Health System Recruitment and Retention Strategies: A Plenary Session

Recruitment and retention in healthcare were uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An existing workforce shortage was significantly exacerbated by high attrition, early retirements, and people leaving healthcare altogether because of burnout and exhaustion. Since the pandemic crisis has eased, individuals have shown the desire for healthier work-life balance and opportunities for remote or hybrid work environments with clearly defined career paths. Recognizing this shift and aligning with the current environment are imperative to recruiting and retaining employees in healthcare. At the NCCN 2023 Annual Conference, a panel of experts from 5 major academic oncology centers shared their struggles with recruitment and retention (both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic) and offered valuable insight into some of the systems and processes they've since implemented to attract desirable candidates, make them feel heard and appreciated, and retain them in the long run.