Integrating wellness practices as physician recruiters
Posted by Stephen Leggitt
While it may seem that integrating wellness practices and general mindfulness into a doctor’s daily routine is the sole responsibility of the physician, there is actually a case to be made for the physician recruiter playing an essential role in the overall wellbeing of a physician as well. The best recruiters realize their role extends beyond the simple, successful placement of a candidate. While the recruiter must certainly prepare the physician candidate in the professional sense, they can also aid in helping provide the tools for the candidate to inhabit a healthy mind space outside the office.
Understanding the physician’s path
Whether it’s the countless hours of attending classes or long shifts during residency, physicians prove through their hard work and dedication just how much they desire to succeed at their chosen career path. In addition to the years of preparation before a physician even sees their first patient, they are aware their chosen profession can be one that, at times, has a negative impact on their overall emotional health. When recruiters are fully aware of the unavoidable stress that comes with the physician’s job description, they can also be aware of the undeniable benefits of spending significant time focusing on well-being both in and outside the office.
Importance of environment
Organizational wellness within a healthcare facility should be a foundational and core tenet in any successful practice. A recruiter can truly benefit their candidate’s future by searching out positions and locations with environments that have been specifically tailored to integrate wellness fundamentals into daily routines. Examples can include free wellness seminars, wellness programs and classes and various initiatives focused on general wellbeing.
Highlight wellness programs
When pitching potential job placements to candidates, go beyond the standard job posting details such as salary, location, hours, etc., and instead spend some time focusing on the wellness programs offered by the hiring healthcare facility. Many organizations offer programs that focus on health, such as fitness initiatives and discounts at fitness facilities, stress management courses or perhaps even in-house meditation or yoga classes.
Be proactive and part of the solution
Despite the changing landscape and the growing awareness of the supreme importance of mental health, many job postings still do not highlight wellness opportunities at their organization. Unfortunately, the medical field is no exception to this trend. Recruiters can take an active role in helping to solve this ongoing problem by reaching out to healthcare facilities and organizations that post open positions and requesting they amend their postings to include any perks that focus on the general well-being of the physician candidate. Mentioning the proximity of meditation centers or yoga studios could potentially be the one small missing detail in a job posting that helps a candidate make their final decision.
Introduce stress-reducing techniques
When trying to connect candidates with positions, remember starting a new job brings its own unique set of stressors. Encourage your candidate to introduce stress-reducing techniques into their daily lives, even before they are paired with their dream job. Whether that takes the form of healthy eating, a proper sleep schedule, getting away from the computer for some light stretching every hour or prioritizing time outside work, introducing stress-reducing techniques into a candidate’s daily routine before they take on their next work challenge will only benefit their overall wellness long term.
Everyone benefits from wellness
In a perfect society, everyone you encounter would have absolute awareness of their mental and emotional health and attempt to integrate wellness practices into their daily lives. While the recruiter can focus on suggesting daily wellness practices for their candidates, they would obviously benefit from practicing what they preach as well. A centered and more positive recruiter would not only perform better at their own job, but they would also possibly attract even more potential candidates. Whether you are a candidate, a recruiter, or any member of the healthcare industry, wellness is undoubtedly as contagious as it is vital and important.