Keeping up-to-date with the latest healthcare recruitment trends is one of the more effective ways to build a successful hiring strategy. This is particularly relevant at the moment, as the UK and global healthcare industries are significantly understaffed, with millions of vacant roles.
The healthcare hiring landscape is constantly changing. At the same time, a range of external factors are impacting the UK economy and businesses’ ability to recruit – none more so than Covid-19. As a result, there is significantly more pressure on both employers and healthcare recruitment agencies such as Marsh Farmer, to be on top of their game when it comes to sourcing and attracting the industries’ top talent.
The key trends that shape the market at any given time should therefore be carefully considered. Organisations should be adapting their hiring practices accordingly. Here are three trends which all healthcare hiring managers should be aware of in 2022.
1. Candidate Experience
Long gone are the days when it was the recruiter who held all the power – that seesaw has well and truly swung. With healthcare vacancy figures increasing by the day, it is now the candidates who hold the power in the recruitment process, meaning candidate experience should be your number one priority throughout the hiring process.
This is due to the simple reason that individuals are significantly more likely to accept an offer if they have experienced a positive route to hire; and in an over-crowded market, reputation matters. For that reason, this is a key hiring trend you need to be on top of.
This is particular relevant in the modern-day because of the number of platforms on which candidates can air their views has grown exponentially. Whether it is a social media channel such LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter, or an employee review sites such as Glassdoor; candidates are less afraid to share any negative experiences with other prospective candidates, potentially discouraging them from applying, attending interviews, or accepting job offers with your organisation.
So having said that, what does make a positive candidate experience? Let us start with the job advertisement. These need to be written with the ideal candidate in mind. Put yourself in their shoes. Which information would you want to know? What would make you apply? Be sure to utilise engaging language and consider breaking the text up into bullet points, making it easier to read. If your advert is poorly-constructed or does not make sense, you will fall at the first hurdle. To double-check, once written, be sure to ask a colleague to proofread the ad.
Once the copy is drafted, you need to consider the application process itself. If the candidate has to complete too many stages, they are less likely to remain interested and engaged throughout, potentially abandoning the process altogether. The key here is simplicity. Ask yourself which elements are critical to the recruitment process and build your stages around those.
To summarise, communication is critical. See it as the first steps in building a working relationship with the candidate. Be sure to acknowledge applications, keeping them up to date throughout the hiring process and not waiting too long to offer the job. This will speed up your hiring process, saving your time and improving their experience; providing a win-win scenario.
2. Data-Driven Recruitment
Another current trend that hiring professionals need to be aware of is data-driven recruitment. With more pressure to hire the right candidate the first time around, saving the organisation both cost and time, many businesses have turned to data to help them make smarter hiring decisions; as well as avoiding unconscious bias.
This is particularly useful if you are working towards specific organisational metrics. For example, you may wish to retrospectively analyse your hiring process to see how efficient your hiring process is, allowing you to tweak the process for future vacancies. Alternatively, you might need to keep a close eye on your hiring budget to ensure that you are not overspending.
Whichever metric you track, you’ll need to start gathering and analysing relevant data in order to do it effectively. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), such as the one utilised by Marsh Farmer, certainly make this easier to do.
The data you could capture may include: how long it takes for candidates to complete the application form, what the click to conversion rate of your digital job adverts is, how long it takes for an offer to be given and what ROI you are receiving on your recruitment tools.
Once gathered, you can then use this data to help make informed decisions about future campaigns. Ultimately, you will want to use data to save time and money, and of course, ensure you are making good quality recruitment decisions.
3. Automation & Machine Learning
We could not discuss hiring trends and not mention automation and machine learning. The usage of both technologies has increased dramatically across many industries in recent years, none more so than recruitment, helping to manage some of the more manual process tasks.
Machine learning is unlikely to be something that a business would implement themselves. Indeed, it is technology which industry suppliers are investing in to improve results for their clients. Here at Marsh Farmer, for example, we have used machine learning to improve the relevancy of job matches for candidates, ultimately driving more appropriate applications to our clients’ vacancies.
Another popular task which recruiters are utilising machine learning and automation is through CV screening. There are many of aspects of the hiring process that take up valuable time; with screening being just one of them. This automation therefore helps us take effective, data-driven steps forward.
As well as these, there are many other areas that can be automated. For example, assessment tools can help you understand how well someone will fit in your company and team, and whether they have the ability to do the job.
When considering your recruitment process, it is therefore well worth considering some of these innovative, new technologies. Alternatively, save yourself the time and effort of implementing these, and contact Marsh Farmer.
Remain up to Date with Latest Trends
There is a wide range of factors impacting organisations’ ability to recruit right now.This is why it is more important than ever to stay on top of the latest trends and ensure your recruitment process is fit for purpose.
Take some time to look at its efficiency; are there areas which are slowing the process down? Are you spending too much, or too little money? What do candidates say about your brand online? How can you change or improve this? What is the retention rate of previously recruited staff members? These are all questions you should be asking yourself.
Alongside this, it is worth speaking to a healthcare-specific recruitment agency, such as Marsh Farmer, to see whether they are staying on top of these trends and how they can help you meet your goals.