Like a strong cup of coffee halfway through a night shift, a good nurse will always be in high demand. Nurses have never been needed more in the UK than they are now and the competition for those prime nursing candidates is heating up, so it’s essential that your nurse recruitment strategy stands out from the crowd.
Winning the race for the best and brightest means taking a good hard look at your approach to hiring and how your organisation is presenting itself to the world. To make sure you are putting your best foot forward when it comes to healthcare recruitment, here’s our advice on how to recruit more nurses.
Sell the Workplace
If your hospital or care home was a brand, what would it be? Are you a cutting-edge innovator like Apple? Or a safe, steady set of hands like Volvo? And why does this matter when recruiting nurses into your organisation?
Companies selling goods and services across the globe know the importance of branding when attracting customers. If you want someone to buy something from you (or work with you), you need to give them the old WIIFM (what’s in it for me).
Think about which features make your organisation different and sets it apart from the competition. It might be a progressive approach to learning and development, above-average salary ranges, a commitment to diversity or top-of-the-range equipment. Or if you’re recruiting international nurses, perhaps it’s an outstanding relocation package!
Spend some time working out why a nurse should choose you as their number one place to work. And make sure everyone else – from your senior management team and staff to your nursing recruitment agency – knows it too!
Provide the Right Benefits
For many nurses, choosing their next role isn’t all about money, money, money. Sure, it’s nice to get a boost to the bank balance but flexibility, location and work/life balance can sometimes be just as valuable.
So, it’s important that you take the time to understand what nurses are looking for when putting together any job offer. You can do this informally by asking some of your team, or perhaps a more formal survey asking existing nursing staff what really matters to them, or even just have a quick chat with a specialist nursing recruiter who knows what is going on in the market.
Working with a specialist nursing recruitment agency also means they can let you know what your competition is up to and advise on what you need to be doing in order to measure up. You might not be able to match on all points, but you want to at least be playing in the same league.
Lastly, be sure to communicate what makes you special clearly throughout the recruitment process. We’re talking from the briefing stage with your recruitment partner, through interview and into the offer stage. You want any new nurse hires to be excited to join your team!
Provide Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
No one wants to feel their new job is heading isn’t going to lead anywhere. Many nurses are ambitious and want to see where their careers can take them. They’ve probably entered this career wanting to make a difference in the lives of people in their care, but also want to feel a sense of personal achievement and job satisfaction.
Give your nurses opportunities to learn new skills that will help them progress through their careers. Maybe they’ll decide to specialise in a particular field or gain experience and training in areas such as leadership and people management.
And don’t forget to think about the best way for nurses to access this training. Online and distance learning might work better for nurses with families or who are time-poor, while others may prefer to learn in a practical setting where they can network and meet new people. Take the time to talk to your team when creating your learning and development program so it fits their needs.
Raise Up Ambassadors From Within Your Team
One of the best promotional tools you have for finding nurses is your own staff. Picture a member of your team at a weekend barbeque being asked what they do for a living. How do you think they describe their role and your organisation?
Nurses who praise their companies and their teams are ready-made ambassadors who can spread positive word of mouth on your behalf. Not only does it come across as far more authentic than any other kind of marketing activity, but it also speaks directly to your potential recruit.
While you can set up a formal employer referral program, it’s often these more informal chats that can uncover hidden gems. There’s no trick with this – it’s all about employee engagement and satisfaction.
Consider Looking Internationally
Despite having a summer that’s often measured in weeks rather than months, the UK has always been a popular destination for international workers. So why not talk to your nursing agency about putting together a recruitment campaign to attract talent from around the world?
Here at WESolutions, we not only hire the best nurses in the UK but from abroad, too. We can take care of the whole process, including advertising roles in international countries, then shortlisting candidates to ensure they have the appropriate experience and paperwork in place. We can also help you to navigate sponsor licencing and ensuring candidates are registered with the NMC.
Summary
Recruiting qualified nurses can be challenging in this market, but by emphasising what makes your company great, providing the right perks and knowing where to look, you can stack your odds of winning the talent battle in your favour.
As a specialised nursing agency, WESolutions can be the bridge between your organisation and the elusive pool of dedicated, hard-working nurses looking for their next role. By partnering with us, you’ll be able to enhance your employment brand and identify effective nurse recruitment strategies to secure and retain the very best talent in the market. Drop us a line today to get started.
