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Table 3 Recruitment and retention strategies with high importance and feasibility in order of overall ranking

From: Identification of recruitment and retention strategies for rehabilitation professionals in Ontario, Canada: results from expert panels

RANKING

  

O

I

F

Theme

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES

1

1

1

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Personal safety Improve and maintain the safety of rehabilitation professionals by reducing aggression abuse and violence in the workplace. Examples could include: zero tolerance polices; and access to employee support programs and providing assistance to rehabilitation professionals who work alone, particularly in rural environments[37].

2

2

2

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Professional development in budget planning Make professional development (PD) a regular part of budget planning [63].

3

2

3

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Communication between employer and worker Ensure open and timely communication between employer and worker. For example communication between staff supervisors and upper management is encouraged via open door policies, employee advisory committees and regular staff meetings and evaluations [51].

4

1

5

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Training/growth opportunities Provide training and growth opportunities. Examples could include: continuing education and re-certification requirements paid for by the organization; educational leaves; mentorship programs; internal job fairs; job-share arrangements; and secondments to other areas or agencies [51].

5

2

4

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Tangible resources Ensure that workers have the tangible resources to do their job. For example provide computers and specialized equipment telephone systems vehicles office space meeting rooms and well-maintained workplace facilities [51].

5

2

4

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Rural and remote orientation packages For rural and remote communities ensure comprehensive orientation packages are made available to potential recruits [64].

6

6

2

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Increase public awareness of rehabilitation careers Position the rehabilitation profession as an attractive career choice by developing comprehensive province-wide web and print education/awareness campaign to heighten the younger generations' and the public's awareness [53].

6

4

3

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Increase high school student awareness of rehabilitation careers Position the rehabilitation profession as an attractive career choice by developing high school co-op programs volunteer service programs and job shadowing programs to cultivate prospective recruitment relationships and to capitalize on high school student community service programs [53].

7

2

7

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Work safety Improve and maintain the safety of rehabilitation professionals by minimizing the susceptibility to work-related injury. Examples could include: designing ergonomically sound work environments; providing patient lifting equipment; and ensuring adequate staff support during patient mobilization, lifts and transfers [37].

8

3

4

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Workplace audit Develop a workplace audit exercise/assessment tool that evaluates current workplace processes and determines which practices/issues enhance and deter employee recruitment satisfaction and retention of rehabilitation professionals [53].

9

6

3

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Employer/workplace awards Create and present a special award for organizations that excel in originality and innovation as employers/workplaces of choice [53].

9

4

4

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Family relocation programs Implement family relocation programs to target difficult to supply areas in order to recruit rehabilitation professionals (added by panel).

10

4

5

Financial Incentives & Marketing

Competitive wage packages Provide competitive compensation packages for wages. Examples could include: fair wages using wage grids which recognize education and experience levels; renegotia-ting work terms following skills upgrading; and refining internal wage equity (i.e. aligning the compensation of equivalent positions across areas) [51].

11

5

6

Quality of Worklife & Work Environment

Congruence between employer and staff values Demonstrate congruence between agency/employer and staff values. Examples could include: being clear about the organization's philosophy expectations and work culture; and involving fellow team members the service recipient and family members in the hiring process if appropriate [51].

11

6

5

Workload & Skill Mix

Caseload management database Implement a computerized database system with accessible real-time information to facilitate caseload management [57].

12

7

5

Workload & Skill Mix

Support personnel Use support personnel to increase efficiency of utilization of scarcer and higher order rehabilitation competencies (i.e. physiotherapy assistants or exercise therapists) [64].

  1. O = Overall combined importance and feasibility ranking
  2. I = Importance ranking
  3. F = Feasibility ranking