Leading trends in physician recruitment, part 1 - Employer branding.

This text, developed by Marcin Giełzak (ShareHire) and Agnieszka Mikołajczyk (HealthThink), is the first in a three-part series on recruitment in the medical industry. Further articles will follow soon.

Challenges in acquiring specialized staff

We are observing a steady increase in the difficulty of acquiring specialized staff in the medical industry. We have decided to examine some of the most interesting recruitment ideas for doctors that could help reverse this trend.

Employer branding in the medical industry

It is no revelation to say that in today's candidate-driven market, companies should strengthen their employer branding and recruitment marketing efforts. However, the medical industry still has a long way to go in this regard. Few hospital networks take the time to formulate a unique value proposition and position themselves as an employer of choice. It is also rare to see examples of promotional campaigns on social media or in traditional channels. Yet, employer branding, much like medicine itself, has three functions: conservative, preventive, and curative. Directed internally, it should maintain retention and staff satisfaction; directed at candidates, it should anticipate their questions and doubts, encourage them to learn more about our brand, or even help change a negative perception of it.

The younger generation of doctors

Young doctors, in particular, are a group highly receptive to employer branding communication. Their lifestyle, the way they acquire and process information, and their familiarity with new media are factors that significantly distinguish them from their older colleagues. By targeting this group with our branding efforts, we have the chance to build awareness while they are still in medical school, encouraging them to start their medical careers at our hospital.

How to reach young doctors?

How do we reach them? We should not abandon traditional, proven methods—it is worth actively participating in medical job fairs, such as the MedPharmJobs Careers Fairs in Warsaw (an international event held in major European capitals) or medical job fairs organized at medical universities (which can attract around 2,000 participants per edition). You can also organize competitions (similar to the "Medical Cases" organized by IFMSA or the Polish Archives of Internal Medicine’s best original paper award) and open days (modeled after the partnership between Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) and the School of Nursing, which allows future nurses to see the results of research conducted directly at the medical center).

Social media in recruitment

There is nothing stopping you from incorporating social media into your communication—for example, showing off the interiors of your hospitals and the equipment you are proud of on Instagram, or conducting short interviews with your "star doctors" and posting them on YouTube so the younger generation can see who they might work with and learn from. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube can also be used to showcase any additional activities offered to employees, from training sessions to sports activities. You could also organize a knowledge competition via Facebook or a dedicated app, with a postgraduate internship at your facility as the prize.

Employer branding strategy

The key to building an image as a good employer is preparing a strategy based on the needs of students who are about to leave the university gates for the last time. "Good diagnosis, good treatment." Research conducted by manBase in cooperation with the interia.pl portal and the Sedlak & Sedlak agency showed that over half of them prioritize salary above all else. A higher salary is often the main argument when trying to convince a doctor to work in a smaller town. There is also an awareness among medical professionals that the pay gap in their industry, even for identical qualifications, is very large. This makes them open to offers from competing hospitals, which is something you can and should take advantage of.

Factors important to younger doctors

In second place are aspects related to organizational culture, such as opportunities for development, bonus systems, clear career paths, autonomy in decision-making, and respect for private life (work-life balance). The younger generation of medical professionals, especially those born after 1981 (Generation Y), are characterized by a greater need for independence, a distrust of rigid hierarchies, and a sense that their work must have a deeper meaning. Experienced doctors may also look for opportunities to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city and the overwhelming workload of a massive hospital, making them willing to work in a smaller, quieter clinic.

Creativity and innovation at work

Next on the list are prestige (authority and the reputation of the facility) and innovation in the workplace. These can be highlighted by showcasing the modern equipment your hospitals possess, the research and development activities they carry out, or the research programs they are involved in. It is also good to boast about the publications and successes of your most recognizable doctors. Building an image also involves cooperation with industry media. An employer branding partnership can be established not just with a single publication, but with an entire publishing house, which often intensifies the benefits, especially if the publisher is actively involved in the medical community. Thematic articles about the facility's innovation, new ideas for employee amenities, and surprising HR solutions will help build your image and promote you as a recommended employer. It is important to stick to your adopted strategy. If we talk about innovation, we write about IT solutions, modern equipment, and the digitization of equipment maintenance. If we claim to hire only highly experienced doctors, we include quotes from a chosen ambassador, highlighting their scientific achievements. If we talk about a good atmosphere, we write about family picnics for employees, internal communication initiatives, and the activities of our employed doctors.

Hospital website audit

It is important to precede any employer branding activities with a thorough "audit." Does your hospital have a "Careers" page, and if so, do its content and aesthetics meet the standards you would expect from, say, a bank or an IT company? Does the content help distinguish your offer from the competition and position you as an employer of choice? Does your website look good on mobile devices? Is it properly optimized for Google search results?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no," it might be a good reason to rethink the role of employer branding in supporting your organization's recruitment processes.

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