Improving Employee Retention

Regardless of the number of employees in your medical practice, knowing your employee’s future intentions is important for the medical practice’s continued success; however, the impact of an employee deciding to leave a small practice because the employee didn’t feel he was part of the team could have a greater impact on clinic operations. Is there something you could have done to avoid a good employee leaving?

The number one reason for an employee’s resignation is their relationship with their boss. Whether you are the Practice Administrator or the employee’s direct supervisor, the expectations you set on the employee’s first day of work and the desire for them to be successful, and then continually reinforcing those expectations can play a huge part in the employee’s satisfaction.

Many practices have up to four generations in their workforce… Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and Millennials. How you interact with each group may be different, and you must be flexible in how you talk and listen to these various groups of employees.

How often do you meet with your employee for a one-on-one session to review their performance, strengths, and areas for improvement? Schedule a meeting with the employee monthly, if possible; however, no less than a quarterly basis. The annual performance evaluation is not the time to bring up concerns that happened months ago. We have suggested topics for your meeting:

• Ask the employee if they are satisfied with their current role in the practice.
• If you know you have a position to fill in the next several months, ask the person if they have any interest in making a change to another position.
• Ask the employee what they need from management.
• While it is customary for the supervisor to establish goals for the next year, this is a great opportunity to ask the employee if there are any seminars or conferences they would like to attend to enhance their knowledge.

Do your employees know the medical practice’s mission? Sure, the mission statement may be in the Employee Handbook, but have you reinforced the practice’s mission with your employees lately? Tell the employee how they fit into the overall mission. Explain the medical practice’s goals for growth, both short-term and long-term. Ask for their input. We all want the employees to take an ‘ownership’ role; however, if we don’t keep them engaged or make them feel that their opinions matter, we have unhappy employees; and this can have a negative impact on the clinic’s operations.

The number two reason for an employee leaving is because they are bored, or not challenged. Have you reviewed your employee’s workload to their job description? Are there tasks that the employee is not doing, or perhaps can be added to their current role by cross-training the employee with another position in the practice. What additional training may be needed? Staff development pertaining to an employee’s role is also an important part of keeping your staff motivated. We can all agree that there are many changes occurring next year regarding reimbursement and compliance. Do your employees know their role with MIPS or APM’s? How are your employees getting their information to deal with the upcoming changes?

Are you investing in your staff’s future by encouraging your employees to attend training related to their position? Many local professional associations have annual meetings that focus on various aspects of medical practice management. Sending an employee to a local meeting is more cost effective than sending them to a regional or national meeting. Check with your local chapters for the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) or Healthcare Finance Management Association (HFMA) for information regarding meetings, as well as membership in the organization.

Concordis Practice Management, LLC can assist you with your HR needs. Contact us today at 210-704-1014 to schedule a consult or visit our website at www.concordispm.com to review the medical practice management services we provide.

References:

https://www.thebalance.com/top-reasons-why-employees-quit-their-job-1918985

https://www.themuse.com/advice/6-questions-you-can-ask-to-keep-your-employees-loyal-and-happy

https://evolllution.com/opinions/employers-should-take-responsibility-for-employee-development/

https://hbr.org/2011/02/making-sure-your-employees-succeed

http://www.yourcareerintel.com/be-a-leader/seven-great-questions-managers-ask-performance-reviews/

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