Benefits for healthcare workers are becoming increasingly vital as employers in the healthcare sector struggle to attract and retain staff. These workers are the unsung heroes of our society, providing essential services that keep our communities healthy and safe. Their dedication and expertise are more evident now than ever. In this article, we shine the spotlight on the growing healthcare skills shortage, explore some of the key reasons people are leaving, and suggest some ways employers can better support and attract new workers.

Unique Challenges Faced by HealthCare Workers

Healthcare facilities act as the backbone to maintaining good health in communities across the country, and many Americans rely on these organizations for preventative and reactive medical care. In fact, according to the 2024 edition of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Hospital Statistics report, U.S. hospitals admit over 33 million people patients annually —a figure that doesn’t even begin to reflect the care doctor’s offices and other clinics provide.

A large portion of healthcare staff comprises lower-paid workers such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaners, maintenance people, medical records clerks, and front desk and administrative staff.  In addition to low pay, these workers typically deal with high levels of stress, which often leads to burnout. One report found that, compared with 27 other industries, healthcare ranked last for employee satisfaction with pay, and healthcare employees scored lower than workers in other industries on intent-to-stay, engagement, and experience versus their expectations.

As a result, we’ve seen an unprecedented exodus of healthcare staff over the last year – largely due to stress and burnout, poor wages, inflexible schedules, long shifts, and a lack of opportunity for career advancement.

Reasons Healthcare Workers Are Leaving

1. Insufficient Career Advancement Opportunities

A common reason healthcare workers cite for leaving their current job “not seeing career path and growth opportunities.”  More than three-quarters of all employees surveyed in a recent poll desire “a clear path for career advancement.” When asked, 77% of current employees and 76% of prospective employees say they “want a job where I can see a clear path for advancement.”  Newer employees are more likely to cite that they “don’t see a career path/were not growing in this role” as a reason they’re considering leaving their current job.

2. Low Salaries

Many healthcare workers believe that they’re underpaid for the time and effort they invest in their work, not to mention the health risks they’re exposed to in their day-to-day jobs. The average hourly pay for a Registered Nurse is $34.97 in 2025, but the rates paid to other medical assistants is much lower. Clearly, for many, this isn’t sufficient to make ends meet and isn’t commensurate with the demands of their line of work. While The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported a steady increase in healthcare worker salaries over the last few years, many of those working in the sector believe more needs to be done.

3. Unmanageable Workloads

The U.S. has an aging population, which means that increasing numbers of people need medical care for various conditions and ailments. All this means that the demand for healthcare workers in all fields and roles is rising. Now, there’s a severe shortage of these workers which often results in employees being required to work more or longer shifts. This can introduce unmanageable workloads, which can put the quality of patient care at risk.

4. Stress and Burnout

Those working in the healthcare sector—everyone from doctors and nurses to administrative and cleaning/maintenance staff – are more prone to experiencing stress and burnout given the pressure they experience in their roles and the prevailing skills shortages. According to recent research, 49.9% of healthcare workers reported experiencing burnout. Burnout can lead to depression, exhaustion, and sometimes even sleep disorders. Establishing an acceptable work/life balance in the healthcare sector is a challenge, and hospitals have an important role in establishing that balance for their employees.

5. Long Work Hours

Healthcare workers are often expected to work 12-hour days or overnight shifts. A recent WHO study revealed this can be detrimental to a worker’s health and discovered a correlation between working more than 55 hours a week and serious health conditions like heart disease. Sometimes inflexible schedules result in employees being unable to attend family gatherings or celebrate important milestones like a birthday or wedding anniversary. This often makes healthcare workers pause and reevaluate their lives and careers.

6. School Loan Debt

Student loan debt continues to be a major obstacle for healthcare workers. Many doctors, nurses, and others in the industry are unable to pay off their debt for years, making the stress of mounting bills a deterrent for entering this sector in the first place. The average medical school debt is $202,453, and 73% of medical school graduates have student loan debt, owing four times more than other college graduates. The average nursing student loan debt is between $40,000 and $54,999.

