Panel Recap: Healthcare Relocation & Recruiting in a Pandemic

These are difficult times for all employers, but especially in the healthcare sector. While every industry is grappling with its own recruiting challenges, the healthcare sector is in the uniquely-challenging position of serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the need for immediate talent is pressing, healthcare employers are simultaneously grappling with unprecedented recruiting hurdles as a result of the outbreak.

At UrbanBound, we’re trying to help. To that end, we recently hosted a virtual roundtable of healthcare recruiting and relocation thought leaders nationwide. We invited them to share their challenges, concerns, insights and solutions, and they generously complied. We’d like to thank our roundtable participants, which include talent acquisition leaders at: Mayo Clinic, University of Vermont Health Network, John Muir Medical Group, AtlantiCare, BJC HealthCare, Katon Direct, and Stryker Corp.

This roundtable was facilitated by our Cofounder Jeff Ellman, who led a fascinating—and, we hope, helpful—conversation. For those who attended, and those who weren’t able to, we’ve recapped our top takeaways here.

Takeaway #1: Healthcare Recruiters Are Quickly Adopting New Hiring Practices

What’s harder than recruiting new talent in the midst of a pandemic? Recruiting frontline healthcare talent! Our roundtable recruiters are employing flexibility and creativity in adapting their hiring processes to work in the new world order.

For example, in observance of social distancing guidelines, they’re increasingly relying on technology to interview candidates, conducting more phone and video interviews in lieu of face-to-face meetings. Some are also holding virtual job fairs on sites like Brazon.com, which allow them to connect with candidates in real-time (and are more cost-effective than traditional job fairs).

Do they expect to continue to use these new recruiting practices once the crisis is under control? Yes, at least those that are most effective.

Takeaway #2: Mobility Pros Are Taking a Flexible Approach to Relocation Exceptions

The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying shutdowns have created particular challenges for transferees and employees in the process of relocating. Some of the roundtable’s mobility experts held that exceptions and adjustments are best addressed on a case-by-case basis, according to individualized need. (For example, U.S. employees working overseas should be permitted to come home if that was their preference.)

Other mobility professionals noted that they are advising transferees relocating out-of-state to keep their signed, hardcopy offer letter with them, so they can prove they are critical staffing workers if challenged.

Takeaway #3: Organizations Are Accelerating Their Hiring and Onboarding Processes…But Carefully

Roundtable attendees are very mindful of the projected COVID-19 surge dates in their areas and indicated they’re working hard to meet those impending needs. Some are taking steps to speed their hiring and onboarding processes when possible, using a range of strategies that include:

• Posting temporary, PRN positions, so staff is ready to go when needed.
• Establishing a central staffing pool of nurses in evergreen positions.
• Bypassing the applicant tracking system (ATS) for nurses, when it becomes more of a hindrance than help.
• Prioritizing positions that will be essential during the coming surge—respiratory, lab, EVS and clinicians—while backburnering less-urgent staffing needs.
• Streamlining the number of days it takes to complete the onboarding process.
• Adding contingencies to offer letters, pending receipt of background check outcomes. (Background screening have been delayed due to widespread shutdowns.) If essential information—such as criminal records—are not received by the start date, the offers are rescinded.

Takeaway #4: HR Pros Are Approaching Reciprocal Licensing with Caution

While many states have waived or relaxed state licensing requirements on an emergency basis, some healthcare organizations are still approaching the issue with caution. For example, some of our roundtable participants are only relocating current employees—not new hires—across state lines, because they’re not able to vet their credentials to their satisfaction.

Takeaway #5: Recruiters Are Exploring New Ways to Find Candidates

Roundtable participants are employing multiple methods to find and connect with candidates and are hungry for new ideas. Some of their current outreach methods include:

• Posting across all job boards and apps.
• Posting on social media.
• Partnering with schools and universities to target new graduates.
• Utilizing employee referral programs (one program offers a bonus, which is paid out only after the new hire has been employed for a fixed period of time).
• Mining their ATS data base—a “treasure trove” of candidates—for promising prior applicants.
• Leveraging their “boomerang network” of retirees and past employees, who have the benefit of knowing the organization’s system and practices.

Other suggestions:

• Cast a wide net, but keep fine tuning your efforts—i.e., track your results, and shift your budget where it’s most effective. Avoid long-term contracts; go where the applicants are.
• Look for job board specials for healthcare providers. For example, LinkedIn is currently offering free job postings for eligible healthcare employers through June 30, 2020.