HR can be a challenging job in any industry, but within the medical industry, HR professionals are facing several challenges. Human Resources in healthcare is under pressure at all levels, from clinics to hospitals. 

Staff Turnover

Medical staff are in high demand, giving skilled employees a lot of options when it comes to medical jobs. This means staff retention can be a real challenge, as staff are lured away by better jobs and higher salaries with other hospitals. 

Availability of jobs allows staff to seek more than just a pay cheque. Young people in particular look for training opportunities, room to advance and other benefits and if they don’t get it, they’ll be looking for a new job pretty quickly. 

HR staff can help retain staff by dealing with any staff concerns. Addressing workforce concerns and helping employers to appear more attractive to current staff can help you hold onto those valued team members. 

Staff Shortages

In many countries, medical staff can be hard to find. Recruitment can be very challenging for a number of reasons. As the general population ages, there is more demand for medical treatments, putting a greater strain on resources. More staff are needed to deal with this greater demand.

The aging population changes the workforce too. As the older medical professionals age and retire, they aren’t being replaced. Younger workforce value different aspects of jobs and there are less applicants for many medical jobs now. 

To help attract new recruits, HR can ensure an employer is offering an attractive option to young people. You could offer on the job training, ensure there is room for development for new employees and offer competitive benefit packages. 

Embrace new ways of reaching potential employees, such as social media, to encourage younger people to apply. 

Employee Burnout

With any stressful industry, staff burnout is always a risk. Healthcare can be especially stressful. The high stress environment can lead to higher staff turnover and higher levels of staff sickness. 

Staff shortages and high turnover only increase the risk of employees becoming dissatisfied and unhappy in their work. Of course, in an industry like medicine, employees becoming burned out poses a real risk. Patient safety could be impacted, so it’s important for the Human Resources team to take care of employees. 

HR professionals must be constantly on the lookout for signs of overwork and exhaustion. It’s important to make sure staff feel sure they are supported. Make sure staff feel valued by putting in place reward schemes and be sure staff recognition is prioritised. Offer training to help employees can develop, and cope with the high pressure. 

Healthcare can be a difficult industry to work for human resources professionals, but making a difference to staff in such an important industry could be immensely rewarding.

The right HR staff could have a real impact if they can help the medical industry improve employee satisfaction and engagement. This can improve the quality of patient care by keeping skilled staff in their jobs and minimising the risk of staff leaving or being signed off. 

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