Leveraging your practice’s location to attract staff

If your practice is looking to add new staff, either as you re-open for business or contemplate expansion, you may be facing a tough labor market. Give yourself the best chance of attracting the right people by using all of the assets at your disposal-including presenting your location in its best possible light.

Location may not seem like a particularly valuable asset for recruiting staff. Won’t job-seekers simply search for open positions near them? How can location be an advantage when, for most people, the city where they’ll work is a simple yea or nay decision?

It’s unlikely staff workers will be lured from far away based solely on the city you’re in, but details about your specific location can make your job more attractive to the candidates looking for work in your community. Here are a few to consider spotlighting:

Nearby amenities

Many candidates will focus primarily on how far away your office is from their home, not realizing that the surroundings of the workplace can provide a lot of convenience and enjoyment.

For example, if your office is close to amenities like a shopping district, promote that. (It can make it easy for staff to pick up essentials or just have a fun break during lunch.) A location near the city center can make burdensome errands like going to the post office, library, or DMV easier to accomplish. An affordable gym nearby can make it possible to squeeze in workouts before or after work. (Maybe you can even negotiate a membership discount for your staff.) And if your office is located near walking paths (or just in pleasant environs for strolling), staff can take advantage of that, too-and get fresh air and exercise during lunchtime for free.

Office setting matters, too

Is your office in or near a major medical center? Are you surrounded by many medical offices? This can be an advantage for job-seeking healthcare workers. Especially when starting out in a first job, it’s reassuring to know colleagues are nearby and friendships can be maintained as people move from one office to another. Working near large medical campuses may also offer easier access to continuing education and networking for future advancement.

While being located near other job opportunities may not seem like something you’d want to promote, remember that your retention of employees will depend on the kind of experience you can provide. Use your location in a fertile career area help attract employees, and your competitive salaries and positive work culture to keep them. 

Employees may also value being in a healthcare hub because it makes pursuing their own medical care easier. 

Address the commute

Is commuting in your area a hassle? If commuting is a challenge in your area, your practice may still have advantages that ease the pain. Even something as mundane as being located near a freeway exit can make a difference in daily travel to and from work. If the commute is easier than candidates might assume, be sure to let them know.

If there’s no getting around congested traffic, is working an off-peak or staggered schedule possible for any of your roles? Could a biller work from home part of the time? Be sure to spotlight that if so. 

Public transit may appeal to some commuters in urban areas-especially if you can provide financial assistance for it. Make it clear if you do.

Easy parking-whether in a lot at your office, or affordably nearby-may be the best commute amenity of all. Be sure to promote it if you have it!

Repurpose materials from physician recruiting

If you’ve created a location packet for physician recruiting, consider reusing appropriate materials from it on your website. Although a medical assistant or biller might not be planning to pick up and move to a new city, they may need to if their spouse is searching nationwide for a new job. Any materials you can provide that sell your local area could help you attract candidates who are on the hunt with a partner.

About the Author

_{Laurie Morgan, MBA is a partner and senior consultant for Capko & Morgan. Her consulting focuses on practice management effectiveness and practice profitability. She is the author of the book People, Technology, Profit: Practical Ideas for a Happier, Healthier Practice business as well as the Management Rx series of e-books, and blogs at capko.com/blog.}