Healthcare talent shortages continue to rise hand in hand with rates of burnout and attrition among nurses. 

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be nearly 190,000 registered nurse jobs open each year on average over the decade. 

• At the same time, around 61% of nurses plan to change roles within a year. 

• 58% report feeling burned out most days.  

The recruitment challenge for healthcare employers is real. 

 

Healthcare’s trust gap 

Nurses are concerned about staffing shortages, inflexible scheduling, and work-life balance. They want to know that their employer understands their challenges and is working to address them. 

Qualified candidates typically consider just one to three different employers when job hunting, making it more important than ever for healthcare employers to focus on building branding that stands out from the crowd. 

Most nursing recruitment campaigns rely on purpose-driven messaging to attract talent. Employers tend to emphasize a mission rooted in care, community, and impact, but they rarely address the realities of the job. 

Although purpose-led messaging still resonates, it is no longer enough to convince nurses to apply. They are increasingly evaluating roles based on the employer’s approach to working conditions, support systems, and scheduling flexibility.  

In fact, 70% of nursing candidates actively evaluate wellbeing, leadership support, and working conditions before they apply. Nursing shortages and rising burnout levels have shifted what candidates prioritize during their job search. 

Healthcare employer branding and messaging must clearly demonstrate how the role actually works for nurses – not just how important and valuable their profession is at large. 

When nurses evaluate an employer, what they’re really asking is, “can I trust you to support me when I face real challenges at work?” 

 

Purpose-driven recruitment strategies fall flat 

Nurses are driven to do their jobs by a strong desire to do meaningful work. They are inspired by their mission and the undeniable impact they have on their patients. Employers don’t have to tell nurses that they are superheroes – they already know that. 

And this is precisely why purpose-driven messaging alone falls flat in recruitment campaigns. Any healthcare provider can give nurses the space to live their purpose, but not every employer can give them the institutional support to provide world-class patient care without burning out. 

Nurses don’t want to only hear about why their work matters; they want to know: 

• Is the work sustainable? 

• Is the employer honest about the tradeoffs involved in a career in nursing? 

An effective recruitment strategy leads with employer branding strategies that drive engagement, conversion, and commitment. Right now, that’s proof-driven messaging that shows nurses how a prospective employer will support them so they can deliver life-saving care. 

 

Recruit with purpose and proof to stand out 

Purpose‑led messaging performs well at the top of the funnel. Everyone loves a feel-good story about the value nurses provide. However, when it comes to convincing a candidate to click apply, nurses pay more attention to proof-based signals. And it’s critical that these proof points translate to an organization’s digital presence, especially on career websites and core pages in their online portals.   

Study after study shows that nurses prioritize having control over their own schedules and the flexibility to decide what works best for them.  

Some 81% of nurses say flexible scheduling would improve their working conditions. When nurses don’t have a say in scheduling, dissatisfaction increases and often leads to high turnover rates, which then results in labor shortages, compounding the issue.  

Nursing candidates already understand the mission. The question they most want answered is, “will I burn out here?” 

Employers who answer that question in their employer branding and recruitment strategy can stand out from the crowd to attract top-tier nursing candidates. 

 

Build an employer brand that inspires trust 

In a crowded market for an in-demand role like nursing, employer branding is the key to building trust before candidates are actively job seeking. A strong brand not only makes an employer more recognizable but also improves how search engines and AI-powered tools surface information. By presenting a clear and consistent message on your site, you ensure these platforms can provide accurate information to candidates where they are searching most.  When future candidates are already aware of an employer, they are more likely to look for jobs at that company when the time comes.  

In healthcare, recognizable, trusted brands attract the best candidates. When trust is already established, recruiters can expect: 

• Stronger referrals 

• Quicker decision cycles 

• Higher offer acceptance 

• Lower levels of application abandonment. 

Healthcare roles carry high emotional, physical, and ethical risks for candidates. Establishing trust before the candidate even clicks apply makes the entire recruitment process smoother. However, keeping that trust is perhaps even more important. 

 

Healthcare hiring is filled with broken promises 

Once a healthcare employer has built up their reputation for providing excellent care for both their patients and their staff, it’s vital to keep that reputation intact. 

Nurses intensely evaluate employers to determine whether their employer value proposition (EVP) matches unit-level reality. Misalignment and broken promises can cause burnout and prompt nurses to resign, so it’s essential to be honest and open in employer branding. 

Avoiding any inconsistencies and discrepancies between employer branding and the lived reality of nurses is key. 

 

“Purpose with proof” is the new healthcare EVP 

The strongest healthcare employer brands anchor purpose in evidence. They live their mission to provide best-in-class care by supporting and caring for the staff who provide that essential service. 

Trust is built by showing prospective candidates : 

• What support looks like during hard shifts 

• How leaders handle staffing shortages 

• Where flexibility exists 

• The ways wellbeing is protected at work. 

 

Creating a strong employer brand drives clear ROI 

Employer branding is primarily about driving awareness, but it also functions as a risk-reduction strategy in healthcare. A trusted employer brand converts candidates more efficiently and lowers the cost per hire by shortening decision cycles and bringing in higher quality candidates. 

Companies with a strong employer brand can see a 50% decrease in cost per hire, and employer branding can help reduce the time to hire by as much as 50%. 

Budgeting for programmatic advertisements can help build an employer’s brand identity and entice qualified candidates to apply. Based on StackAdapt’s 2025 Careers & Employment vertical data, employer brands that remained active in programmatic advertising for six or more months achieved a 242% higher CTR (click-through rate) compared to those active for four months or less.  

These stats show that the key to stronger engagement is a balanced approach to ad campaigns instead of promoting the brand in short bursts around peak hiring periods. Employers still need to invest in Q4 to stay competitive in the hiring market, but prioritizing ad spend in Q1 when hiring conversion rates pick up is key. 

Candidates are more engaged and responsive to a prospective employer after they have been exposed to their brand messaging – especially when that message resonates with them. According to data from StackAdapt, when employers invest in upper-funnel promotion via CTV and video, click-through rates in Display and Native recruitment campaigns increase three times. 

Although employer branding requires continuous maintenance and investment, the cost savings compound quickly given the high cost of nurse turnover. 

 

The strategic opportunity healthcare recruiters can’t ignore 

Healthcare recruitment fails when brand promises and the day-to-day reality of work don’t line up. 

When healthcare employers communicate both purpose and proof through strong, consistent employer branding, they build trust with nursing candidates before they even start their job search. 

The key to building a strong pipeline of talented nursing talent lies in strategic messaging that clearly demonstrates an employer is dedicated to providing their nurses with the same level of care and support they provide for their patients. 

 

Ready to build an employer brand that wins trust? 

The path to rebuilding trust and attracting top nursing talent requires a clear, consistent, and honest employer brand. At Havas, we specialize in crafting these “purpose with proof” narratives that resonate with and retain the best nurses. 

If you’re ready to transform your healthcare recruitment strategy, contact us to find out how we can help you build an employer brand that stands out.