The health and aged care sector is navigating a period of significant workforce change. Healthcare organisations continue to face staffing shortages, rising patient demand and growing pressure to maintain quality care. At the same time, healthcare professionals are rethinking what they expect from employers.
For years, compensation dominated workforce conversations. And while pay remains important, healthcare professionals also look at other factors such as wellbeing, flexibility, career development and workplace culture when evaluating potential employers.
According to Randstad's Employer Brand Research 2026, healthcare talent now ranks work-life balance as the most important attribute of an ideal employer, ahead of salary and benefits, job security and workplace atmosphere. For organisations focused on recruiting healthcare professionals, understanding these changing expectations is crucial. Healthcare talent wants an employer that supports their long-term success.
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the 2026 healthcare talent landscape
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the healthcare and social assistance sector will generate nearly 1 in every 4 new Australian jobs over the next decade. Yet with 82% of healthcare roles reporting active national shortages, attracting and retaining skilled talent has become the industry's most urgent priority.
To bridge this gap, employers must adapt to a fundamental shift in workforce expectations. Job interviews that once centered strictly on salary now revolve around non-monetary priorities—with candidates actively evaluating employers on work flexibility, wellbeing support, career development, and long-term employability.
Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 shows that healthcare talent increasingly evaluates employers across a wider range of factors. Work-life balance, salary and benefits, job security, workplace atmosphere and career progression all rank among the top drivers of employer choice. For healthcare recruiters and employers alike, this presents an opportunity to rethink attraction and retention strategies around the full employee experience rather than compensation alone.
While AI in healthcare is often viewed through the lens of replacement, healthcare leaders continue to emphasise that technology is changing how work gets done rather than eliminating the need for healthcare professionals. Administrative processes, scheduling activities and documentation tasks are now supported by automation. This empowers healthcare professionals to focus on patient-facing responsibilities where communication, empathy and clinical judgment remain essential.
the new hierarchy of needs.
Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 reveals that work life balance for healthcare professionals has become a leading factor in employer choice.
According to our research, 63% of healthcare talent identify work-life balance as an important attribute of an ideal employer. Salary and benefits follow closely at 60%, followed by job security at 57%, a pleasant work atmosphere at 56% and career progression and equal opportunities at 51%.
These findings reflect the realities of healthcare work. Long shifts, workforce shortages and round-the-clock care requirements make recovery and balance increasingly important. Moreover, our research shows that while work-life balance is the strongest overall need, salary and benefits often become the deciding factor when healthcare professionals compare employment opportunities. For nursing directors, facility managers and HR leaders, this means the conversation is no longer about choosing between pay and wellbeing. Health and aged care talent expects both.
Work life balance for healthcare professionals is also shaped by several practical factors. A positive work environment, sufficient time off, flexibility and manageable workloads all contribute to how employees experience balance in their daily work. When these elements are missing, retention becomes more difficult.
mental health as a non-negotiable.
Burnout continues to be one of the most pressing workforce challenges in healthcare. Patient care can be demanding, and as such, there is a growing expectation that employers play an active role in protecting employee wellbeing and supporting mental health.
Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 research shows that healthcare talent associates healthy work-life balance with a good work environment, adequate recovery time, flexible work arrangements and wellbeing support. For employers, these factors are closely tied to operational outcomes. Burnout contributes to absenteeism, turnover and workforce instability. These challenges can affect continuity of care and increase pressure on remaining team members.
The research also highlights the growing importance of employee benefits in healthcare. Leave and time-off benefits are the most valued secondary benefits among healthcare talent. Flexible work and lifestyle benefits, health and wellbeing support, and retirement and financial security benefits follow closely behind. This suggests that healthcare professionals are looking beyond traditional compensation packages.
bridging the 95/53 confidence gap
Our Workmonitor 2026 report highlights a massive confidence gap between employers and their teams. believe their business is on track for growth over the next year (38% agree, 62% somewhat agree), only 53% of Australian talent share that optimism. In a healthcare setting, this disconnect often stems from chronic staff shortages, heavy workloads and a lack of clear career progression.
For HR leaders, communication becomes a critical workforce strategy. Take job security as an example. Healthcare professionals do not define job security solely through employment stability. Reliable pay, transparent communication, recognition and fair employment practices all contribute to a stronger sense of security.
Generational differences play a huge part, too. Our research shows that 40% of Gen Z healthcare talent link learning, development and long-term employability directly to job security, compared to just 12% of Baby Boomers. This creates an entirely new set of expectations. Your people want to know exactly where your organisation is heading, and how they can grow alongside it.
practical next steps
Healthcare organisations that focus only on filling vacancies may solve immediate staffing needs, but building a stable workforce requires a broader approach.
Organisations should evaluate whether their employee benefits are aligned with current healthcare workforce expectations. Recovery time, flexibility, wellbeing support and learning opportunities are becoming increasingly important components of an attractive employer value proposition.
The future of healthcare depends on people and technology working together. For health and aged care employers, Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 offers valuable insight into what healthcare talent values most and how organisations can strengthen attraction and retention strategies accordingly.
frequently asked questions.
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is salary still the primary motivator for healthcare professionals?
While still critical, 2026 data shows work-life balance has become a top priority, sometimes surpassing pay. Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 found that 63% of healthcare talent consider work-life balance an important attribute of an ideal employer, compared with 60% who prioritise salary and benefits, reflecting growing demand for manageable workloads, recovery time and flexibility.
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how does AI impact entry-level nursing roles?
AI is increasingly handling administrative burdens, allowing new talent to focus more on patient care. As automation supports tasks such as documentation, scheduling and workflow management, entry-level healthcare professionals can spend more time developing clinical skills, patient communication and other responsibilities where human judgment remains essential.
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why is there a confidence gap between management and frontline staff?
While Workmonitor 2026 highlights a confidence gap between employers and talent, Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 suggests that unmet expectations may also play a role. Healthcare talent places significant importance on work-life balance and compensation, yet these remain the areas where employers show the largest delivery gaps.
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what are secondary benefits that talent values most?
Flexible scheduling, mental health support and continuous learning opportunities are among the secondary benefits healthcare talent increasingly values. Randstad’s Employer Brand Research 2026 also found that leave and time-off benefits rank among the most important secondary benefits, highlighting the growing importance of wellbeing, recovery and professional development in employer choice.
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can a better employer brand really solve talent scarcity?
Yes, employers that differentiate through strong wellbeing and safety cultures often see higher retention and offer acceptance. While employer branding alone cannot eliminate workforce shortages, healthcare organisations that support work-life balance, career growth and employee wellbeing are generally better positioned to attract and retain talent in a competitive labour market.
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claudia davies
senior consultant healthcare