of compensation and benefits
- Identifying and addressing management issues
- Developing new career pathways
- Implementing remote workforce policies
- Considerations to clinical staff retention
Talk to our labor and productivity experts today!
Issues we Resolve
Workforce Challenges
100% of hospital leaders surveyed recently are facing issues with clinical staff, including burnout, difficulty filling vacancies, wage inflation, and high turnover rates.
92% are having difficulties attracting and retaining support staff, and almost 90% have increased base salaries.
23% say that the ratio of administrative staff working remotely is likely to return to pre-pandemic levels. 66% said the ratio will remain at levels reached during the pandemic, and 11% said the percentage of staff working remotely will continue to increase.
Source: Kaufman Hall 2021 State of Healthcare Performance Improvement Report
Talk with one of our experts to discuss workforce strategies.
Latest Workforce Insights
A Special Workforce Edition of the National Hospital Flash Report
A nationwide shortage of healthcare workers made worse by the pandemic, and hospital and health systems’ increased reliance on contract labor, is driving expenses upward and contributing to steep declines in profit margins, according to a Special Workforce Edition of Kaufman Hall’s National Hospital Flash Report.
Research Report
Rating Agency Spring Update on the Pandemic, Labor and ESG
Listen to rating agency experts discuss the pandemic’s continued financial impact on hospitals including labor challenges and volume trends.
Webinar
The Workforce Challenge Is a Segmentation Challenge
In my conversations with senior executives at healthcare organizations around the country, I find that leaders have three critical topics on their minds: workforce, workforce, and...
Thoughts from Ken Kaufman
We're Not Just Advisors—We're Your Partners
Create greater value with your workforce strategy. Talk to our labor and productivity expert, Therese Fitzpatrick, today!
Therese A. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Therese Fitzpatrick is a leader in Kaufman Hall’s Performance Improvement practice, and helps healthcare executives assess clinical and operational performance, and develop effective strategies to enhance efficiencies and optimize staffing.
Learn More About Therese A.