Tackling the healthcare staff shortage: practical recruitment and retention tips

Why the shortage is so persistent

An ageing population, staff leaving, and rising demand

Demand for care is rising as more people live longer and need intensive care. At the same time, many experienced carers are leaving the profession, whether through retirement or excessive workload. For newer entrants, irregular shifts and mental strain are often reasons to leave again quickly. As a result, more and more healthcare roles are proving hard to fill, particularly qualified care assistants and district nurses.

Impact on teams, patients and rotas

Providers become dependent on temporary staff. Rotas become hard to fill, which reduces continuity within care teams. Patients see more changing faces, which lowers satisfaction and trust. Costs also rise through the use of flexible staff. Without improvements to recruitment and retention, this vicious circle is hard to break.

The combination of recruitment and retention

Recognise the core roles and what each profile needs

Within the healthcare staff shortage, vacancies mainly fall under qualified care assistants, care assistants, district nurses, therapists and support roles. Each group wants something different: care assistants mainly want clarity on the number of hours. District nurses value independence and good IT support. Therapists often look for flexibility within their contract. Understanding what each profile is looking for lets you respond to it better throughout the process.

Avoid wasted effort with clear minimum requirements (qualifications, background checks, registration)

A candidate without the right qualifications can end up stuck in your process for far too long. So be clear early on about which documents are needed, such as a valid qualification, professional registration, a background check and a sufficient level of language proficiency. Also share basic information about location, shift patterns and the minimum number of hours on offer. This helps you avoid candidates dropping out or poor matches.

What candidates expect from the process

Speed, clarity and respect

Applicants often drop out when replies take too long or information is incomplete. From the very first contact, give a clear picture of the work, the shift pattern and what the application process looks like. Keep the number of steps low, and make sure an interested candidate can start an introduction quickly. Fast feedback builds trust.

Signs of professional recruitment behaviour

Communicating professionally and with genuine engagement stands out. Schedule fixed contact moments. Use tools that create overview, but keep it human. Make sure candidates know exactly what's happening and when. Whatever you promise, you need to deliver, such as calling back or giving updates by a certain date. This kind of behaviour makes candidates far more likely to stay engaged.

LinkedIn as a channel: when does it work?

Healthcare profiles are findable passively too

Many healthcare professionals are active on LinkedIn, without explicitly looking for work there. Yet through their experience, employment history and profile content, they're still easy to find, even without an open-to-work status. Think of people returning to the profession, former healthcare staff, or people with specific care experience. You reach this group with filters and relevant search terms within LinkedIn.

Outreach with context wins when talent is scarce

Mass messages rarely deliver results. Reaching out personally and specifically gives you a far better chance of a reply. A short reference to the profile and your reason for contact does more than a standard InMail. Personal InMails with one clear proposal lead to better response rates and keep the conversation focused. When talent is scarce, this is exactly the difference between noise and a reply.

How to write messages that land

A connection request with a reason

A connection request should immediately make clear who you are and why you're reaching out. Keep it short. Say something like: "Hi, I work with care teams in your area. Your experience at … caught my eye." That makes it easier for someone to accept, and opens the door to a follow-up conversation.

One InMail, one goal, one action

Use just one question per InMail. Briefly introduce yourself and explain why someone caught your interest. Then ask, for example, whether they're open to an exploratory conversation. Leave CV requests, rotas and terms for later. Stick to one invitation. That keeps things clear and easy to fit into your own LinkedIn workflow.

The importance of follow-up and timing

Reminders without pressure

Not everyone replies straight away. A friendly message after a few days can make the difference. Briefly reference your earlier message and repeat your question. Make sure it invites contact without feeling pushy.

Monitoring replies and conversion

Measure which actions deliver results. Look at the percentage of accepted connection requests, how many InMails get a reply, and how quickly an intake call gets booked. In this case study, Manpower shows how structured outreach works in a competitive market. Data helps you make better choices and save time throughout the recruitment funnel.

Retention starts with honesty

Don't leave pay and rotas vague

Healthcare candidates want to know quickly where they stand. State the type of shifts, the number of hours, and give a pay indication. Also say clearly if something is still open for discussion. Being upfront about this avoids exploratory conversations that go nowhere.

Talk about the learning environment and team culture

For many candidates, the workplace matters just as much as the terms of employment. Let a team describe how they work, what they enjoy about the department, and how colleagues support each other. State explicitly whether there's room for learning, regular team meetings or mentoring. This gives a candidate a genuine feel for the working atmosphere.

Room for alternative routes into the profession

Retraining only works with real support

Career switchers are valuable in tackling the healthcare staff shortage, but without proper support they drop out quickly. Make clear how long their training takes, what the work-based learning route involves, and who supports them. Also take language level and learning style into account. Practical support increases the chances of success.

International recruitment needs preparation

Candidates from abroad can help solve the staff shortage, but they need extra attention. Think about recognition of their qualifications, professional registration and housing. Prepare their induction period well too. Invest time in language, cultural preparation and onboarding. Only then does sustainable recruitment follow.

Working with your hiring teams

Use their input for credible communication

People working on the ward know what colleagues genuinely value. Ask what new colleagues struggle with, or what they thrive on. Build these elements into your recruitment messages. Describe, for example, the pace of work, the way the team collaborates, or the level of independence. This strengthens your position in everyday agency practice.

Know your audience and test variations

Not every profile responds the same way. You approach a home care team differently from staff in mental health care or a hospital ward. Vary your tone, timing and opening line. Measure what works, keep doing it, and adjust where it lands less well.

Know your numbers, improve your process

What you need to measure, at a minimum, in outreach

A successful recruitment approach is measurable. Track the following data systematically:

• Number of accepted connection requests
• Percentage of InMails that get a reply
• Days to first intake call
• Number of no-shows per week

What a good funnel does, and doesn't do

A funnel that's too slow leads to drop-off. Match the pace of your process to the candidate's rhythm. Make sure a conversation can be scheduled quickly. Cut unnecessary rounds, especially once a shift is almost filled. This increases the chance of completed conversations and lasting placements.

More conversations through control, simplicity and personality

Recruiting in a tight healthcare labour market doesn't call for extra promises, just good execution. Reply quickly, communicate concretely and make personal contact, and you increase your chances of conversations that actually go somewhere. So focus on simplicity, clarity and recognition at every point of contact.

Want to have a quick chat about your current approach? We're happy to look at how your data, messages and timing could better fit your target audience.