Human Resources for Doctors. Building High-Performance Teams
We're only as formidable as our teams. In the spirit of keeping things lighter than a helium balloon, here's the deal, and in simple terms:
Assembling the ultimate team requires the following steps:
Recruiting. You will need a job description and an attractive job posting. Based on the position, find the proper job portal to publish the opening. Screen the candidates, interview the finalists, process background checks and references, and make an offer.
Onboarding. This is a prevalent question from medical candidates: "How will I be trained. Will I have access to the Doctor (or NP, PA)?". So, please, do not just throw your new hires to shadow someone and learn on the job. Have a written plan, list all critical tasks, and define what you will train on that point and how long it should take. If a candidate sees that we have our sh.t together, our chance of success will dramatically increase.
Success: hiring an employee who performs and stays with the team for at least one year.
Retention. Hiring a great team member takes a lot of time and effort. We need to keep the employees committed and with a sense of purpose, or they will leave. Trust me on this one.
When I ask candidates why they are leaving their current position, 90% respond because they don't feel appreciated. So, three simple points:
We want to be part of something meaningful - which builds purpose. This leads to employee reliability.
We want to express ourselves and be listened to - which makes us feel valued. This leads to employee loyalty.
We want to be rewarded for a well-done job; the better I perform, the more I accomplish for myself. This will encourage your group to work harder.
To develop a drama-free and productive working environment, your team must know the answers to the following questions:
Am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing?
How do I know if I'm doing it right?
Who else works here? What do they do?
Do I have a future here? How do I get promoted or get a raise?
Are we doing ok? Is my job safe?
As discussed, given the high priority we should place on our prospective patients, how often do you tell yourself that your NP/PA/MAs are great at their job but may need some people skills? Alternatively, excellent people skills but lack the technical know-how or attention to detail.
It's not too much to ask for both the people and technical skills. This will require investing time and resources in training but will become a sound investment (short and long term) as this will translate almost immediately into productivity, positive reviews from your patients, and ensure retaining existing patients.