Tuition reimbursement is a top program offered this year by health systems seeking to recruit and retain employees, according to a recent survey by Aon, an insurer and consulting firm.
The survey of more than 1,400 hospitals and 160 health systems found that an increasing number of employers tailored their pay structures and organizational goals to meet employees’ needs in 2023.
Related: Staffing shortages may worsen again—here's how hospitals are preparing
Here are five areas of focus around recruitment and retention this year.
1. Offering better benefits
Nearly every health system said they offer some form of tuition reimbursement to employees, and 32% of respondents said they modified or enhanced those programs in the last year.
A third of hospitals increased their offerings for voluntary benefits like life insurance and gym memberships, while others expanded flexible work options, student loan forgiveness. refinancing programs and gender-affirming matters.
2. Addressing worker burnout
The lack of employee access to mental health services, along with staff burnout, was listed as a top concern by 89% of employers.
Health systems have prioritized the implementation of mindfulness apps, onsite counseling resources and manager trainings around burnout, as well as the formation of committees and educational sessions focused on employee well-being and resiliency.
One-fourth of hospitals reported enhancing their behavioral health benefits in the last year.
3. Increasing compensation
The demand for higher pay, particularly among nurses and lower-level healthcare workers, has been a central sticking point in union contract negotiations and employer-employee relations.
In the last 12 months, 70% of hospitals offered sign-on bonuses, 59% adjusted new hire compensation, 54% increased their minimum wage and 52% modified or added a referral bonus program.
4. Creating a staffing pipeline
Two-thirds of hospitals are working with a nursing school to train students and hire recent graduates, and another 13% said they are considering entering a pipeline partnership. By forming an early relationship with younger nurses, health systems are hoping to gain a competitive edge over temporary staffing companies.
As an alternate way to recruit talent, 16% of hospitals operate an internal staffing agency.
5. Reducing clinician turnover
Around 60% of respondents experienced increased turnover in 2023 among nurses and lower-level clinicians, most of whom had tenures of one to three years.
Forty-one percent of hospitals saw more workers in non-clinical roles leave than in 2022, and 22% saw more turnover among physicians.
To address the industrywide exodus of healthcare workers, more systems have begun to invest in their employees' physical and emotional well-being, ranging from stress management programs to professional development training and offering financial planning resources.
Nearly 80% of hospitals said they made available more hybrid work options in an attempt to retain more employees.
