In an evolving workplace environment where new tech talent has different priorities and expectations, the battle for attracting new healthcare technology management professionals is on.
Attracting Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Talent: Not All Strategies are Created Equal
We’ve all read the headlines about how the pandemic has forever altered the way we think about work and the workplace. It’s not just the new paradigm of the hybrid work model — people have changed their expectations for how work should fit into their broader personal lives (instead of the other way around) and what they expect to get from their jobs.
These changes are impacting many industries, including healthcare. In particular, the field of healthcare technology management (HTM) is facing an urgent need to attract and retain a new generation of talent. Technology proliferation means the overall number of HTM positions will grow by 17% annually through 2031 — faster than the average for all occupations. But the supply of HTM talent is challenged by an aging workforce and increasing stress and burnout.
Hospitals and healthcare organizations know they need to attract and retain HTM talent by adjusting their healthcare staffing strategies to meet the changing expectations and priorities.
Tech Talent Wants More Than Fun Work Perks — They Want Meaningful Work
As the competition to recruit young talent ramps up, hospitals are concerned they cannot deliver the same work experiences that young tech talent expects. For instance, healthcare technology management staff generally cannot work from home or take unlimited vacation—hospitals operate 24/7 and require reliable schedules. The traditionally conservative healthcare sector is also on the opposite end of the spectrum from the “start-up” environment.
But here’s the thing: Forward-thinking companies know the secret to attracting and retaining talent isn’t only about making work fun — it’s about making work meaningful and valuable. Therein lies the opportunity for hospitals. What could be more meaningful and valuable than knowing your work directly impacts, improves and often saves lives?
Demonstrating the Value and Impact of the Healthcare Technology Management Role
The solution to hospitals’ technology management challenge is to elevate purpose. Minimize the less substantial work that currently consumes nearly half of HTM teams’ time—searching for equipment, managing large backlogs of needed maintenance and juggling the tedious amounts of administrative paperwork — and showcase how the important work they do can help save lives.
Hospitals of all sizes are investing in new ways to free their clinical engineering teams to focus on the most engaging, rewarding and high-value work while opening the path to enriching career development. We have captured four key strategies that hospitals are implementing to build a culture that stands out and creates opportunities that attract the best in the field of healthcare technology management.
Visit our Resource Center to discover more. Or learn more about our Supplemental Biomedical Services.
Originally published March 21, 2018, updated 10-14-2022