7. Feeling Undervalued

Younger healthcare workers, in particular, feel undervalued and overwhelmed at work. For example, a recent survey found only 19% of nurses under 35 feel their organization cares about their well-being. Recognizing your team, whether by soliciting their input and offering more attractive benefits, can help them feel seen and respected.

The Impact on Healthcare Providers

The current lack of healthcare skills spells bad news for healthcare employers on several levels. 

The cost of recruitment is significant, and timelines to fill open roles are often long, especially for more senior-level employees. However, it’s also costly and time-consuming to find general medical staff. Entry-level revenue cycle talent (0-5 years), on average, costs $2,167 for recruitment, and it takes 84 days to fill vacant roles.

Without sufficient, qualified staff, healthcare providers inevitably need to limit the number of patients they can treat or risk compromising the level of care they offer. This can harm their bottom line.

The Importance of Tailored Benefits for HealthCare Professionals

Offering healthcare professionals tailored benefits is crucial as they allow workers to address the unique needs and priorities of different healthcare roles. This can lead to increased healthcare worker job satisfaction, improved retention rates, and ultimately, better patient care by attracting and keeping top talent within the industry. Examples of meaningful, tailored benefits for healthcare workers include flexible scheduling, specialized continuing education opportunities, and mental health benefits tailored to the demands of the job.

Innovative Benefits That Appeal to HealthCare Workers

Here are some strategies that healthcare providers can explore to ensure they’re more able to retain their current workers and recruit new, scarce talent to create a mutually beneficial relationship and ultimately help everyone involved.

1. Offer a Fair Compensation Package

Offering people better salaries is an obvious way to entice people to join your healthcare organization and encourage them to stay.

2. Cross-Train People

It’s a good idea to consider cross-training employees so that people can take turns doing tasks, which will help alleviate overwork and burnout.

3. Communicate

Look for ideas to improve your level and quality of communication with your staff. This will ensure you get to know about any problems early. It will also make people feel that they matter, which will enhance overall employee engagement.

4. Listen and Invite Feedback

It’s a good idea to conduct employee surveys regularly. Find out your people’s levels of job satisfaction and get constructive feedback on what can be done to improve their working conditions.

5. Offer Healthcare Worker Incentives

Yes, most people work to make money, but compensation isn’t the only factor they consider when looking for a job or deciding to stay in one. So, consider offering a suite of benefits that your workers won’t find easily elsewhere. This could include:

• Compensation for overtime work
• Sponsorship of additional training or educational qualifications
• The opportunity to work remote (if deemed applicable to your industry)
• Workplace wellness programs and mental health resources

6. Consider Earned Wage Access (EWA)

Earned Wage Access is a simple way to give healthcare employees access to money they’ve earned but not yet collected between paychecks. Payactiv’s EWA solution uses API integration through HR systems that healthcare facilities already use, making it a seamless experience for employees and employers.

Once they’ve signed up, your employees can access their wages directly from a mobile app, and we even offer an “every day pay” option. Allowing employees to access funds at any time lets them live the life they’ve earned. You can communicate your EWA benefit as a competitive advantage when seeking new hires.

Other Ways Payactiv Can Help Improve Employee Retention in Healthcare

Payactiv also makes it easy for you to allow your employees more flexibility. Employees can securely access your company’s shift scheduling platform and see who they might want to swap shifts with or even pick up a few extra shifts if they’re looking to earn a little more money.

Payactiv’s digital communication platform is also a great way to increase engagement. People who aren’t desk-bound and don’t have access to a computer can catch up with the latest news and company announcements while they’re on the go via the mobile app. They also have access to in-app discounts, free financial coaching, and savings and budgeting tools.

Healthcare workers are the essential lifeblood of our economy and they should be treated as such. By doing so, and affording these workers the respect, dignity, and support they deserve, healthcare providers will see increases in retention and recruitment, and workers currently struggling on the frontlines will experience unprecedented support.

Ready to ramp up your benefits for healthcare workers? Learn more about Payactiv’s service, or book your demo now.