Talent acquisition has seen a surmounting change, in tune with mounting demands of the well educated, trained and knowledgeable employees all over the world. A well- rounded cesspool of talent is now viewed from a perspective of competitive advantage. Of all sectors involved, healthcare employment is on a steady rise, with  hospitals and healthcare providers coming up with new jobs in the last tenure and unemployment dipping down to 2.6 per cent, considered to be the lowest in recent years.

A slew of new positions such as data analyst, genetic counsellor and surgical technologist have risen to take up the employment scale by a notch. People are said to be a key asset that any organisation possesses, instrumental to rise in growth and visibility. Proficiency in providing quality care that goes beyond just diagnosis and treatment as it include developing a clear sense of caring, while catering to consumers’ attitude and needs.

There is a veritable amount of good news as 2017 Healthcare Recruiting Trends Report, a survey of 352 healthcare recruiters and hiring managers released by Health eCareers, reported a dynamic 23 per cent boost in job on recruitment sites. This fares positive when one takes workplace sustainability and security into context, with layoffs becoming unlikely within organisations. Here are a few other key findings that are taking up the recruitment in healthcare sector.

Demand for experienced employees: As hiring in healthcare gains a fervent pace, employers’ focus on experienced, long-term professionals to augment their operations. The reluctance in use of temporary or contract employees stems from the high acquisition costs tied and difficulties in sourcing qualified candidates. Experience certainly plays an essential role, as 80 per cent of employers want ask for two to five years experience, while recruiting.

Hike in pay package:  Its joy for the job seekers as market perspective turns in their favour and employers are willing to dance to their tune. Employers and hiring are warming up to the idea of a hike in pay scale and inclusion of more perks to lure in new hires. In fact, 72 per cent of employers are offering signing bonuses and 60 per cent say they’ll pay for relocation. Benefits such as free lunch or snacks and mobile phone or vehicle plans are also thrown in, to sweeten the deal.

Yet if one thinks that these are only to attract new talent, then he/she is mistaken. Around 59 per cent of employers are paying existing staff significantly more than last year to encourage retention. Designing compensation benefits hence needs to continuously evolve with innovative thinking and a deep understanding on the factors that impact performance and productivity. While compensation is one aspect, benefits in terms of flexibility and work life balance also play a key role. Work from home, flexible work hours, conveyance benefits like green earth policy and health and well being are packaged to make the offer attractive.

Importance of branding: Marketing has become an aggregator in the healthcare sector as brand building strategies are brewing up a storm. Employers are realising the importance of veritable brand recognition in order to attract fresh talent, as well as growth in business. For many healthcare employers it’s their values, mission or groundbreaking care that set towards creating a credible brand.

With fresh talent coming on board, clarity in goals and vision goes a long way in picking up a conscientious approach towards serving mankind. Employee Engagement initiatives, CSR activities, innovation and continuous learning are enablers towards positive branding. With the NextGen hooked on to social media, this platform can be a great leveller and has the ability to positively or adversely impact the brand of the organisation.

A plum demand for nurses: CNBC and Glassdoor rated nurse practitioner the fifth fastest-growing job as the category ripens with offers of high compensation for employees. Sign-on bonuses are also rising for nurses of all levels of experience as organisations are adjusting their budgets accordingly. A spike in demand for advanced practice nurses, licensed practical nurses, and licensed vocational nurses, with additional duties that were previously the domain of physicians, are marking the job market with abundance in scope.

A drive in administration and specialised jobs: Alongside the growth of healthcare staff, a rise in demand for managers, recruiters, human resource personnel, and generalists has been noted. As population health reaches its apogee in providing greater access to care, newer positions need to be filled with highly skilled professionals. This will require more workers who specialise in data analysis and genomics, to navigate the increasingly complex healthcare systems.

As goal of recruitment evolve with the troughs and crests of innovation, organisations need to keep a few viable things in mind. Prioritisation and planning must be proactively addressed for adapting to the dynamic industry landscape. A vigorously staffed healthcare organisation is better positioned to perform more efficiently, while keeping a cost effective approach in mind. As leaders increasingly realise this, a more inclusive attention to human capital strategy needs to be imparted, putting greater emphasis in time and resources into employee mentoring/engagement across the range. With time we would see greater participation in improving employee conditions to push healthcare to newer levels, while keeping the love for mankind in mind.

(The writer is HR and facility manager, Cellworks Research India Private Limited)