Healthcare Branding Strategies That Attract Top Talent

Healthcare recruitment is more challenging than ever. Healthcare organizations are struggling to find qualified candidates in a market that is candidate-driven. In addition, healthcare organizations have gotten a bad rap from former employees who were disgruntled or tired post-pandemic. To improve employer branding in recruitment, organizations need to build better healthcare branding strategies. A strong and desirable brand will make potential employees want to work for your organization instead of your competitors.

What Do We Mean By "Branding"?

When we talk about a healthcare organization's brand, we are referring to how it is perceived by potential candidates. Healthcare organizations must create an employer brand that makes potential employees want to work there. This includes the values and mission of the organization, as well as tangible offerings such as salary and benefits.

Organizations should also make sure that their workplace culture is attractive to potential employees. This is where healthcare branding can get a bit tricky. Many healthcare organizations have historically focused on the patients as the audience of their branding efforts, often neglecting the importance of employer branding in recruitment.

However, employer branding is just as important in healthcare recruitment. Healthcare organizations should focus on creating a brand that resonates with potential employees, drawing them to the organization and convincing them to stay.

Why Is Employer Branding So Important in Recruitment?

Healthcare branding is a key factor in attracting top talent. Healthcare employers must compete in an ever-changing and highly competitive recruiting landscape. Strong healthcare branding cannot stop at what the organization does for the patients. It must also appeal to potential candidates to make them more likely to join the organization.

The aspects of care, experience, and culture are essential to employer branding in recruitment. Healthcare employers must understand that candidates want to work for a company that is respected, has a good reputation, and consistently offers quality service. Healthcare branding helps organizations showcase their values, highlight their mission, demonstrate the quality of care they provide, and build trust with potential candidates.

Simultaneously, potential candidates want to know that their future employer will have their back. Healthcare employers need to show that they provide a safe and supportive environment, have training programs in place, offer reasonable job security, and clearly outline the pathways for career advancement.

By creating a strong employer brand story that resonates with potential candidates, healthcare employers can attract top talent, build trust with applicants and employees, and promote their mission to potential patients. Healthcare employers should take the time to craft a branding strategy that accurately represents who they are as an organization and what makes them unique in order to create a lasting impression on potential candidates.

How to Build a Desirable Healthcare Brand

Understanding that better healthcare branding is needed is only the first step to creating a desired healthcare brand.  Healthcare organizations need to build a strong, captivating brand if they want to start attracting the best talent.

When it comes to healthcare employer branding, there are four key elements that are most likely to attract top healthcare talent:

1. Diversity
2. Differentiation
3. Dedication to the local community
4. Positive work culture

Demonstrate Diversity

Top talent is increasingly looking for healthcare employers who are committed to diversity and inclusion. Healthcare branding can also reflect an organization’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and compassion. Healthcare employers should be aware of the current issues in the industry and how they can craft a branding strategy that reflects their desire to create a more diverse workplace.

Differentiate From Disliked Brands

In addition, healthcare employers should use their employer branding to differentiate themselves from competitors, especially ones that have left a sour taste in candidates’ mouths. Healthcare employers must create a clear and attractive employer brand story that speaks to the candidate’s needs, beliefs, and interests to set them apart from other job opportunities.

Show Your Focus Is Local

Many healthcare workers get into the field to help others in their community. Make sure they know you care about the local culture, people, and unique needs, as well. The strongest way to accomplish this is by tapping into the local culture and what is important for the local job market. For a healthcare organization in an urban environment, employer branding should focus on how the organization is a positive force in the local community. Healthcare organizations in rural environments must show they understand the unique challenges faced in a rural environment and tailor their employer brand accordingly. This includes emphasizing their commitment to providing quality care and service to patients in those areas.

Create a Positive Experience

Finally, healthcare employers should use employer branding to portray a positive experience for current employees. Social media is a great way to showcase your culture and connect with current employees. Healthcare employers should also use their employer branding to demonstrate how they are offering an engaging, positive work environment that is stimulating and rewarding for healthcare professionals. Consider using personal stories or testimonials from employees to create a more authentic employer brand.

