How to Effectively Hire and Keep Non-Clinical Staff

It’s no secret that it’s difficult to find and retain nurses, but it’s also a challenge to find qualified non-clinical staff as well. From community healthcare workers and administrative assistants to managers and transcriptionists, these positions are in high demand by medical groups, hospitals, and healthcare systems.

While clinical staff such as nurses and doctors are often thought of as the gold standard for the healthcare industry, non-clinical staff play important roles in ensuring holistic and comprehensive support for patients, points out Northeastern University. With demand on the rise for these types of positions, hiring non-clinical staff can pose a challenge. That’s why having a healthcare recruitment agency in Philadelphia PA on your side can prove useful.

Key Considerations and Challenges

Many healthcare organizations struggle with keeping their non-clinical staff due to a variety of factors such as:

• Supply versus demand for talent
• Lack of technical education in the field
• Unique challenges of hiring in rural areas
• Difficulty recruiting millennials

Nonetheless, it’s important to retain these valuable healthcare employees, as they make a big difference when it comes to patient satisfaction.

Success Strategies to Think About

Check out these ways in which your organization can retain non-clinical healthcare workers:

• Retain your current staff. If you can focus on keeping the excellent employees you already have, you’re ahead of the game. Provide ongoing training, give clear expectations, provide support, and ensure a positive work/life balance.
• Recognize generational differences. Know that a one-size-fits-all approach to management doesn’t work. Within any given practice, you may expect five to six different age cohorts; recognize that each group has its own unique needs and address them.
• Avoid neglecting your top workers. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” is a saying for a reason. Often, it’s the problem employee that gets all the attention from management. However, be sure to encourage and support your best employees too, as you don’t want to lose valuable workers because of one squeaky wheel.
• Encourage current employees to recruit new employees. Offer a recruiting bonus to current staff when they bring in new employees for you.
• Maintain a positive work environment. You may not be able to offer the highest salaries with top-notch benefits, but you may be able to offer a competitive package that puts a focus on flexible work hours, planned social events, weekly perks, more time off, and rewards systems.
• Treat people right. Get to know each of your non-clinical staff members on a first-name basis, and praise and support them whenever you can.
• Hold managers responsible. Hold your non-clinical managers accountable for their actions. Coach them on the goals you want to achieve. Replace problem managers, as they have a big impact on patient satisfaction.
• Conduct “stay interviews.” You’ve heard of exit interviews, but by then it’s too late. Instead, try conducting stay interviews instead. Ask employees who have been with you a long time what they like about the company, and what they would like to change about it. This feedback can help you shape your management goals going forward to ensure higher staff satisfaction.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

To effectively retain qualified non-clinical staff that will boost the foundation of your company, it’s important to rethink your whole approach to hiring. Here are some tips on bringing the bigger picture into focus.

Define Roles Clearly

• Create detailed job descriptions: Be specific about the duties, required skills, and qualifications for the position. Non-clinical roles can vary widely, from administrative support to IT and billing staff, so it’s important to outline expectations clearly.
• Identify key competencies: Beyond technical skills, look for qualities like attention to detail, communication skills, organizational ability, and adaptability—traits that can be particularly important in non-clinical roles.

Source Candidates From the Right Places

• Job boards and career sites: Post on specialized job boards or platforms that cater to healthcare or administrative roles (e.g., Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or industry-specific sites).
• Employee referrals: Encourage current staff to refer candidates, as employees familiar with the work environment and culture can recommend people who would be a good fit.
• Recruitment agencies: Talent acquisition agents can vet candidates and present the best ones to you so you don’t waste time and effort.

Create a Positive Work Environment

• Foster a supportive culture: Encourage open communication, teamwork, and a collaborative environment. Non-clinical staff should feel like valued members of the healthcare team, even if their roles are behind the scenes.
• Work-life balance: Ensure that staff have a good work-life balance, which can help reduce burnout and turnover. This can include offering flexible scheduling, reasonable workloads, and mental health support.
• Mentorship and leadership: Provide opportunities for growth through mentorship or training. Having strong leadership that supports their professional development will increase staff engagement and retention.

Onboard and Train Effectively

• Comprehensive onboarding: Set up a structured onboarding process to help new hires understand their responsibilities, the workplace culture, and the tools they’ll be using. This helps reduce early turnover and sets them up for success.
• Mentoring programs: Assign a mentor or a go-to person within the team to help new hires navigate their first few months, ensuring they feel supported and integrated into the team.
• Continuous education: Provide ongoing training in both technical skills (like software or process updates) and interpersonal skills (e.g., communication, conflict resolution). This can increase job satisfaction and engagement.

Invest in Career Development

• Ongoing training and professional development: Offer opportunities for staff to attend workshops, conferences, or online courses to keep up with industry trends and expand their skills.
• Promote from within: Provide growth opportunities by developing your non-clinical staff. Offering career progression (e.g., leadership roles, lateral moves, or specialized training) helps to retain employees long term.

Partner With Grace Care Consulting

Grace Care Consulting helps connect healthcare organizations with non-clinical staff of all kinds, from administrative assistants and patient advocates to managers and medical coders. Please contact us today or complete our online form to learn how we can help staff your business for the future.