Addressing Gen Z’s Need for Growth to Retain Talent in Healthcare Industry

A Shift in Healthcare Education: Seeking Purpose

Having spent almost a decade in the healthcare education field, I noticed a significant change in how students engage – they seek clarity of purpose. Early on, students accepted the acquisition of skills and passing of exams as the route to success. Over time, they sought understanding and purpose behind the tasks.

This trend of seeking purpose extends to the wider workforce today, especially those starting their careers. Employees want to understand how their roles and organization will invest in their growth. This is a marked departure from the traditional mindset of simply doing the work and hoping for advancement.

The Generational Handoff

The new approach to building a healthcare career isn’t a flaw in the younger generation, but rather a beacon for the rest of us. Recent research confirms that the healthcare industry struggles to retain talent, especially among Gen Z workers, with 59% of healthcare workers and 70% of Gen Z’s considering a career switch in the near future.

Alarmingly, the U.S. faces a shortage of nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers by 2038, as one in three nurses are already over 50. This presents a challenging generational handoff.

Meeting Gen Z’s Needs

Gen Z healthcare workers do desire stability. In fact, 65% anticipate staying with a single employer for five or more years. They value job security but expect clear advancement opportunities and believe that education and skill-building are essential to their careers. Employers need to ensure visible, achievable paths for advancement to retain Gen Z workers.

Linking Workforce Education to Advancement

Despite the widespread desire for advancement, only 26% of healthcare workers trust their employer to support their long-term career growth. This is why 75% of healthcare workers are interested in furthering their education and would welcome employer-sponsored programs. However, less than half of employers have implemented a comprehensive workforce education program.

Employers can bridge this gap by explicitly tying a workforce education strategy to advancement, which could significantly enhance retention.

Lean into Human Edge Over AI

The healthcare industry has a unique opportunity amid AI disruption. Most healthcare workers feel they are less at risk of AI job replacement than those in other industries. Healthcare is a human profession requiring judgment, empathy, and presence that no algorithm can replicate. Employers need to leverage this as a recruitment asset and promise incoming generations an investment in irreplaceable human skills.

A Generational Opportunity

As the healthcare workforce nears retirement and shortages intensify, investment in the education of Gen Z workers is a strategic necessity. Building a workforce education strategy can stabilize the workforce and secure the future of patient care. Today’s investment in our workforce is an investment in tomorrow’s healthcare.