It’s no secret that word-of-mouth employee referrals are crucial for healthcare staffing agencies. The old saying, “birds of a feather flock together,” often rings true. And, great healthcare professionals tend to form tight networks. Many agencies offer great sign-on benefits and bonuses. For example, the well known travel nurse agency White Glove Placement offers great referral bonuses and travel nurses are rewarded with a free duffle bag during the onboarding process. Enticing rewards are a great way to attract new healthcare providers and there are also other long-term benefits that can help your agency retain talent.
One of the best ways for recruiting firms to capitalize on nurse referrals is to offer highly competitive benefits. Here are four reasons why:
Perception –
It seems that everyone talks about “optics” these days. It’s often in a political or celebrity context, but optics matter for healthcare staffing agencies too. Companies that offer terrific benefits packages are blessed with favorable perceptions in the community. This image transcends just benefits and improves the overall reputation, which ultimately leads to more candidate referrals.
Family –
Many healthcare professionals and nurses have families and children. In today’s world of uncertainty, good employee benefits provide peace of mind that is otherwise unattainable for busy parents. Nurse candidates want to work for companies that make their lives easier and more secure.
Work-Life Balance –
Attitudes have changed. Although Americans remain some of the hardest-working people in the world, we’re starting to place more value on free time and travel. Healthcare staffing agencies must recognize that many employees value work-life balance just as highly as financial compensation.
Loyalty –
One of the best ways to ensure employee loyalty is to offer a competitive benefits package. Not only does it reduce turnover, it also promotes good will that ultimately translates into employee referrals.
So, what constitutes “good benefits” in the healthcare and nursing market? Different workers have different expectations. But, great health/dental insurance with a strong employer subsidy is a “must.” In fact, many workers are looking for zero-to-minimal premium payments and flexible PPO plans.
A 401(k) is also industry standard in healthcare, and many companies offer a generous matching contribution. Finally, liberal PTO policy is a top priority. Companies that require new hires to accrue hours of PTO over long periods of employment run the risk of turning off employees. Consider a policy that provides 15+ annual PTO or “flex” days that’s effective on the first day of employment.
In the end, companies must balance the costs of generous benefits with the need for strong nurse recruitment. There are limits on what can be offered, but, staffing agencies that are too tight on the benefits budget will never be competitive in their recruiting efforts.
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