How to combat the counter offer

rwrhealth.com • May 20, 2025

If you are responsible for recruitment within your team or organisation you’ve no doubt experienced how competitive the current candidate market is. The number of vacancies listed in the healthcare sector is growing, yet with border restrictions and the fear of uncertainty, there are fewer candidates actively applying for roles.

Active job seekers hold the power with many being in situations where they have multiple offers on the table, from both other opportunities or their current employers in a bid to retain them. In order to ensure a successful recruitment outcome for your vacancy, you must anticipate that multiple and counteroffers are more prevalent than ever and could impact your recruitment process.

At every touchpoint engage with your candidate, seek to understand what other roles they are considering or in the process for. This will help discover the appeal of other opportunities and understand how your offer is positioned against them. Benchmark your offer (remuneration and benefits) to ensure it meets what others in the market are offering. This doesn’t necessarily mean increasing the salary (although in some instances this will work) there are other factors equally important to job seekers in the current market. Work/life balance has fast become one of the biggest motivating factors for candidates to seek a new opportunity, evaluating your roster structure to accommodate this will help your opportunity stand out. The ability to be flexible with your offer demonstrates to a candidate that you invested in a long term partnership with them.

In order to mitigate the risk of your preferred candidate accepting a counter offer there are steps you can take from the start to set yourself up for success. First and foremost, a clear timeline from the 1st interview through to the job offer will provide structure and keep the wheels moving. Regularly check in with your applicants to keep them engaged - even letting them know there are no updates is an update to them. If there are multiple stakeholders involved that will be a part of your 2nd or 3rd interview book those interview times in their calendars from the outset - the scramble to align everyone’s schedules towards the end of the process adds pressure and stress that can easily be avoided by organising this in advance. Time is precious and waiting for calendars to align could mean the difference between a candidate accepting an offer that has already been presented to them instead of waiting for you.

Ensure you and your team are ready to sell your brand and promote all the great things about working in your business. When engaging a potential new hire, share the importance of the role, the challenges they may face (for many candidates this is a positive opportunity for them to make a difference to your organisation and customers), outline the training that will be provided throughout onboarding and ongoing and lastly share examples of others in your business; when they started, how they progressed and the long-term progression pathways available within the company. Be honest and open, there should be no questions left unanswered - the more information a candidate has, the easier it is for them to make the decision to join your team.

Checklist:

Your position description is up to date and ready to share
Process and timeline in place and all stakeholders engaged (ideally 5-10 days max)
Market checked your remuneration and benefits on offer
Does your job advertisement position the vacancy well to stand out in this market?
Candidate engagement plan - all aboard and ready to sell your organisation and job opportunity

Our team has experienced the surge in counteroffers firsthand, they’re more than happy to chat with you in more detail about how your business can overcome this and ensure you have a successful recruitment outcome.

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Leadership Starts With You: Why Your Health Is Your Responsibility

By RWR Group Marketing • July 14, 2025

Let’s be honest. When you're running a team, driving results, showing up for clients, and solving problems before most people finish their first coffee, it’s easy to forget the one person you need to lead first: yourself. But the truth is, if you’re running on empty, everyone around you feels it. This is your friendly reminder that taking care of your mental and physical health is responsible leadership. You Can’t Lead Well If You’re Running on Empty There’s a strange badge of honour in pushing through exhaustion, skipping lunch, or catching up on work at midnight. But burnout doesn’t make you a better leader. It makes you reactive, distracted, and less present for your team. You don’t need to hit rock bottom to permit yourself to reset. Taking care of yourself is part of the job. Your Team Feels Your Energy You might not notice it, but your team does. The mood you bring into the office, the way you handle pressure, and how present you are in meetings all reflect how you’re feeling inside. Leaders who are well-rested, mentally clear, and physically energised create environments that are calmer, more productive, and more human. Wellness as a Leadership Strategy Think of your well-being as a core part of your leadership toolkit. Your ability to make good decisions, regulate stress, show up with empathy, and motivate others all hinge on your personal health. Some of the best leaders are the ones with clarity, energy, and emotional stability. That comes from proper rest, good fuel, movement, support, and boundaries. You don’t have to become a wellness influencer overnight, but small shifts compound over time. Nobody Else Can Do This For You You delegate. You lead. You lift others. But here’s the kicker: no one can take care of your well-being for you. Yes, workplaces can and should support wellness. But ultimately, the responsibility sits with you, and that’s empowering because you get to choose what your baseline looks like. Wellbeing Is Part of the Job Description If you’ve been waiting for permission to put your health first, here it is. Because when leaders take proactive care of themselves, everyone benefits. You don’t have to overhaul your life. Just start. Take a breath. Drink some water. Move your body. Call a friend. Go to bed earlier. Then do it again tomorrow.

