Pulse Check: What LinkedIn Data Reveals About Healthcare Workers
It’s no secret that the healthcare industry is facing massive staffing shortages. What you might not know is that the supply of healthcare talent on LinkedIn has actually seen healthy growth every year over the past five years.
This vital talent pool deserves a closer examination. Relying on the latest LinkedIn data, we decided to do just that — check out the charts and research below for the latest data-driven diagnosis on:
The supply of healthcare workers and employers on LinkedInWhat healthcare workers prioritize when choosing a new jobThe most in-demand healthcare jobs on LinkedIn
Whether you’re recruiting healthcare professionals, prescribing hiring strategies, or simply checking the pulse of this life-saving industry, the following insights can help you understand the current state of the healthcare labor market.
(Note: the insights below reflect the global hospitals and healthcare industry. For a closer look at U.S.-specific healthcare, check out the latest report from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team.)
The number of healthcare workers on LinkedIn is up by +35%
The healthcare talent shortage shows no signs of reversing — but on the bright side, it may be getting easier to find what talent there is, thanks to a steadily growing population of healthcare workers on LinkedIn.
For clarity, this chart showcases the increase in the number of LinkedIn members working in the healthcare industry in a given 12-month period. Importantly, this includes medical professionals, like doctors and nurses, as well as administrative staff and others who work within the industry. To that point, here are the five most common titles held by LinkedIn members in the hospitals and healthcare industry:
Registered NurseMedical DoctorNurseCertified Nursing AssistantAdministrative Assistant
However, just because the supply is growing doesn’t mean you’ll be facing less competition. On the contrary, the number of employers within the healthcare industry on LinkedIn has also grown every year over the past half-decade.
So, while the healthcare talent pool is indeed increasing on LinkedIn, the competition is too. The LinkedIn platform may not be an instant panacea for your hiring woes, but it’s still an incredibly powerful tool to reach and engage more of the healthcare industry.
What healthcare workers prioritize more than others: inclusivity, supportive managers, and flexibility
Every month, LinkedIn surveys over 15,000 members about the factors that matter most to them personally when considering a new job. The top three priorities overall — compensation, work-life balance, and flexible work arrangements — tend to be top priorities in most talent pools, and healthcare workers are no exception.
You have to dig a little deeper to understand what distinguishes healthcare pros. By comparing the top priorities of roughly 900 people working in the healthcare industry with the priorities of all other workers, you can see what healthcare workers uniquely care about more than other talent pools.
The single biggest difference between the priorities of healthcare workers (vs. all other workers) is the focus on inclusivity. Healthcare workers are 17% more likely to prioritize an inclusive workplace for people of diverse backgrounds.
Diversity is a critical issue in healthcare, with a growing spotlight on the grave results of racial biases. As just one example, in the U.S., Black women experienced pregnancy complications at the same rate as white women, but were two to three times more likely to die from them — in many cases because they aren’t taken as seriously. Fostering inclusive workplaces can help bring these disparities to light and begin the work of reversing them.
The next biggest difference between this talent pool and the general labor force is that healthcare pros are 14% more likely to prioritize supportive managers. Given the high rates of burnout fueled by work that is both physically and emotionally draining, the last thing these workers need is an unhelpful manager who makes things worse.
That high-stress work environment may also explain two other distinctive priorities: flexible work arrangements and job security. In short, healthcare workers want more of a voice in setting their schedules, without having to worry that it could cost them their job.
The most in-demand healthcare jobs on LinkedIn
Finally, let’s examine the hottest jobs in healthcare. These lists are based on the same data as our quarterly most in-demand jobs — namely, the number of paid job posts on LinkedIn, filtered for the hospitals and healthcare industry.
Most In-Demand Healthcare Jobs on LinkedIn (Q1 2024)
Roles with the greatest number of paid LinkedIn job posts from the hospitals and healthcare industry, Q1 (January 1 – March 31, 2024)
Registered Nurse Licensed Practical Nurse Certified Nursing Assistant Medical Assistant Physical Therapist Patient Care Technician Medical Surgical Nurse Emergency Room Nurse Progressive Care Nurse Intensive Care Nurse
Seven of the top 10 most in-demand roles are nursing jobs. Despite that, these roles represent a diverse range of skills and responsibilities, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the healthcare industry. From direct patient care roles like registered nurse (RN) and certified nursing assistant (CNA) to more specialized roles like medical surgical nurse and emergency room nurse, the demand for nursing professionals spans a wide spectrum.
Now let’s look at the jobs in healthcare with the fastest-growing demand over the last two quarters; these are the roles which saw the greatest quarter-over-quarter increase in the number of paid job posts on LinkedIn.
Healthcare Jobs with the Fastest-Growing Demand (QoQ)
Roles with the greatest quarter-over-quarter increase in share of paid job posts from the hospitals and healthcare industry, Q1 2024 (January 1 – March 31) vs. Q4 2023 (October 1 – December 31)
Care Coordinator Patient Access RepresentativeDietary Aide Physician Assistant Hospice Nurse Direct Support Professional Patient Service Representative Nurse Practitioner Clinical Pharmacist Psychiatrist
While less dominated by the nursing profession, this list still shows a growing need for administrative and support roles. Roles like care coordinator and patient access representative highlight the importance of patient management and communication in providing effective healthcare.
Final thoughts
The healthcare industry continues to evolve, with new challenges and opportunities emerging regularly. As recruiters and healthcare professionals navigate this landscape, understanding the trends in talent supply, worker priorities, and job demand can be helpful. Data shows that LinkedIn is increasingly a home for healthcare professionals.
Methodology
Based on global LinkedIn data, from July 2018 to June 2024. For the member growth and company growth metrics below, we’re analyzing based on rolling 12 months rather than a given calendar year. In order to be counted for a given year, the member must have been in role within the hospitals and healthcare industry at least one day during that year. Candidate priorities are derived from LinkedIn’s Talent Drivers survey data from April 2024, and compares the responses of 900 healthcare workers against the responses of all other candidates in the same timeframe. Demand data is based on paid job posts on LinkedIn from October 2023 up to and including March 2024. The most in-demand jobs are those with the highest number of job posts in the most recent quarter (January 1 – March 31, 2024). The jobs with the fastest-growing demand are those with the greatest growth rate in the most recent quarter relative to the previous quarter (October 1 – December 31, 2023).