How to Recruit More Nurses
Like a strong cup of coffee halfway through a night shift, a good nurse will always be in high demand. Nurses have never been needed more in the UK than they are now and the competition for those prime nursing candidates is heating up, so it’s essential that your nurse recruitment strategy stands out from the crowd.
Winning the race for the best and brightest means taking a good hard look at your approach to hiring and how your organisation is presenting itself to the world. To make sure you are putting your best foot forward when it comes to healthcare recruitment, here’s our advice on how to recruit more nurses.
Sell the Workplace
If your hospital or care home was a brand, what would it be? Are you a cutting-edge innovator like Apple? Or a safe, steady set of hands like Volvo? And why does this matter when recruiting nurses into your organisation?
Companies selling goods and services across the globe know the importance of branding when attracting customers. If you want someone to buy something from you (or work with you), you need to give them the old WIIFM (what’s in it for me).
Think about which features make your organisation different and sets it apart from the competition. It might be a progressive approach to learning and development, above-average salary ranges, a commitment to diversity or top-of-the-range equipment. Or if you’re recruiting international nurses, perhaps it’s an outstanding relocation package!
Spend some time working out why a nurse should choose you as their number one place to work. And make sure everyone else – from your senior management team and staff to your nursing recruitment agency – knows it too!
Provide the Right Benefits
For many nurses, choosing their next role isn’t all about money, money, money. Sure, it’s nice to get a boost to the bank balance but flexibility, location and work/life balance can sometimes be just as valuable.
So, it’s important that you take the time to understand what nurses are looking for when putting together any job offer. You can do this informally by asking some of your team, or perhaps a more formal survey asking existing nursing staff what really matters to them, or even just have a quick chat with a specialist nursing recruiter who knows what is going on in the market.
Working with a specialist nursing recruitment agency also means they can let you know what your competition is up to and advise on what you need to be doing in order to measure up. You might not be able to match on all points, but you want to at least be playing in the same league.
Lastly, be sure to communicate what makes you special clearly throughout the recruitment process. We’re talking from the briefing stage with your recruitment partner, through interview and into the offer stage. You want any new nurse hires to be excited to join your team!
Provide Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
No one wants to feel their new job is heading isn’t going to lead anywhere. Many nurses are ambitious and want to see where their careers can take them. They’ve probably entered this career wanting to make a difference in the lives of people in their care, but also want to feel a sense of personal achievement and job satisfaction.
Give your nurses opportunities to learn new skills that will help them progress through their careers. Maybe they’ll decide to specialise in a particular field or gain experience and training in areas such as leadership and people management.
And don’t forget to think about the best way for nurses to access this training. Online and distance learning might work better for nurses with families or who are time-poor, while others may prefer to learn in a practical setting where they can network and meet new people. Take the time to talk to your team when creating your learning and development program so it fits their needs.
Raise Up Ambassadors From Within Your Team
One of the best promotional tools you have for finding nurses is your own staff. Picture a member of your team at a weekend barbeque being asked what they do for a living. How do you think they describe their role and your organisation?
Nurses who praise their companies and their teams are ready-made ambassadors who can spread positive word of mouth on your behalf. Not only does it come across as far more authentic than any other kind of marketing activity, but it also speaks directly to your potential recruit.
While you can set up a formal employer referral program, it’s often these more informal chats that can uncover hidden gems. There’s no trick with this – it’s all about employee engagement and satisfaction.
Consider Looking Internationally
Despite having a summer that’s often measured in weeks rather than months, the UK has always been a popular destination for international workers. So why not talk to your nursing agency about putting together a recruitment campaign to attract talent from around the world?
Here at WESolutions, we not only hire the best nurses in the UK but from abroad, too. We can take care of the whole process, including advertising roles in international countries, then shortlisting candidates to ensure they have the appropriate experience and paperwork in place. We can also help you to navigate sponsor licencing and ensuring candidates are registered with the NMC.
Summary
Recruiting qualified nurses can be challenging in this market, but by emphasising what makes your company great, providing the right perks and knowing where to look, you can stack your odds of winning the talent battle in your favour.
As a specialised nursing agency, WESolutions can be the bridge between your organisation and the elusive pool of dedicated, hard-working nurses looking for their next role. By partnering with us, you’ll be able to enhance your employment brand and identify effective nurse recruitment strategies to secure and retain the very best talent in the market. Drop us a line today to get started.