Trends Impacting the Healthcare Workforce & Employers

Posted by Des Sinkevich on February 12, 2026

• Certification has become a baseline expectation, with employers increasingly requiring credentials, offering higher pay for certified professionals, and using certification as a marker of job readiness and performance.
• Internal training programs are a proven solution to staffing shortages, helping healthcare organizations upskill existing employees, reduce reliance on external hiring, and build long-term workforce stability.
• Credential-aligned workforce development can improve recruitment and retention, signaling investment in employee growth while ensuring organizations meet industry standards and deliver high-quality patient care.

One of the most compelling trends from the NHA report is how strongly certification is tied to hiring and performance expectations across allied health roles:

• A large majority of employers now require certification for roles such as medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, and phlebotomy techs.
• Employers not only prefer certified candidates—they’re willing to pay more for them. Compensation increases tied to credentialing are one of the fastest-growing workforce practices.
• Employees themselves recognize the value of credentials, with most reporting that certification is key to doing their jobs effectively.

For healthcare facilities and employers, this trend underscores the strategic importance of aligning training pathways with industry-recognized certifications. When your internal training leads to certification success, it signals competence to the market and, internally, shows dedication to career advancement for employees – making you a more attractive employer.

Read more: Medical Assistants: The Backbone of Modern Healthcare

Healthcare employers are increasingly building capacity from within:

• 83% of organizations say developing internal training programs is an effective way to sustain quality talent.
• On-the-job training remains a dominant method for equipping staff with real-world clinical skills.
• Nearly two-thirds of employers are actively upskilling staff for new roles, demonstrating a commitment to career progression.

These internal pathways help address the healthcare staffing crisis head-on by retaining skilled workers and reducing reliance on external recruitment. Upskilling and training programs serve as a bridge not just for filling open positions, but for strengthening institutional resilience in the face of ongoing workforce challenges.

Read more: How Training Programs Help Rural Hospitals Build a Sustainable Healthcare Workforce

While hiring remains difficult across healthcare roles, retention has emerged as the top workforce concern for the next five years. More than half of employers report employee retention as a primary challenge, and certification is linked not just to hiring but to keeping good talent.

Investing in credential-aligned training programs sends a clear message to your workforce: we value your growth and want you here long-term.

The alignment between employer needs and credentialing trends is why partnering with organizations like Penn Foster and aligning your workforce development strategy with recognized credentials matters:

• You’re not just training workers—you’re preparing them to meet employer expectations in the real world.
• Credentialed employees are proven to have stronger job performance and deliver higher standards of care.
• Internal training tied to certification improves recruitment outcomes and enhances employee satisfaction and retention.

Read more: From Community Impact to Career Pathways

As healthcare organizations face a staffing struggle over the next decade, it’s vital to find effective and proven methods to attract, retain, and upskill talented employees, not only to meet the needs of the organization – but to also ensure your patients and clients can receive the best care possible. Through self-paced, online healthcare training that aligns with recognized national credentials, you can attract new talent, invest in your current employees to improve retention, and provide top-notch care. And, with training from programs like those provided by Penn Foster, your organization can build an effective, streamlined practice for training and internal career growth without the hassle and cost of building internal training programs! To learn more about our healthcare programs and how they align to the credentials you’re looking for, reach out to our training experts today!

Sources:
National Health Career Association. “2025 Industry Outlook.” nhanow.com. January 22, 2024.