The role of a human resources director is complex and involves a multitude of concerns. Staffing of healthcare organizations presents a unique set of challenges due to the specific demands and regulatory guidelines. Healthcare provider shortages are a growing concern and the top challenge HR experiences in staffing is a talent shortage. It is estimated that more than 50% of nurses are over the age of 50 and will be reaching retirement age. A demand for more physicians and healthcare workers in multiple disciplines will be in higher demand with the increasing number of aging “baby boomers”. Numerous roles require specialized educational requirements and licensure, such as radiologists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, registered nurses, dentists, dental hygienists, surgeons, general and specialty physicians, respiratory therapists, and so many more.
High turnover rates are a result of overworked healthcare professionals due to the current shortage. It is a major challenge for HR to facilitate high turnover since much time and energy is placed on new hires once they have been recruited and trained. Onboarding and integration take a considerable number of resources on behalf of the HR department, but employee retention continues to be an obstacle in healthcare staffing. Due to the wide array of challenges HR faces in staffing healthcare workers, successful management of these challenges requires strategic planning and the ability to adapt to ever-changing environments. It is important to consider the employees’ well-being and professional growth.
The challenges seen in human resources are in:
- Recruitment and hiring: Effective recruitment strategies and speed of hiring.
- Onboarding and integration: Includes mentorship, smooth onboarding, and initial training.
- Employee engagement and satisfaction: Feedback mechanisms and employee engagement.
- Performance management: Objective assessments and professional development.
- Legal and ethical issues: Compliance with employment laws and ethical standards.
- Succession planning: Leadership development and career pathways.
This topic really has affected me in so many ways in the past year of my employment. I used to think human resource professionals had an ‘easy’ job, as embarrassing as it sounds. I was self-employed as a massage therapist who employed anywhere from 5-10 other therapists. In my role as a business owner, I really did not need to get involved with the other therapists’ day-to-day activities since we were all licensed and ultimately responsible for our own clients and our conduct. I feel my human resource duties were very limited and included scheduling, housekeeping, and the financial aspect of running a business. Today I can say I have a completely different perspective as an employee with grievances not heard. Last year our office manager of 25 years retired. She was responsible for the HR functions in our office. Without a proper HR person to go to, conflicts are very difficult to navigate effectively. This course has opened my eyes to the importance of human resource personnel and in my current role I plan to implement strategies to help myself and others to overcome disputes quickly and effectively. In my future profession as a healthcare administrator, I value the significant role human resources plays in a healthcare organization. I realize the need more for collaboration between the human resources department and management teams to make an organization run more smoothly. It is crucial to be continuously engaged with employees to mitigate disputes as they come. This is an area I am very excited to make a difference in. We spend a considerable amount of time in our careers, and I cannot wait to be someone who can make a difference in the culture of how healthcare workers are treated and how patient care is delivered as a result.