As the world enters the third year of COVID-19, few industries have seen greater impacts in their labor force than health care. We explain three key trends affecting the field.
The dangers and stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated existing concerns among healthcare workers and caused new ones to rise. Hospitals and other facilities are busier than ever, but turnover and burnout among the staff are at all-time highs. The following are three current trends healthcare employers should be aware of.
First, the “Great Resignation” has hit the healthcare field hard. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and social assistance workers have recently been quitting at a rate of 6.4%. Hiring replacements is challenging due to the high degree of education and training required for most roles. Employers must craft enticing job offers and benefits packages to attract talent and retain it.
Next, hospitals must find solutions to the challenges posed by the rise of travel nursing. Due to demand, the pay rates for traveling nurses have risen significantly during the pandemic, and many nurses are leaving their permanent positions to take advantage of these higher-paying, temporary opportunities. Some hospitals are tackling these challenges by creating in-house staffing programs, allowing workers to travel throughout the system’s facilities while receiving the same benefits as other permanent employees.
Finally, healthcare employees must anticipate more labor union activity as employee dissatisfaction rises. The ongoing staffing shortages have lent workers more leverage to negotiate with, leading to more frequent and larger strikes across the nation.