Managing staff

The vast majority of healthcare clinics have systems to manage their patient information and clinical records, and to manage their finances - but how many have systems to manage their staff?  Very few.

And yet clinic owners and managers in the healthcare and allied health industries will tell you that managing staff is probably the biggest headache they face on a day-to-day basis.  It's no wonder, given the sometimes overwhelming requirements and (historically) the general lack of adequate tools to enable successful staff management in the clinic environment.

If you find yourself being stressed or frustrated by staff management issues, you may like to ask yourself how you are placed in relation to the following:

• Do I have a system for managing the documents and information that staff need access to on a day-to-day basis?
• Do I have a system for delegating tasks, assigning responsibilities and managing performance?
• Do I have clear policies and procedures that define "how we do things here"?
  • Are staff aware of them?
  • Do staff refer to them?
  • How do we go about implementing our policies (so they have meaning on a day-to-day basis)?
  • How do we monitor outcomes to ensure that these policies are working for us?
• How do I communicate expectations to my staff?
  • Do I have Position Descriptions that clearly define their roles?
  • Do I have a comprehensive HR manual that makes available to staff the information I am meant to provide them with according to employment-related laws in my region?  Awards, company policies in relation to absenteeism, drugs and alcohol, internet usage, leave, performance, etc etc?
  • Do staff know what is required of them on a day-to-day basis in terms of the things that need doing around the clinic?
  • Do I have a Staff Induction manual (specific to each of the roles that I employ people into)?
• Do I have the tools to make seeking and hiring new staff straightforward?
• Do I have the tools and information to ensure that when a staff member leaves, is made redundant or is fired that I am not faced with unexpected exposure?
• Do I have regular training programs that see us periodically reviewing customer service and professional standards?
• What is my management style? 
  • Do I transfer knowledge and set expectancies verbally? 
  • Am I always finding the need to be looking over my staff's shoulders?
  • Would I like to work for me?
  • How much time do I spend "putting out bushfires" and reacting to exceptions?
  • Are we too busy "doing things" to be "planning things"?
• Do I treat staff management issues as a lower priority (e.g. compared with seeing more patients, managing finances)?

We could go on with identifying the "issues" or "problems".  For some clinic owners and managers, just giving consideration to the questions above can bring about a sense of being overwhelmed.  Instead, let's talk solutions.

The organisations that do what they do really well generally have well-defined standards – policies, procedure, protocols that define exactly how each part of the business functions, and what each role is responsible for etc.  Of course, as you probably already know, it’s all very well to have policies and procedures, but how do you take them into action - how do implement them so that you make "best practice" become your "standard practice"? 

And how do we find the balance between getting staff to do what we want them to do, while still allowing them to function as “personalities”?

We believe the answer lies in providing a framework within which staff have a clear definition of what they are required to do, including when and how, and that fosters self-monitoring of, and accountability for, assigned tasks.  This coupled with a clearly defined set of policies and standards that provide the background for what is expected of staff, then allows staff to perform confidently in their roles with less micro (over-the-shoulder)-management - and allow managers to manage proactively, rather than reacting to avoidable problems and stresses.

Through its integrated document management and task management framework, Standard Practice offers a tangible, practical way for clinic owners and managers to alleviate many of the staff management headaches they face every day.

 

Imagine

• Staff knowing what is expected of them on a day-to-day basis
• Having any easy way to manage and monitor performance
• Staff being able to easily refer to documented policies, procedures and standards (instead of the Practice Manager constantly fielding questions)
• Being able to produce an Induction Manual for a staff member at the click of a button
• Having staff consistently perform at a standard the meets and exceeds compliance and accreditation requirements
• Getting staff to be accountable and take responsibility
• Being confident that you are complying with your employment-related obligations
• Having a complete definition of "How we do things here" - defined, implemented and working for you

Interested in finding out more?  Give us a call, have us call you, or let us show you how Standard Practice can help reduce the pain associated with staff management.

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