March 25th, 2008 by kchristmas
The previous two blogs in this thread have discussed hiring for retention. This next blog has additional tips to help recruiters target every aspect of selection towards making hires that will last.
Fit. As a recruiter it is important to consider the big picture and the fine distinctions. Yes, it is important for the manager or director to approve of the hire, but do you also consider the new hire’s fit with multiple shift leaders and high interface departments?
(For example, staff in the ED will have high interfaces with Radiology, laboratory, and the OR team just to name a few.) These can be deal breakers, for if a new hire loves the manager, but works night shift with a lead person with whom they do not get along, they are not going to last.
The recruiter should have an idea where the glitches lie in the units and departments for which they recruit. These can be gleaned in discussions with the hiring managers, and may be available in new hire onboarding surveys or exit interviews.
Although a recruiter cannot change or influence these issues, it is in their best interest to be aware, so they can present a realistic job preview to candidates for the area. And, if issues are not resolved, the recruiter should take proper steps to shine a light on what is happening and bring it to the attention to stakeholders who CAN make changes.
Hiring for retention is one of the best ways to shape the workforce and to impact retention from the very first contact with candidates. Not to mention, avoiding Ground Hog Day!
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March 17th, 2008 by kchristmas
The previous blog discussed hiring for retention as a way to make better hires and to be most efficient as recruiters. The first step was to make sure that job postings are accurate, descriptive and robust. Here is another tip on communication with hiring managers.
2. Recruiter/manager communication.
Do you have regular discussions with your hiring managers, including their open positions? It is so important to know what is new or changing within a unit or department. Do you know how many hires have been made and what turnover has been recently? Is the department experiencing growth or contraction? Have they added new services or equipment? It is a challenge to recruit effectively if you do not know what is happening.
Are you aware of the manager’s plan or vision for the ideal ‘new hire’ when getting ready to post a position? If the ideal is nowhere in sight, is there a plan in place to bring on a less qualified person for training? Most managers want experienced candidates to consider, but in today’s shortages, this may not be feasible. This should be broached at the time the requisition is received so the recruiter avoids putting an inexperienced person into a department where they will not receive proper training, or a poor onboarding experience.
Next, does the manager have someone in mind for the opening? Asking this simple question can save the recruiter a lot of time and effort, and can lead to a good discussion about how the manager sees his department.
The recruiter should work with the manager to shape the talent within the department. Looking at metrics such as longevity within the department and average age of workers (by shift) is important when deciding if a unit will experience retirements, or needs more experienced mentors to round out a shift with many novices.
Only through an ongoing dialogue can recruiters understand the issues facing hiring managers, and help them by targeting postings and efforts to find the best hires. Although it takes more time on the front of the process, it should pay off in the end with better retention.
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March 10th, 2008 by kchristmas
In February we celebrated Ground Hog Day. Do you remember the movie of that name - “Ground Hog Day” - where Bill Murray keeps waking up and living through the same day? Health care recruiters experience this syndrome when we do not hire for retention.
Recruiters and hiring managers want to carefully consider candidates’ appropriateness for the unit, department and system culture when interviewing.
Otherwise, the ‘Ground Hog Day’ scenario, where the same positions get posted and filled again and again comes into play. Or worse, managers are stuck with poor performers - with attitudes and ideas that do not fit the culture or work of their departments.
Effort expended to eliminate bad hires is a black hole that sucks up a lot of time and resources. Managers should put more energy into recognizing and rewarding top performers than they spend counseling or eliminating poor hires.
Where to start?
1. Job postings.
Are yours really descriptive? Do they provide a glimpse of the true work environment of the unit or department and how it fits into the bigger picture of the organization? Will outsiders understand everything listed, or do you have ‘internal’ information listed such as “2 West” rather than the name/description of the department? Health care is a unique 24/7 environment with many nuances on night shifts, weekends etc. Do you capture subtle shift cultural differences in your postings? It is important to describe the position and work environment as accurately as possible.
I challenge you to take a few moments today to look at the job descriptions you currently have posted and to compare them against the criteria above. If yours meet all standards, congratulations. If not, you have a place to begin.
Our next blog in this series will discuss other important areas to consider when hiring for retention to avoid recruiter Ground Hog Day.
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