Every industry comes to a point where it has to adapt and change its model.
For example, healthcare is amid unprecedented challenges; since the pandemic’s staffing problems and the Great Resignation, healthcare organizations are struggling to stabilize the workforce. On top of this, inflation, high medication costs, and other financial headwinds are hitting healthcare companies, making it even more difficult to secure a solid team.
But these issues aren’t unique to the healthcare space. We’ve seen this in the automotive, airline, and banking industries, and there’s no telling which will be next.
So what can you do about it? How do you mitigate staffing problems proactively?
The answer to labor challenges lies in your HR and marketing departments.
Typically, HR recruiting and marketing departments are separate from each other. HR is often focused on traditional forms of outreach, such as job boards, agencies, and career websites. On the other hand, marketing departments are utilizing tools to craft messaging and engage consumers.
“I think marketing has a great seat at the table where we can really help solve this [staffing] problem with our colleagues across the enterprise,” says Tom Hileman of Global Prairie.
When you combine HR’s precise targeting with the marketing team’s tools and tactics, you can attract potential candidates early on without having to scramble for a strong workforce. Instead of posting to job boards and hoping you come across the ideal candidate at the perfect time, using marketing strategies in tandem with recruitment techniques can help you develop a pool of top candidates who are on-brand and ready to join your team long-term.
Technology is often seen as a big expense, but shifting your perspective is crucial.
Technology shouldn’t just be a nice-to-have — it’s a necessity that can help you find suitable candidates for your firm.
“Treat technology as your friend,” Ashmer Aslam of Cured reminds us, “In many cases, you might have already invested in something like a marketing automation platform in your organization. This is an opportunity to find another avenue to use that [technology] to your advantage.”
Technology is a massive enabler for staffing and recruiting. When you combine technology, marketing strategy, and recruiting efforts, you can more efficiently discover candidates, reach out to them, and ease the hiring process.
One of the core drivers of connection is storytelling. When you tell a story through marketing efforts, you tug at the heartstrings of individuals (whether consumers or candidates), moving them to engage with your brand.
Stuart Dill of Vanderbilt University Medical Center breaks it down, “Marketing is nothing more than connecting. I believe the oldest and greatest tool in the tool belt to connect is through storytelling. Use current innovative marketing techniques, innovation, and tactics to tell those stories, but at the end of the day, you're just trying to connect through storytelling.”
Storytelling is more than just crafting a narrative, tossing it out on a few platforms, and hoping it resonates. You need authentic, organic storytelling on the appropriate channels.
Think about it this way: if you’re looking for an electrician to service your home, you’ll likely choose a company that a friend recommends rather than a company whose ad you saw online. The same goes for staffing. If potential candidates hear an authentic story from people within their network or industry, they’re much more likely to connect as opposed to viewing a corporate-driven ad.
Combining authentic storytelling with state-of-the-art marketing techniques creates a win-win for you and your potential employees. It allows you to shift the paradigm in your industry and prepare for future staffing and recruiting challenges.