By following these tips, healthcare employers can craft a strong and desirable brand that will help attract the best talent for their organization. Employers must focus on leveraging their healthcare branding strategies to stay competitive in today’s candidate-driven market and improve employer branding in recruitment.

10 Tips For Creating a Successful Healthcare Branding Strategy

Once you have an idea of what aspects healthcare candidates are looking for, you can start to create a healthcare branding strategy that will attract and retain the right talent. Here are our top 10 tips for crafting an effective healthcare branding strategy:

1. Research your target audience

Avoid sending a message to an unfamiliar audience. Healthcare organizations need to research their target audience and understand what they are looking for. This can include researching potential candidates’ job preferences, lifestyle goals, education level, area of expertise, and more.

2. Be authentic and honest

Healthcare organizations need to be honest and upfront when communicating their brand. This means not sugarcoating the organization’s mission, vision, or values but instead being sincere in how they are presented. Healthcare professionals place a high value on trustworthiness and will quickly see through false advertising.

3. Stay up to date with industry trends

Healthcare organizations need to stay updated with emerging trends in healthcare technology to stay ahead of the competition. But when it comes to healthcare recruiting, they also need to stay aware of changing trends in healthcare job markets and the preferences of healthcare professionals. This may include understanding the types of benefits and perks job seekers are looking for in today’s competitive healthcare market.

4. Know your competition

It’s important for healthcare organizations to know who else is out there in the healthcare job market. Healthcare organizations can use this knowledge to position themselves as the more desirable employer compared to their competitors. Find out who candidates are choosing over you and adjust your strategy accordingly.

5. Have a strong mission and values statement

A mission and values statement is a great way to communicate the organization’s core beliefs and goals. Healthcare organizations should strive to create a strong mission and values statement that will resonate with potential healthcare professionals. This goes back to understanding who your target audience is and what aspects they value.

6. Make sure your branding is consistent across all channels

Healthcare organizations need to ensure that their branding is consistent across all channels. This includes websites, emails, social media, job postings, and more. Healthcare professionals are looking for a reliable employer, and this means having the same message communicated on every platform you use. It's easy to lose their trust if messages fluctuate from one platform to the next.

7. Use creative visuals and graphics

In the healthcare industry, visuals can be a great tool for communicating your brand. Healthcare organizations should incorporate creative and informative visuals such as infographics, videos, and other digital assets in their branding strategy to stand out from the competition. Be sure to include real people who are working in the organization to add a human touch.

8. Keep messaging simple

Healthcare professionals are looking for a workplace that values their time and energy. Healthcare organizations must ensure that their messaging is clear, concise, and easy to understand. This will give potential healthcare professionals the information they need without frustrating them with long descriptions or complicated terminology.

9. Invest in marketing

Healthcare organizations should invest in marketing and advertising efforts to reach potential healthcare professionals. Healthcare organizations need to make their branding visible by utilizing digital campaigns, radio, television, and print ads. More often than not, healthcare organizations are not getting qualified applicants because they are not targeting the right audience. Investing in marketing and advertising will allow your organization to reach a broader range of qualified healthcare candidates.

10. Measure results and optimize healthcare branding strategies

As with any strategy, healthcare organizations need to measure the results of their branding and recruitment efforts to optimize their efforts. Healthcare organizations should track metrics such as website traffic, job applications, interviews, and hires in order to gauge the effectiveness of their employer brand. This will allow them to make changes as needed to attract top healthcare professionals.

Final Thoughts on Healthcare Branding for Recruitment

Having a strong and desirable brand is essential when it comes to hiring in the healthcare industry. Healthcare organizations need to invest time and effort into building an effective employer branding strategy that will attract candidates and help them stand out from the competition.

If you are looking for more ways to attract top healthcare talent, look at the iHire Resource Center for Healthcare Recruiting! Our team of experts has compiled tips and resources to help healthcare organizations build strong employer brands and increase their talent pool.