Overcoming the challenges of todays job market with new employee-focused initiatives
If there is any single factor impacting healthcare recruitment and retention in South Florida more than most, it is cost of living. This seemingly insurmountable hurdle is making all of us think more creatively about our approach to attracting new employees and keeping experienced employees in a rewarding work environment.
Floridas high cost of living, especially home prices, is having a dual effect. It is preventing some new healthcare workers from relocating to South Florida, while simultaneously pushing current workers out. Employees who cannot obtain the American dream of home ownership here are willing to relocate to get it.
In addition, high energy costs are forcing job seekers to reprioritize their job criteria. Commuting time and distance has become a large factor in a potential employees willingness to accept a position. Thats bad news for South Florida employers who used to count two or three counties as a potential source for local employees.
On top of the unique challenges facing South Florida, our industry also must contend with the national trend of less supply coupled with a growing demand for healthcare professionals, especially among nurses. Across the country, we are seeing RN vacancies remain high at 35-40 percent. Meanwhile, the number of employees voluntarily terminating from positions within their first year of employment is up, making recruitment that much more expensive.
At Cleveland Clinic Florida, our short and long-term growth goals make employee recruitment and retention a top priority. With just over 100 physicians currently on staff, our medical support team totals 1500. In order to grow by some 50 percent in the next year, and then ultimately reach a physician staff of 200 within five years, our management team is focused on overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.
Already Cleveland Clinic Florida has found the use of employee referral programs to be a positive recruitment tool. Theyve helped pull in new job candidates who are difficult to reach through traditional employment advertising, while offering existing staff an added financial incentive. Its a win-win situation.
We have harnessed online recruiting tools, such as CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com, to effectively reach out to larger pools of potential new hires in a broader geographic area. The competitiveness of these services, however, makes it very important to fine tune compensation packages. In addition, utilizing our own online job posting site at www.clevelandclinic.org continues to be an important driver of job candidates.
The diversity of healthcare career opportunities and long-term demand in the industry is a potential draw for many job seekers. The first half of the challenge is to convert these individuals to potential healthcare professionals, while the second half of the challenge is to retain them.
Several factors play into that ongoing challenge, including compensation, benefits, work environment, employer reputation and job flexibility. As the desire to attain work/life balance has gained greater attention among employees, job flexibility has become a very important negotiating tool.
Cleveland Clinic Florida is tackling the retention question with a new initiative focused on our nursing staff. Weve improved our orientation to better meet new staff needs, and we have developed a less cookbook-approach that caters to the individual. We have created a stronger, more comprehensive preceptorship program that allows us to focus not only on our “orientees” but also the preceptors or trainers.
By providing education, needed tools and applications, and ensuring consistency with our training staff, we achieve a dual benefit. First, we are making an impact on retention and in the facilitation of high quality caregivers that have been oriented to an environment that stresses the importance of education. Secondly, we remain focused on our main goal of putting the Patient First.
As an academic medical center, Cleveland Clinic Florida also offers many unique ongoing educational programs in-house that support career development. We encourage nurses to have a voice in the design and refinement of clinical care model delivery systems. These opportunities are appreciated by employees looking for career advancement and fulfillment.
At the end of the day, our employees remain our best recruiting tool and are instrumental in creating a work environment that motivates and inspires all of us. Understanding their goals and dreams and responding with employee-focused initiatives is one way that healthcare institutions in South Florida can respond to todays recruitment and retention challenges.
Overcoming the challenges of todays job market with new employee-focused initiatives 
