As Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) enters the healthcare workforce, hospital leaders will need to adapt their management strategies to engage, motivate, and retain the new generation. After all, Gen Z is expected to make up about 30% of the U.S. labor force by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We spoke with healthcare professionals in Virginia to identify five workforce retention strategies targeted toward Gen Z employees.

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5 Healthcare Workforce Retention Strategies

1. Tailor to Gen Z Communication Styles
2. Invest in a Mentorship Model for Gen Z Workers
3. Prioritize Work-Life Balance Initiatives
4. Expand Professional Development Opportunities
5. Conduct Stay Interviews to Align on Purpose

1. Tailor to Gen Z Communication Styles

Adapting your communication style to meet Gen Z preferences can go a long way in establishing guidelines and avoiding misunderstandings. The goal is to balance constructive feedback and individual accountability with a collaborative mindset. Start with these questions to establish communication standards:

• What’s the most effective way to receive feedback?
• What are your pet peeves at work?
• What helps you avoid stress?
• What should people know about working with you?
• How can I help you achieve your professional goals?

Additionally, it’s important to remember that open communication is a two-way street. Hospital leaders need to reflect on how their behaviors impact the quality of team input. Effective communication begins with psychological safety in the workplace, which is the lack of fear in interpersonal relationships. 

Psychological safety enables individuals to focus on professional growth and encourages team members to be vulnerable, ask questions, and provide upward feedback, as well as improving employee engagement and happiness. By investing in leadership development at all levels, organizations can bolster their teams’ sense of trust and willingness to communicate.

2. Invest in a Mentorship Model for Gen Z Workers

Research shows that investing in workplace mentorships is one of the most effective strategies to improve employee retention and engagement, regardless of generation. A 2019 CNBC/SurveyMonkey Workplace Happiness Survey revealed that 91% of workers with a mentor felt satisfied with their jobs.

A higher percentage of mentored workers believed they were paid well and that their contributions were valued compared to workers without mentors, who scored consistently lower in these categories. Additionally, about 40% of workers without a mentor considered quitting their jobs within the past three months, while only 25% of those with mentors felt the same.

However, traditional mentorship based on authoritarian management styles did not score well with workplace happiness. Rather, Gen Z employees preferred supportive and coaching leadership styles that de-emphasized micromanagement. They want mentors who will:

• Help navigate challenging situations
• Offer constructive feedback with actionable insights to improve
• Guide employees to explore their strengths
• Inspires action instead of demanding performance
• Actively listen to concerns before judging
• Empowers employees to make decisions and try new approaches

3. Prioritize Work-Life Balance Initiatives

Gen Z consistently ranks work-life balance as one of their top priorities when choosing (and leaving) a career. Deloitte’s global 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that more Gen Z workers are more focused on maintaining work-life balance than their predecessors, with 17% of respondents listing the factor as a top career goal. About 28% of Gen Z workers mentioned better work-life balance as the reason why they pursued a different career.

But what does work-life balance look like in healthcare? 

More hospital leaders in Virginia are investing in employee programs that address wellness holistically, including:

• Flexible staffing and scheduling options, when possible
• Accessible mental health resources like SafeHaven Virginia
• Comprehensive employee benefits programs like FairShare Insurance 
• On-site or near-site child care (or subsidized childcare costs)

4. Expand Professional Development Opportunities

Gen Z is just as ambitious as their predecessors when it comes to career growth. But professional development isn’t limited to leadership positions. Rather, for Gen Z workers, the aim is to participate in a culture of continuous learning to develop soft and industry-specific skills. 

This comes as no surprise considering that 70% of Gen Z respondents said they dedicate time to developing professional skills at least once a week, and 67% mention developing skills outside of working hours. 

Hospital leaders can retain Gen Z healthcare workers by investing in on-the-job learning opportunities that yield practical experience. Focus on developing mentorship programs that leverage in-house expertise and offer financial compensation for external learning opportunities that help the employee become more competitive.

5. Conduct Stay Interviews to Align on Purpose

Stay interviews are proactive check-ins that allow leaders to identify employee needs and prevent turnover. These yearly or biannual conversations can uncover what keeps employees engaged and what challenges might push them to leave. Another benefit is that candid stay interviews help maintain trust between leadership and people.

Ask questions such as:

• What keeps your battery charged at work? (What do you find fulfilling?)
• What really matters to you about your work?
• If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
• What might tempt you to consider a new job?
• Have there been recent situations that made you consider leaving?
• How would you describe your work-life balance?
• Do you feel like your skills are being fully utilized?

Treat stay interviews as opportunities to align your hospital’s work culture with an employee’s larger sense of purpose within their role. 

Retain Gen Z Healthcare Workers With VHHA Solutions

Managing Gen Z workers in healthcare requires more than traditional leadership. By adjusting communication styles, adopting mentorship models, and prioritizing wellness, hospital leaders can reduce employee attrition and improve their institution’s work culture. 

Investing in professional development through coaching and on-the-job training can help establish career goals. Finally, stay interviews allow healthcare leaders to check on their team’s work culture and reinforce a sense of purpose.

Improve your hospital’s workforce retention rate by connecting with a VHHA Solutions partner. Our resources are designed to help healthcare systems unlock their teams’ full potential.