The old adage says, “Walk a mile in someone’s shoes.” And as a healthcare staffing professional, your shoes hold the answers to your organization’s challenges, opportunities and recruitment strategy as a whole. The problem? Your shoes are walking multiple miles, and locums firms can’t keep pace with your needs, so they apply one-size-fits-all strategies.

Think of it like the stepsisters in Cinderella: Locums providers are trying anything they can to squeeze you into the glass slipper. It doesn’t work because the shoe isn’t sized to your unique qualities—you need your perfect fit! More often than not, though, you’re left as a staffing Cinderella, disengaging because your locums firm is attempting to force solutions that are generalized rather than tailored to your specific needs.

That’s why locums needs to transform.

For decades, the healthcare industry has evolved due to laws, technology and care approaches. Locums hasn’t kept up. As a healthcare recruiter, what’s the first thing that happens after you sign a contract with a locums company? They hit you with email, prospect with phone calls from every specialty, and canvas with social media messages. While these all are a part of a successful marketing mix, you don’t want to feel like you’re immediately put in contact hell.

You juggle so much—from permanent and locums requisitions to satisfying multiple stakeholders’ needs, positions staying open ad nauseam to not getting straight answers from candidates, companies or leaders. It’s very often a role short on time and appreciation, and high on stress and work considering the pay grade.

It is a locums provider’s job to alleviate your stress, not add to it.

Accountability for this starts with the locums company. They need to start as a steward for your healthcare organization. And you should hold them accountable to:

• Respecting your time, even when it is not on their timeline• Offering fair pricing that considers what will happen to your community if there is a care gap• Curating communications to you and your organization’s preferences (i.e., make sure the shoes fits!)• Being transparent about costs, timelines, availability… everything—you want allies, not folks that take advantage of you

These should all be buy-in stakes. The days of aggressive prospecting are gone. And those who remain in the spin cycle of reusing the same marketing tactics with you—regardless of need, budget, or time—need to be left behind.

Look to your locums company to start from a place of partnership always. Set an expectation for them to make recommendations that don’t always start with the bottom line, but rather begin with communities of care. In essence, show them what it’s like to walk in your shoes, then ask them to walk alongside you instead.

The locums experts at Floyd Lee Locums can help you develop a realistic and successful approach to locums. Contact us today.