Speaker 1: Welcome to the Graduate Research Forum Spring 2024. My name is Christina Knight and I am a graduate student in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies at Texas State University. The title of my research study is Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Workers in the Health Care Sector. Delve into the untold stories of health care management as I unravel the complexities of recruiting, hiring, and retaining health care workers in our ever-evolving world. From the front lines of hospitals to the strategic discussions within the organization, my research at Texas State University provides a window into the resilience of our health care workforce post-pandemic. Stay tuned to explore practical strategies and managerial insights that could reshape the future of health care employment. In today's presentation, I will address a pressing issue that has emerged even stronger in the post- pandemic world, the challenges health care organizations face in recruiting and retaining a resilient workforce. This problem is significant because our health care system depends on strengths and stabilities of its workers and yet they are confronted with burnout, competitive job markets, and budget constraints that hinder both recruitment and retention. These findings underscore the critical need for health care organizations to adapt and implement effective workforce management strategies to ensure the delivery of quality patient care. The purpose of this study was to examine manager perspectives of hiring and retaining employees in the health care field. The research questions that guided this study included, what challenges do hiring managers face in recruiting and hiring employees? What strategies do hiring managers use to recruit and hire employees? What challenges do hiring managers face in retaining employees? What strategies do hiring managers use to retain employees? This study used qualitative methods. This study included a total of five participants representing diverse backgrounds within the health care management field. This diverse group of participants offered valuable insights into the intricacies of health care workforce management enriching the study with a wide range of perspectives and experiences. For this study, data collection involved conducting interviews with health care managers using a semi-structured protocol and taking felt notes to capture additional insights. The interviews allowed for in-depth exploration of manager perspectives on hiring and retaining employees in the health care field. Following data collection, the medical coding was employed during data analysis to identify major findings and themes that emerged from the interviews. This approach facilitated the organization and interpretation of the data, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and strategies in health care workforce management. Major findings. For this study, three major findings emerged from the data shedding light on the challenges and strategies in health care workforce management. The first is difficulty in attracting qualified candidates. The second are strategies employed by hiring managers that reflect a multifaceted approach. And thirdly, retaining employees that has become increasingly challenging with factors such as burnout and lack of career growth opportunities. For this study, the first major finding revolved around the challenges faced by hiring managers in recruiting and hiring health care employees. Key obstacles include burnout amongst nurses seeking alternative work environments, competition for talent during public health crises, and budget limitations affecting salary offers. As Nick highlighted, one of the biggest significant challenges I've encountered is the competition for talent, especially during public health emergencies. Emily and Kathy also emphasized the importance of understanding the motivations in nurses that need for creative recruitment strategies within budget constraints. The second major finding focuses on the strategies used by hiring managers to overcome recruitment challenges. Innovative approaches such as virtual reality lab tours and partnership with educational institutes were highlighted. Nick shared, we've implemented several innovative approaches. One notable strategy we use is virtual reality lab tours during our recruitment processes. Additionally, hiring managers like Emily emphasize the importance of attending job fairs and creating informative materials to attract potential candidates. The third major finding delves into the challenges of retaining health care employees and the strategies employed to address them. Key challenges include onboarding issues and budget limitations, while strategies such as comprehensive orientation programs and mentor opportunities were highlighted. Kathy emphasized the importance of incentives and recognition in boosting morale and retention among staff. Yvonne also highlighted the significance of professional development, positive work pace culture, and servant leadership in retaining employees, stating, if I'm a servant leader, I understand it, then maybe I'll be able to identify individuals who will be able to contribute to the team and not take away from the team or the efforts that's being needed to go forward. These major findings underscore the complexities of health care workforce management and highlight the innovative strategies and adaptive approaches employed by hiring managers to address recruitment and retention challenges. Implications and future research. This study offers significant implications for theory, practice, and policy in health care workforce management, while also identifying areas for future research. For theory, this study adds to the literature by examining management perspectives on hiring and retaining employees in the health care field. It contributes to our understanding of the challenges and strategies in health care workforce management, particularly in post-pandemic era. For practice, we have the hiring managers who balance technical skills with cultural fit, as well as health care professionals whose role is to navigate personal development in the work environment along with satisfaction and retention. For policy, implications include the necessity of creating supportive policies that address recruitment and retention challenges in health care, especially in times of crisis such as a pandemic. More flexible and supportive policies are needed to adapt to the dynamic needs of the health care workforce. However, the study has the limitations. The participant pool was predominantly female, potentially influencing the findings. Additionally, there was a lack of racial and socio-economical diversity among participants, which could affect the study's ability to a more diverse health care setting. The narrow age range of participants and their representation of primarily large health care organizations also limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research qualitative methods could explore the perspectives of health care hiring managers in a wider array of settings to reveal variations in recruitment and retention strategies influenced by geographic, economical, and cultural factors. Quantitative studies involved large and more diverse samples could statistically validate the effectiveness of identified strategies. Additionally, future practical research could apply the findings of the study in real-world health care environments to assess practical implications, potentially through pilot programs evaluated for their impact on staff turnover and job satisfaction. In conclusion, this study sheds lights on the critical challenges and strategies in health care workforce management, particularly in recruiting and retaining employees in a post-pandemic era. The insights gathered from health care managers offer valuable guidance for improving hire practices, managing resources effectively, and fostering a supportive work environment. As we navigate the complexities of health care workforce management, it is crucial to recognize the importance of addressing burnout among health care professionals and adapting recruitment strategies. Your engagement is essential in furthering our understanding of this topic. I invite you to like this study, share your comments, and ask questions to continue the conversation and contribute to ongoing research efforts in health care workforce management. Thank you for your attention and participation.