Outside-in strategies address broader workforce challenges and help build a sustainable talent pool. By proactively engaging with and training members of local communities, health systems can more effectively meet staffing demands while fostering economic growth in the areas they serve.  

Due to the sheer volume of applicants, traditional hiring practices are designed to whittle down the application pool. Many local residents who may be qualified for positions are screened out for reasons unrelated to their ability to do the job. These include organizational barriers such as inflated education and experience qualifications on job descriptions or unconscious bias in the hiring process. At the same time, individuals face practical challenges, such as the cost of pursuing education and training, difficulty navigating the application and interview process, and transportation and childcare challenges. Health systems that equip local residents for high-demand jobs through training and skills development, and connect these candidates to pathways that provide entry points to the institution, improve the efficiency of their own recruiting and hiring processes and expand employment opportunities for local residents. By developing intentional outside-in pathways to employment, health systems lay the foundation for a healthier and more vibrant community, and help to ensure greater economic opportunity for all.

In this section

1.1 Core Elements of Outside-in Programs

Key components of an intentional, outside-in strategy

  1. Partner with an effective workforce intermediary
  2. Benefits of intermediary partnerships
  3. Utilize a cohort training model focused on specific positions
  4. Develop paid training programs with pathways to hire, such as internships and apprenticeships
1.2 Outside-in Program Design Strategies

Best practices for setting up an intentional, outside-in pathway program

  1. Designate geographic focus on economically under-resourced areas
  2. Focus on the needs of residents facing employment challenges
  3. Focus on jobs with clear career pathways
  4. Include soft skills or foundational skills training along with technical training
  5. Guarantee interviews for cohort graduates
  6. Involve hiring managers in the training process from the beginning
1.3 Institutional System Changes

Strategies for changing internal policies and building a culture of inclusion

  1. Provide transparency to candidates about the recruitment process
  2. Analyze ideas and standards of professionalism for unintended bias
  3. Align with other institutional goals
  4. Foster collaboration between human resources and community health and engagement departments
  5. Connect workforce planning, organizational development and learning, and talent acquisition activities
  6. Leverage capital projects for outside-in recruitment and training opportunities
1.4 Strategies for Intermediary Organization Partners

Key strategies for workforce intermediaries to implement

  1. Function in a hub/navigator role to connect residents to job opportunities that best fit their skills, work experience, and interests
  2. Offer wraparound supports and soft skills training
  3. Continue to support graduates as they enter their new jobs
  4. Collaborate with other anchor institutions or local economic development efforts