by Lindsay Antaya, Assistant Account Executive

As healthcare organizations continue to face a national staffing shortage exacerbated by COVID-19, recruitment and retention have never been more important. Healthcare workers are in high demand, so organizations must work to differentiate themselves and highlight what makes them great employers in order to attract (and keep) top talent.

Unlike most remote workers who are on their computers or sitting at their desks for hours a day, healthcare workers are often on their feet and moving around. This generally means they don’t have as much downtime for browsing on their desktops. Because of this, social media has become an increasingly important tool that – when properly used – can help reach an illusive, but critically important, audience.

Here are some creative ways that your organization can appeal to potential new employees on social media.

Sharing Testimonials

People want to work in an environment where they are appreciated and valued. Healthcare workers have fought on the frontlines throughout the pandemic and deserve to be praised and celebrated. By sharing patient testimonials that call out specific clinicians, viewers see that your organization and the patients you serve actually appreciate your employees tremendously.

Also, consider sharing testimonials from current employees. When looking for a new job, it helps to know that current employees are happy in their positions. Seeing how happy employees at your health system are might even prompt a healthcare worker at another organization to seek out a new opportunity that they weren’t even originally looking for.

Promoting Company Culture

Many healthcare workers are struggling with burnout and fatigue as we continue to see COVID-19 cases ebb and flow. Because of this, promoting a positive and supportive company culture is critical for recruitment. Every organization has a different identity and culture. Determining what yours is creating that environment with your employees is crucial to retention and for differentiation among competitors.

Is your organization’s CEO hands-on and committed to listening to employee voices? Highlight that on social media! Many healthcare workers appreciate when their company’s leadership team values the voices of those who are directly interacting with patients every day. Consider sharing a message from an executive on social media to attract potential employees who want to feel heard and supported at a new job.

Highlighting Specific Job Posts

Healthcare workers are busy, so meeting them where they are is key. Highlighting open positions on social media is a great way to get in front of people when they are already on their phones. When deciding which roles to highlight, think about filling urgent needs as well as unique opportunities. Also, consider highlighting aspects of the job that may appeal to healthcare workers and motivate them to apply, such as sign-on bonuses, competitive benefits, and flexible work schedules.

Social media platforms are an opportunity to share your message with a wider network. While you may not always meet your perfect target audience, you may be reaching individuals in their network who will share with those the content fits best with. Running ads behind those posts can be another great way to meet your target audience where they are.

Showing a “Day in the Life”

Every hospital, health system, and provider organization operate differently, so giving a behind the scenes look into the daily life of your current employees is a great way to boost recruitment. People like to know what the job is like before they apply and accept a position, so profiling employees for a “Day in the Life” shows what different roles typically do. You can post these profiles on your social media feed, or have an employee “take over” your organization’s accounts and post via stories.

The most important thing to remember when using social media to support recruitment efforts is to be genuine to who you are as an organization. All healthcare organizations are searching for new employees, so running an authentic, thoughtful social media campaign will set you apart.