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Harris Poll Survey: Burnt-Out Healthcare Workers Plan Exit as Workforce Shortages Loom, Opportunities for Education and Growth May Convince Some to Stay

via Business Wire

AI identified as the top clinical/technical skill healthcare workers expect to need in the next five years, raising anxiety by employees and employers

A new Harris Poll survey finds that five years after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare workforce remains burnt out, with many planning their exits at the same time the U.S. is projected to have a shortage of nearly 700,000 critical healthcare workers, including physicians, RNs and LPNs by 2037. (HRSA, 2024.) However, health workers also indicate that opportunities for education and growth may convince them to stay.

The poll, which surveyed both healthcare employees and employers found that 8 in 10 healthcare workers (84%) feel that they are taken for granted. Over half (55%) admit that they’ll look for job openings, interview for, or switch to a new role in the next year. Yet, 63% of healthcare employees agree that they’d be more likely to stay with their employer if tuition support were provided.

As much of the country is projected to face, or is already facing, critical healthcare workforce shortages, Strategic Education, Inc. commissioned Harris’s research to understand the sentiment among patient-facing healthcare employees and employers and identify potential solutions to retain employees. The shortage of healthcare workers is particularly acute in rural parts of the county.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 66% of rural or partially rural counties are Health Professional Shortage Areas, geographic areas where the demand for healthcare services outstrips the available supply of providers.

“This research paints an alarming picture of a workforce at a crossroads experiencing high burnout, accelerating turnover, and intensifying demands,” said Jennifer Musil, Global President of Research at The Harris Poll. “Given the unprecedented need for care driven by the aging Baby Boomer population, these findings offer critical insights into how to better retain, support, and prepare the people at the heart of our nation’s healthcare system.”

Employees and employers agree that education and advancement opportunities could encourage workers to stay. 63% of healthcare employees agree that they’d be more likely to stay with their employer if tuition support were provided and 48% of employers note that lack of advancement and education opportunities are reasons that healthcare employees leave their organization.

Education may be particularly important to Gen Z and Millennial healthcare workers, who are most likely to report looking for a new role in the coming year. 61% of Gen Z employees report that education benefits are a reason they stay with their current employer — far above average.

“Investment in the advancement of employees is central to ensuring that the healthcare workforce feels appreciated and valued, while also prepared to meet new challenges, including AI,” said Adele Webb, Executive Dean of Healthcare Initiatives at Strategic Education. “As a nurse for more than 42 years, I have seen the expectation for employer-sponsored education grow among my colleagues as pressures and anxieties brought on by staff shortages and new technologies increase. This survey shows that continuing education should be at the heart of a strong healthcare retention strategy.”

Among the survey key findings:

Healthcare workers feel undervalued and under supported.

  • Less than 1/3 of healthcare employees feel very valued by their current employer or very loyal to them.
  • Only 1 in 5 healthcare employees feel their employer is very invested in their long-term career success beyond their current role.

The healthcare talent pipeline is leaking fastest among Gen Z and Millennials — those most critical to the industry’s future.

  • Employers report that younger, early-career employees and nursing assistants / personal care aides are the hardest individuals or roles to retain (43% and 42%, respectively).
  • 61% of Gen Z employees cite education benefits as a reason they stay with their current employer— far above average.

As AI Accelerates, So Does the Burden of Keeping Up.

  • AI is the #1 clinical/technical skill healthcare employees expect to need in the next five years (43%).
  • 42% of employees worry AI will replace some aspects of their job.
  • Employers identify AI skills training as an organizational priority (92%), but 60% report that it’s difficult to find the right resources to provide training for these skills on the job.

Healthcare workers are interested in continuing their education and expect their employer to support them.

  • More than 8 in 10 employees believe employers should be investing in their education.
  • 63% of healthcare employees agree that they’d be more likely to stay with their employer if tuition support were provided.

Some healthcare employers believe employees leave due to lack of opportunity but only half are acting on it.

  • Nearly half (48%) of employers note that lack of advancement and education opportunities as reasons that healthcare employees leave their organization.
  • Only 47% use tuition assistance or education benefits as a retention strategy.

The full survey can be found here: HealthcareWorkforceSurvey.com

Survey Methodology:

The research was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll on Strategic Education Inc. among 1,504 healthcare employees (U.S. adults aged 18 years or older who are employed full-time in healthcare and provide direct patient care in care-giving roles) and 304 healthcare employers (U.S. adults aged 21 years or older who are employed full-time in healthcare and provide direct patient care in director or higher roles and are responsible for training, hiring, and workforce development). The survey was conducted between June 26 - July 21, 2025.

About Strategic Education, Inc.

Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA) (www.strategiceducation.com) is dedicated to helping advance economic mobility through higher education. We primarily serve working adult students globally through our core focus areas: 1) Education Technology Services, developing and maintaining relationships with employers to build education benefits programs providing employees access to affordable and industry-relevant training, certificate, and degree programs, including through Workforce Edge, a full-service education benefits administration solution for employers, and Sophia Learning, which offers low-cost online general education-level courses that are ACE-recommended for college credit; 2) U.S. Higher Education, including Capella University and Strayer University, each institutionally accredited, and collectively offer flexible and affordable associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs including the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University, and non-degree web and mobile application development courses through Strayer University’s Hackbright Academy and Devmountain; and 3) Australia/New Zealand, comprised of Torrens University, Think Education, and Media Design School that collectively offer certificate and degree programs in Australia and New Zealand. This portfolio of high quality, innovative, relevant, and affordable programs and institutions helps our students prepare for success in today’s workforce and find a path to bettering their lives.

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