Confidence Levels Among Healthcare Employees Reaches All-Time High in Randstad's Latest Employee Confidence Index Survey

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Oct 22, 2015, 03:28 ET

ATLANTA, Oct. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In mid-year 2015, the Randstad Healthcare Employee Confidence Index (ECI) rose by 9.2 points to 64.8, up from 55.6 at year-end 2014. The online survey of 243 healthcare employees, including physicians, nurses, healthcare administrators and other healthcare professionals, was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad Healthcare. According to the mid-year 2015 report, the Randstad Healthcare ECI (64.8) surpassed Randstad US' aggregate ECI of 62.1, suggesting employees within the healthcare field are particularly confident in regards to the overall economy, as well as their personal employment prospects.

According to the mid-year 2015 report, 29 percent of healthcare workers believe the economy is getting stronger, and 36 percent believe there are more jobs available. Although 66 percent of healthcare workers say they are confident in their ability to find a new job, only 32 percent say they are likely to look for new employment opportunities in the next 12 months.

The Randstad Healthcare ECI mirrors strong job gains in the healthcare sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' September 2015 Employment Situation Summary. Healthcare led the way in job creation, adding 34,000 new positions last month and approximately 38,000 jobs monthly over the past 12 months. Hospitals gained nearly half (16,000) of the new jobs, while ambulatory care added 13,000 jobs.

"The fact that healthcare workers indicated the highest confidence levels we've ever recorded is a sign the job market for these professionals is providing more opportunities, and the sector is experiencing the rapid growth many economists expected," said Abigail Tremble, president of Randstad Healthcare. "We entered 2015 with historically lower-than-average unemployment rates for many healthcare occupations, so it's no surprise we have already seen increased hiring activity for many key positions."

Tremble continued, "In fact, according to Indeed.com, healthcare job postings increased 27 percent year-over-year from June 2014 to June 2015, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates employment in healthcare has grown by an average of 38,000 new jobs per month over the past 12 months. With the number of uninsured Americans dropping to 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2015, the lowest percentage since Gallup started tracking the figure in 2008, projected growth for the healthcare job market is quite high.

"Additionally, as Baby Boomers age, the Labor Department projects that by 2022 healthcare and social assistance will absorb nearly 20 percent of consumer spending, double the share of manufactured goods. As a result, the profession is expected to employ more than 21 million workers, 5 million more than we have today."

These factors place added pressure on healthcare employers to maintain adequate staffing levels, and more facilities are partnering with flexible staffing firms to achieve their talent needs. A study published December 2014 in Journal of Nursing Care Quality found the utilization of supplemental staff to alleviate hospital pain points, such as increased patient acuity, patient census fluctuations or temporary leave of permanent RNs, can actually improve a hospital's bottom line and increase its flexibility. These findings suggest an even greater opportunity for increased partnerships between healthcare systems and staffing firms.

Mid-year 2015 Survey Highlights:

Healthcare workers are confident in employment prospects

Job security among healthcare employees remains high -- in fact, 76 percent say it is unlikely they will lose their job over the next 12 months, and 66 percent say they are confident in their ability to find a new job.

Employees within healthcare industry are confident in employers

Sixty-four percent of employees say they are confident in the future of their current employer, with only 10 percent saying the opposite.

Workers confident in strength of the economy and availability of jobs

Twenty-nine percent say they believe the economy is getting stronger, and 36 say they believe there are more jobs available.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad Healthcare from January 13-15, March 11-13, April 15-17 and June 9-11, 2015 among 3,978 participants ages 18 and older, of which 243 are employed in healthcare. Healthcare participants included physicians, nurses, healthcare administrators and other healthcare professionals. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Industry-level ECI estimates referenced prior to 2015 were based on six monthly waves of aggregated data. The mid-year and year-end industry ECI estimates in 2015 are computed using four waves of periodic data collected across the indicated timeframe. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Randstad Healthcare
Randstad Healthcare is one of the largest healthcare staffing firms in the U.S. and offers market leading, all-inclusive healthcare staffing solutions. Randstad Healthcare has been matching healthcare professionals with career opportunities at America's top healthcare facilities for over 25 years. From large hospital systems and rural medical centers to physician groups, insurance companies, clinics and Fortune 500 companies, Randstad Healthcare offers full-service staffing capabilities, including physicians, nurses, advanced practice, case management, allied health and vendor managed services. For more information, please visit www.randstadhealthcare.com.

About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.9 billion global provider of HR services. As one of the largest staffing organizations in the United States, Randstad provides temporary, temporary-to-hire and permanent placement services each week to over 100,000 people through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations.

Employing over 5,300 recruiting experts, the company is a top provider of outsourcing, staffing, consulting and projects and workforce solutions within the areas of Engineering, Finance & Accounting, Healthcare, Human Resources, IT, Legal, Manufacturing & Logistics, Office & Administration, Pharma and Sales & Marketing. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

SOURCE Randstad US