Factors influencing retention of patient-facing genetic counselors: Role of generational age and work environment

Abstract

Retention is a challenge that every health organization faces in an evolving and competitive market, including those in hospital settings. Some healthcare professions have identified factors that influence their employees to either stay or leave, which has led to the development and implementation of targeted strategies to increase job satisfaction and retention. Prior to this study, only factors associated with leaving have been identified in the genetic counseling profession. Despite the growing number of genetic counselors in the field, a shortage of patient-facing genetic counselors is expected by 2030. Therefore, this study explored three topics among patient-facing genetic counselors: (1) intent to stay in their current position, (2) top factors that influence this decision, (3) whether these factors differ by generational age, and (4) whether these factors differ by work setting. Genetic counselors who were in a patient-facing position for ≥6 months, board-certified, and working in the United States or Canada were eligible for study participation. Of the 520 respondents, the majority (84.6%) intend to stay in their current position. The top factors selected for staying were flexibility (58.9%), colleagues (56.4%), salary (52.0%), autonomy (48.1%), location (47.5%), and specialty (44.0%). Generation X was more likely to choose autonomy and less likely to choose location in their top five factors for staying compared to other generations. Individuals working in industry were more likely to choose flexibility and autonomy; those in academic centers were more likely to choose colleagues; those in non-hospital clinics were more likely to choose salary; and those in non-academic health centers were more likely to choose location compared to other work settings. Based on our results, clinical leadership should allocate resources to strategies that increase flexibility, foster a collaborative environment, and promote autonomy within the workplace to increase retention and prevent the predicted shortage of patient-facing genetic counselors.