How Bon Secours Mercy Health is confronting the nursing shortage with tuition-free education
Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the nation’s largest health systems, was not immune to the industry-wide clinical talent shortage. The solution? Creating education-powered career pathways to retain and develop internal talent while attracting new candidates and powering DE&I efforts.
CASE STUDY
A sustainable solution to the talent crisis starts with equitable education and career pathways
To confront the worsening nursing shortage, Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) partnered with Guild to create a more equitable, affordable, and strategic education benefit. Their previous program was underutilized, partly because it was not accessible to frontline workers without college degrees.
With Guild, BSMH began offering tuition-free education programs, building career pathways into priority roles and offering coaching support to employees navigating the process. As a result, BSMH was able to retain key talent, attract new candidates, and create career and economic mobility for all employees.
ATTRACT | RETAIN | DEVELOP
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Payment
Policy
Learning providers
Payment
Policy
Payment
Policy
Learning providers
Technology and support
Measuring impact
“Whether you’re motivated by BSMH’s Mission and the greater good of helping vulnerable patient populations, being a specialist in your field, or boosting your earning potential, then Guild is your catalyst.”
Jeff Johnson, Director of Internal Mobility
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1.2M+
66%
increase in hiring over the past year to combat the talent shortage at BSMH
40%
of employees surveyed cited the new education benefit as a factor in their decision to join BSMH
52%
lower turnover in first eight months between non-engaged employees and those who have engaged with the benefit
71%
Challenges
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solutions
nurses needed in the U.S. by 2030
1.2M+
of acute and critical-care nurses have thought about quitting nursing entirely
66%
increase in hiring over the past year to combat the talent shortage at BSMH
40%
of employees surveyed cited the new education benefit as a factor in their decision to join BSMH
52%
lower turnover in first eight months between non-engaged employees and those who have engaged with the benefit
71%
A sustainable solution to the talent crisis starts with equitable education and career pathways
To confront the worsening nursing shortage, Bon Secour Mercy Health (BSMH) partnered with Guild to create a more equitable, affordable, and strategic education benefit. Their previous program was underutilized, partly because it was not accessible to frontline workers without college degrees.
With Guild, BSMH began offering tuition-free education programs, building career pathways into priority roles and offering coaching support to employees navigating the process. As a result, BSMH was able to retain key talent, attract new candidates, and create career and economic mobility for all employees.
ATTRACT | RETAIN | DEVELOP
Challenges
Solutions
Challenges
Solutions
million new jobs in healthcare between 2020–2030
2.6+
of healthcare workers are considering leaving because of COVID’s impact
30%
associates across the BSMH health system
60,000
clinical certifications, undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and nursing degrees available to BSMH employees
120
associates enrolled in the first few weeks of program launch, including more than 400 nurses
2,000
An innovative workforce supply strategy centered on education
To address the acute talent shortage in healthcare, Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) turned inward, tapping their existing workforce by creating new opportunities for education and skill-building aligned closely to career pathways in high demand. By funding tuition and providing robust guidance and support, BSMH is enabling its people to grow into new (often higher paying) roles.
PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE
nurses needed in the U.S. by 2030
1.2M+
of acute and critical-care nurses have thought about quitting nursing entirely
66%
increase in hiring over the past year to combat the talent shortage at BSMH
40%
of employees surveyed cited the new education benefit as a factor in their decision to join BSMH
52%
lower turnover in first eight months between non-engaged employees and those who have engaged with the benefit
71%
Challenges
Solutions
