If your facility is like many healthcare systems, you may be considering launching your own in-house staffing program. Internal staffing agencies are not a new concept, but with the nursing staffing crisis we’ve been facing since the pandemic and increasing bill rates, there’s renewed interest.
Building a successful internal agency is exciting, and it’s important to consider all the factors that go into this program. Ultimately, an internal staffing program is part of a broader talent acquisition strategy. What works for one facility may differ from what moves the needle forward at another.
The first step to creating a successful internal staffing agency is to ask the right questions and determine what success looks like for your organization.
Questions to consider
When considering a well-designed internal staffing agency, you and your stakeholders will want to ask:
- What are our expectations regarding the development of this program?
- Are we facilitating a change in the desired work patterns of our permanent staff?
- Is our goal to enhance efficiency in the staffing process?
- What are the inevitable financial consequences of developing an internal staffing program?
- How can we ensure our staffing strategy will improve productivity and patient care?
The second step to achieving the success you expect is to work with a partner who can provide the basics of what goes into a robust and well-planned talent acquisition and retention strategy. This strategy should include a competitive salary, proper resources, and a flexible mindset regarding scheduling.
Provide competitive pay
The best internal staffing agencies offer market wages to clinicians to compete with external agencies. Though this can lead to wage disparity challenges, balance is important. It can be daunting, particularly when pay equity laws have been tightening in many states, such as California. Navigating legal challenges becomes intricate, as mistakes can lead organizations to classify clinicians and providers incorrectly—such as classifying them as 1099 Independent Contractors when they should be classified as W2 employees.
Utilize all resources
The staffing industry has decades of experience in developing efficient staffing processes, systems, and technologies for healthcare facilities, and has trained generations of workers to understand the intricacies of staffing.
Allocating sufficient resources to build a team of staffing-trained experts is essential, and attracting top recruiters away from agencies requires competitive compensation. Implementing the necessary technology and integrating complex systems also demands considerable investment. Lastly, managing the scale and volume of onboarding—hiring travelers, fulfilling local contracts, and acquiring flex PRN staff—will present unique opportunities.
As an internal staffing program grows, it becomes a significant cost center, which can tighten budget constraints. Hospital systems can be successful with their staffing programs if they carefully plan alongside their workforce solutions partner.
Be flexible with scheduling
Some clinicians use travel contracts and flex work to test which departments, roles, organizations, or facilities they like working with best before considering coming on full-time.
A growing segment of the labor force wants alternatives to traditional, full-time employment as they seek work-life harmony. This sense of liberation can be achieved through thoughtful scheduling, without pressure to work unwanted shifts or beyond their scheduled shifts. With Matchwell, candidates expect flexibility, and clients communicate directly with talent, eliminating conversion fees if a clinician wants to transition to full-time employment.
According to Harvard Business Review, improving the employee experience in the future will be less about increasing wages than it will be about reducing work hours, and our idea of a traditional employee churn will morph as hybrid and flexible work evolves. This is vital to remember when building out your internal staffing agency.
Matchwell, now part of the Medical Solutions healthcare talent ecosystem, is an agency alternative that matches clinicians with top healthcare facilities looking for local and per diem talent. Our integrated tech platform will help easily manage and support your internal resource pool or your internal staffing agency. Ready to see how working through Matchwell can work for your healthcare facility? Contact us today for more information.
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Matchwell is the tech-enabled job marketplace that empowers healthcare organizations to access and manage a flexible workforce. By leveraging AI and providing full transparency and direct access, healthcare organizations can better utilize their existing workforce while attracting new local and per diem clinicians who are seeking work on their terms.