How Healthcare Leaders Drive Culture and Employee Recruitment

Today’s hiring climate can be challenging for healthcare companies. Ensuring adequate staffing has become a daily concern. As a result, many companies are instituting recruitment campaigns.

At the heart of many of these campaigns is a role that is not discussed often enough: the role of healthcare leaders. After all, healthcare executive leaders play a critical role in shaping the culture and recruitment efforts of a facility.

How Can Healthcare Leadership Boost Recruitment?

Here are some ways healthcare leaders can help boost recruitment and drive a welcoming, appealing workplace culture:

Lead By Example:

This is one of the first rules of leadership–be a shining example of the type of behavior you would like to see. Executive leaders should embody the desired culture and values of the organization. By demonstrating behaviors that align with the desired culture, such as open communication, collaboration, and empathy, they set the tone for others to follow.

This will often happen whether you intend it or not–so be intentional and make sure you’re modeling the workplace culture you value.

Define And Communicate The Organization’s Values:

Executive leaders should work with the leadership team to define and articulate the core values and mission of the organization. These values should guide recruitment efforts and be consistently communicated to all employees.

Engage In Employee Communication:

Communication is key to any good relationship, and that includes between leadership and staff. Executive teams will find success by actively engaging with employees at all levels of the organization. This can include:

• Town hall meetings.
• Regular email updates.
• Informal meet-and-greet sessions.
• And more.

By being accessible and approachable, leaders can foster a sense of trust and transparency.

Collaborate With Hr And Recruitment Teams:

Your hiring process will always begin with human resources. It makes sense, then, that executive leaders should work closely with the human resources and recruitment teams to ensure alignment between the organization’s goals and the recruitment efforts. They can provide input on the desired skills, competencies, and cultural fit of potential candidates.

Participate In Recruitment Events:

Be the face of your values at recruitment events! Executive leaders can attend job fairs, career expos, and other recruitment events to represent their organization. By interacting with prospective candidates, sharing their own experiences, and promoting the organization’s values, they can create a positive impression and attract top talent.

Support Diversity And Inclusion Initiatives:

Diversity and inclusion are critical to a healthy, happy, and productive workforce. Executive leaders should champion diversity and inclusion efforts within the organization. They can actively participate in diversity-related events, ensure diversity is prioritized in recruitment practices, and establish programs to promote inclusivity and belonging.

Foster Employee Development And Growth:

Executive leaders should support initiatives that promote employee development and growth. This can include:

• Providing resources for training and continuing education.
• Sponsoring leadership development programs.
• Encouraging employees to pursue professional certifications or advanced degrees.

Recognize And Reward Excellence:

If there are employees who are the embodiment of your company’s values, you should celebrate them! Executive leaders should actively recognize and reward employees who embody the organization’s values and contribute to its success. By publicly acknowledging exceptional performance and providing incentives for high achievers, they reinforce the desired culture and motivate others to excel.

The talent you’re trying to recruit will see this. They’ll notice whether or not their potential peers feel appreciated. And they’ll act accordingly.

Stay Informed And Engaged In Industry Trends:

Executive leaders should stay abreast of emerging healthcare hiring trends. By remaining informed, they can provide strategic guidance and ensure that recruitment efforts align with industry demands and the organization’s long-term goals.

Seek Employee Feedback And Act On It:

Executives and leaders get where they are by leveraging their experience, their expertise, and their intelligence. So it’s not always easy to admit you don’t know something. But that’s an absolutely critical step in this process.

Because the fact of the matter is that employees and staff might know more about the day-to-day activities of your business than you do. This isn’t an insult–it’s an advantage. It means there’s a significant repository of knowledge you can access. All you have to do is listen.

Executive leaders should actively seek feedback from employees regarding the organization’s culture, recruitment processes, and overall work environment. This feedback can be gathered through:

• Surveys (both in person and online).
• Focus groups.
• Meetings
• Regular one-on-one conversations.

Acting upon the feedback and implementing necessary changes demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. This will help your employees feel valued, heard, and improve your work culture even more.

Create the Kind of Experience That Will Attract Top Talent

By actively engaging in the culture and recruitment efforts of the facility, healthcare executive leaders can help shape a positive and inclusive work environment, attract top talent, and foster employee satisfaction and retention. It all starts at the top. And that means you have the power to start attracting top talent today.

POSTED ON: July 14, 2023
By Kimberly Winkleman | Healthcare, Marketing, Patient Experience, Research
Tags: , healthcare, patient engagement, recruitment