Good afternoon,
Delaware’s second-largest hospital-healthcare system is offering full-time benefits to new part-time clinical workers as it struggles with staffing shortages.
Qualified applicants also get a decent chance at winning a trip for two to the Bahamas.
Bayhealth, which operates hospitals in Dover and Milford, today rolled out a part-time/ weekend program in response to the staffing crisis. The healthcare system says the program could boost its staff headcount by 13%.
Hospitals in Delaware and around the country are struggling with the twin crises of staff shortages and the recent surge in Covid-19 patients. Moreover, burnout from the nearly two-year-old pandemic has sent many to the sidelines.
Some of the new Covid cases are indeed coming from people who went into the hospital for other reasons. Still, nearly all beds are taken with some patients who should be discharged to a rehab facility but are unable to find an available bed.
Evidence points to a lack of child care being one big reason for many people not returning to the workplace.
A related issue is a “gig economy,” which employs many but offers few benefits such as health insurance. Added to all this is the “great American quit” that led some to retire early, others to live off their savings for a while, or take a position with better benefits and an improved work-life balance.
“At Bayhealth, we get it. We understand these are tough times for working parents and alike, especially healthcare workers who have no choice when it comes to their calling to take care of our communities,” said VP of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer Shana Ross. We want them to know we are there for them.”
Under the program, benefits such as paid time off, sick time, medical coverage, and a 401 (k) retirement program are offered.
Qualified applicants will be entered to win a three-day, all-expense-paid trip for two to Nassau. Information on open positions is available here.
We can expect to see more of these incentives that go beyond sign-on bonuses as there are few signs that a tight labor market will go away anytime soon.- Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
