Top 5 Workforce Strategies Employers Can Implement Now

Practical workforce advice inspired by insights shared during the Redlands Health & Care Workforce Symposium.

Introduction

Workforce challenges continue to impact employers across the Redlands Coast, but industry leaders agree that solving these challenges requires more than recruitment alone.

During the Redlands Health & Care Workforce Symposium, employers, workforce specialists and industry leaders shared practical strategies already helping organisations attract, retain and develop their workforce.

Here are five key actions employers can consider implementing within their own business.

1. Focus on Retention, Not Just Recruitment

Many employers shared that retaining good people is becoming just as important as finding them.

Workplace culture, flexibility, wellbeing and opportunities for growth all influence whether employees choose to stay.

What employers can do:

✔ Review workplace culture and employee experience

✔ Create clear development opportunities

✔ Improve recognition and feedback practices

✔ Invest in wellbeing and flexible work arrangements

This theme emerged consistently throughout the Symposium, with participants highlighting that retention is often driven by workplace experience rather than remuneration alone.

2. Look Beyond Traditional Talent Pools

Several speakers highlighted the value of attracting career changers, mature-age workers and parents returning to the workforce.

Many organisations are finding success by focusing on transferable skills and capability rather than industry experience alone.

What employers can do:

✔ Review recruitment criteria

✔ Consider transferable skills alongside qualifications

✔ Create pathways for career changers

✔ Support return-to-work opportunities

The lived experience panel specifically explored how employers can better support career changers, parents returning to work and diverse workforce groups.

3. Build Your Own Workforce Pipeline

A strong recurring message throughout the Symposium was the importance of developing future workforce talent locally.

Rather than relying solely on external recruitment, many employers are investing in traineeships, work experience opportunities, placements and graduate pathways.

What employers can do:

✔ Partner with schools and training providers

✔ Offer work experience opportunities

✔ Explore traineeships and graduate programs

✔ Support structured career pathways

Workshop participants consistently identified stronger local workforce pipelines as a priority solution.

4. Invest in Career Development

Employees are more likely to stay when they can see a future within an organisation.

Industry leaders highlighted the importance of clear progression pathways, ongoing learning and internal mobility opportunities.

What employers can do:

✔ Create progression pathways

✔ Support ongoing training

✔ Promote internal opportunities

✔ Encourage mentoring and leadership development

Participants repeatedly identified career progression and upskilling as critical workforce priorities.

5. Collaborate More, Compete Less

One of the strongest themes to emerge from the Symposium was the need for greater collaboration across industry.

Workforce challenges are being experienced across the region and many organisations believe stronger partnerships will create better outcomes than competing for the same talent pool.

What employers can do:

✔ Build relationships with local industry partners

✔ Engage with workforce initiatives and working groups

✔ Share workforce insights and challenges

✔ Participate in regional workforce planning discussions

The Symposium repeatedly reinforced the need to shift from organisational competition to regional collaboration.

Key Takeaway

Workforce challenges are unlikely to be solved through recruitment alone.

The strongest message emerging from employers and industry leaders is that workforce success depends on creating workplaces where people want to join, grow and stay.

By focusing on retention, workforce development, local talent pathways and collaboration, employers can take practical steps towards building a stronger and more sustainable workforce.