ACCC Webinar Offers Strategies to Help Health Care Organizations Combat the Great Resignation

J Clin Pathways. 2022;8(6):52.

The Great Resignation refers to the unprecedented number of people across the globe who have quit their job in the past year. A recent talent trends report noted that the top priority for 63% of job seekers globally was work-life balance,¹ which, in this instance, refers to workers’ wellness and schedule flexibility. The Pew Research Center released a report that noted, in addition to work-life balance, employees are concerned about compensation, workplace culture, and advancement opportunities.²

The health care workforce was not immune to this recent shift in employment patterns. As of January 2022, 31% of hospitals reported a critical staffing shortage.³ The outlook for the remainder of 2022 is unlikely to improve. The American Nurses Association estimates that 500,000 nurses will leave the workforce this year.⁴ With applicant pools dwindling, nursing turnover rates increasing, and a continually growing aging population, it’s imperative that health care organizations develop flexible, re-invented employment models.

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) recently partnered with Hallmark Health Care Solutions to host a live broadcast—Navigating the Great Resignation: Rebuilding the Healthcare Labor Force and the Challenges Ahead. Expert panelists discussed barriers and effective practices to ensure the recruitment and retainment of a quality workforce. Strategies to build sustainable employment models include:

• Review external threats to staffing goals. This refers to assessing the specific workforce pool in your geographic area. A thorough review includes information on how, where, and when the workforce is needed. This analysis will help you define new and better strategies to yield expected results.
• Leverage technology to connect with your applicant market. Technology streamlines health care recruiting and hiring and helps to improve the experience for recruiters and potential candidates. Organizations should acquire the right tools to recruit and retain workers.
• Improve quality of care through organizational culture. Culture comes from leadership (ie, what is expected and valued from an organizational perspective). Recruitment activities should include time for the selection, development, and training of your workforce.
• Keep quality patient care at the center of any employment model. When developing an employment model for your organization, ensure quality patient care will be the ultimate result.
• Research and test alternative employment models. Alternative employment models, such as the gig-employment model,⁵ should be examined before solely relying on contract labor. Costs associated with contract labor are not a sustainable long-term solution.

The COVID-19 pandemic is often blamed for the changing priorities of the workforce, when, in fact, priorities likely would have shifted regardless. The pandemic simply accelerated that change. Workers are no longer interested in the tenets of the traditional employment model, so it’s important that health care organizations pivot to meet the needs of workers through alternative approaches.

You can learn more about workforce planning strategies by watching the on-demand recording by scanning the QR code below. This resource was made possible through the ACCC Alternative Payment Model Coalition (APMC). The APMC is supported by Merck & Co, Inc., and Takeda Oncology.

1. LinkedIn Talent Solutions. 2022 Global Talent Trends: The Reinvention of Company Culture. Accessed August 9. business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/talent-solutions-lodestone/body/pdf/global_talent_trends_2022.pdf

2. Parker K, Horowitz JM. Majority of workers who quit a job in 2021 cite low pay, no opportunities for advancement, feeling disrespected. Published March 3. Accessed August 9. pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/

3. Thompson D. Omicron Batters Already Strained U.S. Hospitals. Published January 26. Accessed August 9. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-01-26/omicron-batters-already-strained-u-s-hospitals

4. American Nurses Association. Nurses in the Workforce. Accessed August 9. nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/

5. The Investopedia Team. Gig Economy. Updated March 31. Accessed August 9. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gig-economy.asp