“It’s Retention, Stupid.”
February 29th, 2008 by kchristmasTo paraphrase a catchphrase James Carville used during the Bill Clinton campaign for President, retention is the key to keeping costs under control and maintaining a productive workforce.
We are currently on the cusp of a recession. An unstable economy is often good news for health care recruiters, because health care professionals have a history of seeking stable positions during economic downturns, and also tend to increase their hours to full or part time. The need for flexibility is replaced by the need for a reliable paycheck.
Those who are Magnet or Beacon employers or top employers of choice have this experience most every day, as they offer work environments that put patient care first, and by doing so, provide a more stable, friendly and welcoming workplace. In these settings, workers know exactly what is expected of them, have reasonable and safe workloads and have the training and the tools they need to perform their work.
Although the Magnet and Beacon designations are primarily granted to nursing, both have been shown to have a ‘halo effect’ that reaches other professionals when the largest group in the hospital workforce – nurses - have their work environment issues addressed in a comprehensive way.
Many recruiters are held accountable for vacancy rates, but have no ability to address chronic turnover in departments for which they recruit. Some organizations press recruiters about turnover, when in fact, departmental managers have a greater impact on whether new hires stay or go.
Still, with shortages looming ever larger, according to all projections, it is high time to look at what drives turnover. And to not wait for a recession!