The right staff
When good people quit it can be
a nightmare.
Try The Rodney Dangerfield Method
by David Elkins
I quit,' she said, and walked
right out in the middle of the afternoon, a Winnipeg
family physician complained to a personnel placement
representative just before the holidays last December.
"There were six patients in reception. The phone kept
ringing. I was at my wits' end," she continued. "Sheila
had been with me for almost two years. She walks out.
I couldn't understand it. I still can't."
The interview with the placement
service took place at the doctor's office on the Monday
between Christmas and New Year's. She'd first called
them the same afternoon her single staff member abruptly
departed. They'd been able to send in a temporary replacement
the next day and the practice had limped along till
the end of the holidays. It was time to find someone
permanent -- and fast.
"Before we start to look
for the right person," began the head hunter, " if you
don't mind, I first have to ask you a little about your
practice and how you manage things." Over the next half
hour, the physician poured out the details of her busy
practice.
"Is that it?" asked the consultant.
She nodded. He paused for a moment and said, "You don't
need one person, you need three."
If it was intended to be
funny the humour was lost on the harried MD. "Let's
start with one, shall we," she said curtly.
After discussing the placement
service's fee the family physician agreed to pay the
$2,000 nonrefundable 'retainer' and the equivalent of
two months' salary when the employee was hired. Should
the new person leave before three months on the job,
the agency would find a replacement at no additional
charge. Should the replacement also leave, the costs
of finding yet another person to fill the vacancy would
be at the doctor's expense.
The doctor swallowed hard
and accepted. For its fee the agency would go through
its bank of potential employees and, if necessary, advertise
on the Internet and in local papers. It would come up
with five candidates they felt met the doctor's requirements.
The final interviews and the decision to hire would
be left to the doctor.
"When do you think I'll have
someone?"
"Could be a week if we're
lucky, a couple of weeks if we're not. You'd like to
continue to have us supply temporary help in the meantime?"
That was a no-brainer. But what the consultant suggested
next was not. He asked the doctor to complete a self-assessment
questionnaire to, as he said, "determine your future
needs." As it turned out, the Winnipeg practitioner
didn't like her score very much. (Check out the quiz
in the right column)
It took the doctor 20 minutes
to puzzle out her answers. She handed it to the consultant
with some apprehension. He glanced at the sheet and
asked if they could take a few minutes to review it.
As the physician well knew,
the questionnaire revealed some holes in her staff relations.
HERE
ARE SOME POINTS THE CONSULTANT MADE:
Staffing
requirements Most practices have fewer employees
than they need, rather than more. Says human resources
expert Robert McCormick: "The fact is, most practices
are understaffed. If a doctor either in solo or group
practice finds she's racing to keep up, nine times out
of 10 an additional nurse practitioner can not only
help ease the stress level, they often increase overall
practice income. The rationale for not going ahead is
always, 'I/we can't afford it.' I respond: at present
revenue levels you're right, but if you have the space
for an extra examination room, for example, then go
for it. Another medical staffer will ease the burden
-- and more than pay for their keep. Practice loads
grow to fill their capacity."
Salaries
The most important practice asset after the physicians
is the staff. Paying a little more beats paying less,
every time. Don't go overboard, but an extra 10% can
make the difference between a practice with a revolving
door and a stable workforce. Replacing people is expensive
-- and there are no quality guarantees.
Performance
reviews Do them and do them often. Make the process
formal -- and short. Ten or 15 minutes every three months
works well. It keeps you and your staff on the same
wavelength and nothing is better than that for achieving
both personal and practice goals.
Benefits
Most practices provide some enhanced health insurance.
Adding dental coverage is an appreciated bonus, if you
can afford it. But don't extend it to the employee's
family, that's too pricey. Also, be generous with time
off. In families where both parents are working time
can be a better perk than money. Flexible hours can
mean snagging and keeping a valuable employee. Few practices
offer pensions though some larger groups do offer deductions
at source for RRSP contributions.
Management
techniques There are almost as many ways of managing
as there are managers. The underlying approach, however,
is always the same. It could be called The Rodney Dangerfield
Method: Show some respect. Know the employee's abilities
and competence level -- and have some idea of the stresses
in their life in and out of the office. Add a good dash
of respect and you'll do just fine. Delegate, delegate,
delegate -- it's a sign of confidence in the abilities
of those who work for you. Remember too, the golden
rule of delegation: the more they do, the less you have
to do.
Being a good manager has
at least as much art to it as medicine; the better you
get at it, the smoother your life inside and outside
the office will be.
|
