When hospital leaders should consider ‘cultural fit’ over skill sets

Hospitals and health systems across America continue to struggle to recruit and retain employees, including clinicians and other vital employees.

While the hiring picture has improved a bit over a couple of years ago, healthcare executives say it’s still not easy to find and keep talented people.

Emily H. Warr, administrator for the Medical University of South Carolina Center for Telehealth, says it’s not always about finding the people with the right resume.

During a panel discussion at the ViVE digital health conference last month, Warr suggested that health systems should take a closer look at how applicants will fit into the organization.

“One of the things that we do, and have found him really successful, is hiring for cultural fit, rather than skill sets,” Warr said during the panel discussion. “Specifically, we believe that skills can be taught.”

To that end, Warr said the system has focused on looking at people who are committed to caring for patients and caring for other members of the team. The Medical University of South Carolina is also looking at people that are focused on innovation and being part of a learning culture.

In addition, the health system is looking for people who want to find purpose in working with the organization.

“When people have purpose and meaning in their work, they're happier and more fulfilled in their work,” Warr said.

She stressed that candidates who want to be part of the Medical University of South Carolina and its mission are going to be assets to the organization, even if they have to develop some skills after they’re hired.

“That's the real important part of our recruitment and retention strategy, it is really high on the cultural fit, and then teaching the skills as we go seems to be working, and it's something that we’ve really committed to,” Warr said.

Tracey Touma, senior cybersecurity business liaison at the Cleveland Clinic, participated in the panel discussion with Warr and said that she has taken a similar approach. Hospitals have found it particularly difficult to attract and keep cybersecurity professionals, who are in high demand in virtually every industry and can typically earn more in other sectors.

While the Cleveland Clinic is looking for well-qualified people in cybersecurity, Touma said that she has had to look beyond certifications and the skills listed on an application.

“We used to be hiring to the skill set,” Touma said. “What we realized is they were leaving after two years and not staying. And we're losing a lot of caregivers that way, just putting it down on their resume and getting hired somewhere else.”

Touma said the system is looking to find people who believe in the mission of working in cybersecurity to protect patients, even if they may have some on-the-job training ahead. Echoing Warr, Touma said, “We can teach those skills.”

She said there are several qualities she values, including integrity, empathy, equality and safety. Applicants are questioned about ways they’ve had to demonstrate those qualities in their lives.

“Those are the ways that we try to figure out if they're going to be a good cultural fit or understanding if they're just really more interested in the technical skills and making money,” Touma said.