UrbanBound Employee Relocation Blog

Healthcare Recruitment Trends 2025: Mobility as a Competitive Edge

Written by Amy Jones | Sep 10, 2025 3:07:08 PM

We’re nine months into 2025, and one thing is clear: the healthcare talent crunch hasn’t let up. Hospitals and health systems are still fighting to fill roles across every specialty, from primary care physicians to advanced practice providers to nurses. The competition is fierce, and the organizations that are pulling ahead aren’t relying on bigger signing bonuses. They’re leaning on smarter strategies—especially mobility.

 

What We’ve Seen So Far in 2025

This year, healthcare recruiters have been forced to pivot fast. Here are a few of the biggest shifts shaping the industry right now:

  • Signing bonuses have lost their shine. Candidates know bonuses don’t fix the bigger challenges of starting a new role, especially when relocation is part of the package.

  • Mobility is setting organizations apart. Health systems that provide a tech-enabled, supportive relocation experience are winning candidates who might otherwise walk away.

  • Recruiter bandwidth is at a breaking point. Teams stretched thin are leaning on mobility solutions to take care of logistics so they can focus on sourcing and hiring.

  • Predictive hiring is no longer a buzzword. The best systems are actively using data to anticipate workforce gaps and align mobility resources ahead of time.

 

Why Mobility is the Edge Right Now

Relocation support is no longer a “perk.” It’s a deciding factor. Candidates weigh the entire experience, not just the paycheck. When an employer can say, “We’ll take care of your move from start to finish,” it creates instant peace of mind. That matters when candidates are choosing between nearly identical offers.

It also matters to recruiters. Burnout is real, and every hour recruiters spend piecing together a relocation is an hour not spent building relationships with top candidates. Mobility programs that streamline this process don’t just make life easier for candidates—they protect recruiter wellbeing and shorten time-to-start.