Nurses are the heartbeat of the healthcare industry.
Despite this, they’re often undervalued and overwhelmed. Add the stress of extra work due to the mounting shortage of nurses, and it’s easy to see why filling your open nursing roles can feel almost impossible. But, we’re here to help! We’ve compiled the most sought-after benefits for nurses, to help keep you on top!
Healthcare
Possibly the most important aspect of any benefits package, outside of compensation, is quality, affordable healthcare. It’s even more important to nurses - after all, they see what can go awry with the human body on a daily basis. With more employers scaling back on health coverage to save on their bottom line, it puts employees in a tight spot. They’re left without a safety net to protect themselves and/or their families. Many healthcare workers can see it as a virtual ‘slap in the face’ to pay richly for services they themselves render.
When it comes to what employees want in their healthcare benefits, lower cost is at the top of the list! HSA’s (Healthcare Savings Account) are in high demand, but having to pay $5,000 out of pocket before anything is covered isn’t worth the cheaper coverage to the employee. High deductible plans are often inexpensive for the employer and employee, but the out of pocket monthly expense isn’t always in the employees best interest.
Pay attention to monthly charges. Look for plans that offer proportional costs, as in less than 10% of nursing compensation. If the monthly charge is a quarter of their income, they won’t see it as a benefit - only a negative experience. Be sure to compare coverage costs for individuals, couples and families, and scale accordingly. Offering assistance to those with families to offset monthly cost speaks volumes to the type of healthcare system your employees work for.
Scheduling
Scheduling is equally important within the nursing community. If you want to keep your nurses happy, consider offering flexibility within work schedules. Providing nurses the option of part-time employment, shift/rotational or PRN scheduling, as well as ample time off is a major nod that your system cares for its employees. And, it’s a win-win for you too! This strategy can help fill holes in your team’s schedule and give overworked nurses much needed time off.
Full-time nurses appreciate shift differentials and rotating holiday schedules. The quickest way to lose an employee is to force them to work every holiday without additional compensation or consideration. Providing higher pay during peak hours is common, and therefore in your best interest to offer. Rotating holiday schedules can also help your system remain fair, boost morale and ensure a positive employee experience, all while ensuring you still fill your shifts.
Who would want to work Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve because they all fell on their normal schedule that year? Likely, no one.
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Education and Certification Compensation
As a top healthcare system, your nurses are expected to keep up with the latest in healthcare advancement by completing continuing education. While it’s typically expected, it’s not always paid for. That’s where your system can make a major impact. It’s a benefit that’s often inexpensive from the institution side, but makes a major impact on the receiver. Offer to compensate nurses for their incurred costs or host continuing education courses at your facility to ease the stress, and financial burden, for your employees. This small gesture can go a long way to improving the employee experience.
Housing
When it comes to housing, there’s a lot of options out there - so many that it's often overwhelming.
Nurses and other healthcare professionals value benefits that save them time and most of all, help alleviate stress. Whether they choose to purchase a home or rent, information is the key to making an informed (and lasting) decision! Deploying a technology like UrbanBound can assist employees with access to vital information like neighborhood demographics, education information and even recommendations from their colleagues all in one place! This means more visibility for employees and less work for your team!
As you can see, there are many benefits you can offer your nurses to keep them happy, healthy, and loyal to your healthcare system. Regardless of your budget, it's possible to provide great benefits for your quality nursing staff.
