Developing An Attractive Employer Brand For The Healthcare Industry

Healthcare recruiting is a highly competitive field that demands attention to detail and skillful management of the recruitment process. In such an environment, the concept of employer and employee branding is becoming increasingly important.

With talent shortages and high competition for skilled healthcare professionals, it is crucial for healthcare organizations to create clear and distinct brand identities that stand out within the crowded market. This blog will explore the importance of employer branding and employee branding in healthcare recruiting and how it can help organizations attract and retain top talent.

An employee brand, in contrast to an employer brand, is all about what your current employees experience personally and emotionally. While an employer brand is for promoting your organization to prospective candidates, your employee brand has more to do with how the organization makes its existing employees feel

The most important factors to candidates when accepting a new job are compensation (49%), professional development (33%), and better work/life balance (29%).

When it comes to healthcare, there's one key ingredient many professionals agree is non-negotiable: passion. For those working in the field, having a strong emotional investment in the work sets them apart from those in other professions. Those possessing a genuine interest in the field also tend to gain greater job satisfaction as they feel more connected and dedicated to their work.

Because these professionals are driven by passion, it’s your responsibility as a recruiter to match their zeal and drive in your own recruiting process. Too often, recruiting responsibilities can easily read as “phoned in” or make candidates feel like you’re simply checking a box in your process. This is exactly why humanization in the recruiting process is so necessary. You connect more deeply with candidates knowing their passion for their work and mirroring that with your own.

Another element of meeting healthcare professionals where they are is recognizing their heavy workloads and respecting their very valuable time. It would be irresponsible to make healthcare workers wait on you and work around your schedule. Now more than ever, recruiters are tuning into the needs of healthcare professionals and lining up contact to reach them at opportune times.

Why these times? Because they are the most likely to overlap with breaks and are just before and just after work. 

Recruiting in the healthcare industry has always had high stakes. It’s critical to understand the delicate balance that healthcare professionals face in their busy schedules of juggling patient care, education, and personal time where their mental health can thrive. Each of these makes every minute of their day incredibly valuable. So, recruiters should leverage common break times when reaching out to prospective candidates, ensuring they communicate and accommodate suitable hours for contact.

Healthcare workers are skilled professionals committed to a challenging yet fulfilling field. Consequently, recruiters need to treat each candidate uniquely and engage with them personally. By using clear, empathetic communication, recruiters can attract top talent to further healthcare's noble objective.

Employer Branding

Nearly 4 in 5 candidates (78%) say the overall candidate experience they receive is an indicator of how a company values its people.

A positive candidate experience is crucial to a company's employer brand. Research shows that nearly 4 in 5 candidates consider the hiring process an indicator of how a company values its people. Employers should strive to make the hiring process as stress-free and transparent as possible.

To make the candidate experience stand out positively, the recruitment process needs to be streamlined and well-structured. It's essential to lay out the interviewing process explicitly in the job description, outlining the timeline, to reduce stress for the applicant and help them plan in their limited time.

A transparent recruitment process that respects the candidate's time and reduces ambiguity around the interview schedule can reflect positively on the work environment. This process can also help avoid losing candidates mid-way through online job applications, which can lead to a dropoff of almost 60%.

Traditional Recruiting May Not Cut It

Traditional recruiting methods may not be enough to attract top talent in today's competitive job market. Employers should consider non-traditional recruiting methods such as employee referrals, internships, and boot camps. Employee referrals can be a great way to tap into your existing network and find candidates who fit your organization well. Internships and boot camps are another way to identify and train potential candidates who may not have traditional job experience but have the drive and potential to succeed.

Prioritize Onboarding

Effective onboarding is critical to ensuring new hires have a positive experience and feel welcomed into the organization. Research shows that companies with a well-designed onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire retention. Onboarding should begin before the new hire's first day and continue for several months after. It should include information about the company's culture, values, and expectations and provide a clear understanding of its role and responsibilities. By investing in an effective onboarding process, employers can improve retention rates and create a more positive work environment for new hires.

By creating a strong brand identity that resonates with both current and prospective employees, healthcare organizations can attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive market. Plus, a strong employer brand can help healthcare organizations differentiate themselves from competitors and create a positive reputation within the industry. Healthcare recruiters must embrace this new reality and work towards building a distinctive, recognizable brand that reflects their organization's core principles and attracts top talent.

Looking to up your healthcare recruiting game? Look no further than IQTalent - our expert team of recruiters has the knowledge and experience to help you attract, hire, and retain top talent in the healthcare industry. From identifying the right candidates to managing the recruitment process, we leverage cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights to deliver exceptional results. Don't let talent shortages slow you down - reach out today.