Healthcare Workforce Development Strategies That Improve Retention

Healthcare organizations face persistent challenges in recruiting, retaining, and preparing employees to deliver high-quality, relationship-based care. Education and training help employees build the skills needed to apply effective approaches, including those central to Southcentral Foundation’s relationship-based Nuka System of Care. And it can allow current employees to grow into new positions, reducing the need for outside recruitment, which can often be difficult. SCF offers workforce training for many different types of employees; two examples are:

• The Administrative Support Training Program. This is an 8.5 week training program for new administrative support employees that includes 3.5 weeks of classroom training and 5 weeks of on-the-job training. The curriculum includes but is not limited to education about SCF, communication and conflict resolution training, training in professional administrative skills, and technical training. Employees are placed with a department as part of their training so they have the chance to learn about what the department does and how they can support its functions.
• The Manager and Supervisor In-Training Program. This program prepares SCF employees to assume management and supervisory roles. The program lasts 12 weeks and offers strategic and relational skill development in alignment with workforce and leadership competencies. Elements of the program include but are not limited to participation in SCF’s Leadership Development and Succession Planning System, training and classroom learning, mentoring and on-the-job training, and partnership shadowing. The program also places candidates in departments or clinics where there are management or supervisory vacancies.

In part due to its workforce development efforts, SCF has seen good results for employee retention. SCF is performing above the national benchmark in the most recent year on the question “I would stay with Southcentral Foundation if offered a similar position elsewhere.” SCF achieved its highest retention rate in 2025 of 86.3%, and since 2021 SCF has improved retention by over 7%. Retention has improved across all job categories over time. Additionally, SCF has an employee satisfaction rate of 90%.

SCF’s experience demonstrates that organizations can strengthen their workforce by combining structured learning, on-the-job training, mentoring, and clear pathways for advancement. These practices can be adapted to other workplaces seeking to develop employees, prepare future leaders, improve retention, and support consistent, relationship-based service.

For more information on workforce development at SCF, or any other aspect of SCF’s Nuka System of Care, feel free to contact the SCF Learning Institute.