How Do Allied Health Professionals Construe the Role of the Remote Workforce? New Insight into Their Recruitment and Retention

Abstract

PurposeAllied health workforce recruitment and retention in remote areas is a global problem. Using case studies from the Australian allied health workforce, this paper adds new information by combining personality trait information with a detailed understanding of how the cases construe the demands of remote work, which may be useful in addressing this problem.MethodsFour cases (two urban, two remote) are presented from a mixed methods study (n = 562), which used (1) the Temperament and Character Inventory to investigate personality traits of allied health professionals; and (2) repertory grid interviews to reveal quantitatively and qualitatively how the cases construed their Ideal work role compared with their Current and a Remote role. Cases also self-assessed their fit (‘suited’ or ‘not suited’) with remote.FindingsDifferences in the way cases construed their fit with remote work was related to prior experience. However all were satisfied with their work, perceiving their Current role as similar to their Ideal. All saw remote work as requiring generalist expertise and a reliance on relationships. Personality traits, especially Novelty Seeking and Harm Avoidance, fit with how allied health professionals perceived their role.ConclusionsThe combination of two distinct lines of investigation, illustrates what more can be revealed about allied health professional’s career choices by taking into account the fit or lack of fit between their personality tendencies, their construing of remote work and their life circumstances. Understanding the combined influence of perceptions and traits on an individual toward or away from remote work may enhance recruitment and retention internationally.

The Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework: A Guide for Addressing Health Workforce Challenges in the Rural Context

“…In the main, retention studies have focused on the influence of organisational and role conditions, with far less research being undertaken to strengthen understanding of the inter-and intra-personal determinants. This is despite the fact that psychosocial and personal factors are increasingly being found to significantly influence retention [13,[15][16][17]. Notwithstanding this uneven focus in current research, the identification of factors that influence rural health workforce retention have been important for building understanding regarding the complex interplay between the domains and the need for development of effective strategies in all three domains [18].…”

<p>The Rural Pharmacy Practice Landscape: Challenges and Motivators</p>

“…The majority of Australia's health workforce reside in metropolitan or regional cities, while rural and remote areas are often chronically understaffed. 10,15,16 This maldistribution has been well documented in the past, in the fields of medicine, nursing, and allied health disciplines as well as pharmacy. 4, [16][17][18][19] High rates of turnover, a lack of staff, and reliance on the recruitment of short-term locums not only has a high financial cost, but may lead to safety risks to staff and patients and a lower quality of healthcare provision.…”

“…10,15,16 This maldistribution has been well documented in the past, in the fields of medicine, nursing, and allied health disciplines as well as pharmacy. 4, [16][17][18][19] High rates of turnover, a lack of staff, and reliance on the recruitment of short-term locums not only has a high financial cost, but may lead to safety risks to staff and patients and a lower quality of healthcare provision. 5,[20][21][22][23] In pharmacy, this may include limited medication management services and reduced access to services.…”

“…1,9,10 Feelings of belongingness and "sense of community" are also important to rural and remote pharmacists, and may increase retention. 1,16,19,26 Having a rural background is known to be associated with willingness to live and work rurally. 1,10,26,27 Of the twelve participants of this study, seven were of rural origin, and five of these had spent over 15 years working in rural pharmacy, which supports this association.…”

Reviewing papers for Australian Journal of Rural Health—The benefits and the mechanics

“…As such, this editorial also seeks to 'give back' and support our volunteer reviewers whose contributions to this journal are highly valued and appreciated. 1 All three authors of this editorial are Associate Editors of the AJRH, on the editorial boards of other journals, and have significant experience in editorial processes, reviewing, writing for high-quality journals [7][8][9] and training researchers to achieve high-quality outcomes. Part of the role of senior researchers is to upskill early-career researchers and mid-career researchers (ECRs and MCRs) to build their research capacity and to plan for succession.…”