The Real Cost of Healthcare Staff Shortages and Why Recruitment Matters More Than Ever

By RWR Group Marketing • June 11, 2025

If you’re working in the health sector, you don’t need statistics to tell you how stretched the system is, you feel it every day. From hospital corridors to aged care homes, and midwives to radiographers, workforce shortages are straining every corner of care. And it’s not slowing down. The Numbers Speak Volumes Nursing : By 2025, Australia is expected to face a shortage of over 85,000 nurses. That’s not just numbers, that’s real pressure in EDs, wards, and community health services. Midwifery : Almost 10,000 midwives are short. Maternity services are under stress. Allied Health : Physiotherapists, OTs, speech pathologists, and radiographers are in critical demand in both public and private sectors. Theatre & Anaesthetics : Surgical delays are increasing because there simply aren’t enough technicians to support the load. Aged Care : With turnover rates hitting 50% in some facilities, continuity of care is becoming harder to guarantee. What’s driving this? An aging workforce, high levels of burnout, and increasingly complex care needs. Over 40% of healthcare workers report stress-related symptoms. That’s not sustainable for anyone. At RWR Health , we don’t just place candidates. We partner with people. We believe recruitment plays a frontline role in supporting the sector, finding the right talent, helping organisations retain them, and offering strategies that care for the carers. Because the truth is, we’re not just solving staffing problems, we’re helping build a stronger, more resilient healthcare system. If you're in the sector, we want to hear from you. Let’s talk challenges, but more importantly, let’s talk solutions. Call us today!

RWR Health Launches in Australia

By RWR Group Marketing • June 5, 2025

RWR Health has officially launched in Australia, expanding its trusted recruitment expertise to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Backed by the award-winning RWR Group, the agency brings over 30 years of healthcare experience and specialist recruitment knowledge to the market. With a fresh approach to candidate engagement, talent mapping, career planning, and employer branding, RWR Health addresses a growing market need for smarter, values-led recruitment. The agency blends AI-powered sourcing with deep market intelligence and a unique human approach, ensuring that employers connect with professionals who truly align with their values and culture. “Our launch in Australia represents a pivotal moment,” says John Caldwell, Global CEO of RWR Group. “We’ve built a reputation for specialist recruitment that doesn’t compromise on quality or care. Now, we’re bringing that proven model to healthcare organisations across Australia, where the need for high-impact, values-aligned talent has never been greater.” RWR Health stands apart by combining predictive technology and deep local knowledge with personal connection, delivering not just speed and efficiency, but long-term fit. With 30+ years of healthcare experience and a network of over 600,000 candidates, the team is equipped to fill roles across clinical, non-clinical, and executive functions, often in under 25 days. RWR Group, founded in 2001, is the force behind industry-leading recruitment brands across Australasia, including Retailworld, Hospoworld, RWR Construction, and Executive Search. With 22 offices across the region and an award-winning leadership team, the group continues to set a new standard in industry-specialist recruitment. For employers ready to grow or candidates seeking purpose-driven roles, visit www.rwrhealth.com or connect with the team on LinkedIn.