Denise Triba is CHRO for Ingenovis Health, an organization focused on building an employer-of-choice strategy.
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As the CHRO of a company that places travel and permanent healthcare talent, I’ve experienced firsthand the impacts of the provider shortage in America. Even before the pandemic, we saw massive staffing shortages in healthcare, creating a public health crisis across the country. The confluence of factors driving the crisis included burnout, the emotional toll of the profession, workplace violence and the desire for higher pay. According to a recent report, 32% of registered nurses are seeking to leave the profession.
Leaders in healthcare HR must ask ourselves, "Are we truly listening to clinicians and taking intentional steps to address their concerns? How can we help our people be heard and supported, and reduce the complex stressors they confront?" Here are three strategies HR leaders can consider to retain and grow top talent in healthcare or any field.
1. Use focused, active listening to understand talent's complex needs.
HR leaders by nature have a (healthy) obsession with people. However, caring about people isn't enough to ensure you can retain your best talent. It takes accountability and active listening to truly understand their evolving needs.
At Ingenovis Health, for example, we decided to design a process that helped us gain a deeper understanding of the daily challenges confronting our talent, as well as the broader health and wellness implications. We conducted focus groups and surveys so our people had the necessary platforms to share their feedback and experiences. This direct communication enabled us to better comprehend the severity of the situation and formulate new plans to address our talent's concerns.
Thoughtful listening requires being present and engaged with employees. Prioritize true understanding and share information that provides clarity, confidence and purpose. Focus groups, listening circles and chats are a few options to encourage dialogue and understanding. Any of them can help your employees get connected to your organization’s purpose.
2. Design programs for training, development and recognition.
Evidence-based training, development and recognition programs have a demonstrated impact on engaging and retaining employees. It's essential that clinicians feel valued, and it's our role as leaders in HR to empower them with the right tools, training and support required to thrive.
At Ingenovis, we used what we learned from our active listening initiative to launch a holistic program aimed at supporting clinician growth and well-being through the pillars of advocacy, career and tools. We introduced a virtual bulletin board to recognize the high level of care that clinicians deliver to patients every day, and we also encourage dialogue among clinicians, recruiters and administrators.
Employee feedback is essential to understanding the hearts and minds of an organization. People will openly share what their expectations are when you actively look for opportunities to deliver tools and programs that respond to that interest.
3. Help your employees see themselves within your organization.
Having a clear purpose and properly communicated values helps employees feel connected to the organization and its goals. From an HR perspective, it informs everything from benefits, career development, technology ecosystem and more. Ingenovis Health’s purpose—building a home for healthcare talent—has helped us build an intentional business strategy to drive solutions toward that end.
Purpose gives meaning to work by delivering a consistent message that ties employees, no matter their role. One example of supporting purpose is focused goal setting, which facilitates the cascade of aligning people to purpose. The intent is to be able to ask anyone what they do and have them tie it back to the organization's purpose, mission and values.
Living in uncertain times shines a light on the increasing importance of HR leadership in the healthcare industry. As we continue to navigate complex talent issues—from burnout, mental health, engagement, productivity and retention—it will be critical to employ proactive strategies. Focusing on approaches for active listening and designing effective programs can ensure we're addressing the most pressing concerns of our people. This will ultimately help slow attrition, retain essential talent and support the workforce of the future.
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