Opinions on staffing crisis in a small business

[TPI]

This is clearly a niche industry. Makes me feel that I should set up such a service on the side.! But I would need someone to run the human resource side of things!

Hmm, I think it might be better for you to stick to your day job!

I think with GPs mostly working in larger group practices that are businesses for tax purposes there is more of a market for this, as opposed to many specialists working solo in private practice.

 

[TPI]

It's been 156 posts!

Personally, i don't get why people are bothering to repeat the same advice over, and over, and over, and why you are encouraging them to .

Yeah, once it goes over 200 posts we should start charging him.

Also china, even if you engage a practice management consultant, it is worth learning some more about the back office/billing procedures etc. yourself anyway.

 

[china]

Hmm, I think it might be better for you to stick to your day job!

I think with GPs mostly working in larger group practices that are businesses for tax purposes there is more of a market for this, as opposed to many specialists working solo in private practice.

But there is no reason for specialists not to work in groups or associateships. As you have mentioned, it makes the business more valuable and saleable.

With regards to practice organisation aspects, I think I have a good idea how to recruit good staff, set up an office building, set up IT supports, what financial requirements are required, how to market practices- but just no idea on how to manage staff and keep them.

 

[china]

Yeah, once it goes over 200 posts we should start charging him.

Also china, even if you engage a practice management consultant, it is worth learning some more about the back office/billing procedures etc. yourself anyway.

Yes I suspect that I really need to know about every minutiae of my business so that I can readily train up new people.

 

[geoffw]

In this same period, I have had new business enquiries to my website and I have responded to all of them within 24 hours. And I feel that I have secured the jobs.

Well done. That's really good business practice.

In these days of everybody commenting about everything on the internet, it's even more important. I see reviews of practices on the net where comments have been made about rapid response. So even if you don't secure the jobs, you establish a good reputation for yourself.

 

[TPI]

With regards to practice organisation aspects, I think I have a good idea how to recruit good staff, set up an office building, set up IT supports, what financial requirements are required, how to market practices- but just no idea on how to manage staff and keep them.

That's all good, but all the things you mentioned I think are the easy parts, the hard part, which you are experiencing now, is the people side of things.

Though I'm sure you could probably find numerous examples of people who have succeeded in business without being strong people persons.

 

[Jen_PFR]

With regards to practice organisation aspects, I think I have a good idea how to recruit good staff, set up an office building, set up IT supports, what financial requirements are required, how to market practices- but just no idea on how to manage staff and keep them.

That's great. Unfortunately it means absolutely nothing if you can't retain decent staff. The other issue to keep in mind is that in a small area, word gets around quickly as to who the good and bad organisations are to work for. If you think Mary isn't bagging you out as a boss to all and sundry, you are deluding yourself.

I think you are still underestimating the importance of sorting out your approach to staff matters. Okay, so you won't change in terms of your personality. Given that, you need to do one of two things:
1. You either need to completely automate the billing aspect, and outsource the overdue matters, so you don't have any staff; or
2. You need to completely outsource your staff management, including invoice double checking, chasing up on insurance matters, etc to a practice manager person/role. The person in this position should give you an update every two weeks (we sent out X invoices in the last fortnight, Y% of our overdue bills have been paid, Z insurance matters have been called 3+ times and are now being sent to the debt collectors/lawyers to chase) and that should be the sum total of your interaction with the staff, other than the usual friendly pleasantries of 'good morning' etc.

If you don't do one of these two things (and I can imagine number 1 being extremely difficult to do in practice) then you will continue to lurch from crisis to disaster.

It's up to you.

 

[china]

Well done. That's really good business practice.

In these days of everybody commenting about everything on the internet, it's even more important. I see reviews of practices on the net where comments have been made about rapid response. So even if you don't secure the jobs, you establish a good reputation for yourself.

I also find that with most businesses that I have found and retained over the internet, it is usually the owner of the business that responds to the email enquiry regarding new business - not an employee nor clerk. Ala my example with the law firm with six solicitors, hence a decent size company but yet it is the owner who replies! So hence I have never delegated this role to anyone and intend to keep answering emails via my website as each email enquiry could again be worth thousands.

 

[wylie]

I contacted my colleague for his advice as he has amazing relationships with his staff.

Would this colleague allow one of his staff to give you some time now to get things set up. If you offer enough money to have her come in on the understanding that you will not try to poach her, he would allow her to get your systems up and running and do it with your other staff member there too to learn as it happens?

 

[china]

That's great. Unfortunately it means absolutely nothing if you can't retain decent staff. The other issue to keep in mind is that in a small area, word gets around quickly as to who the good and bad organisations are to work for. If you think Mary isn't bagging you out as a boss to all and sundry, you are deluding yourself.

I think you are still underestimating the importance of sorting out your approach to staff matters. Okay, so you won't change in terms of your personality. Given that, you need to do one of two things:
1. You either need to completely automate the billing aspect, and outsource the overdue matters, so you don't have any staff; or
2. You need to completely outsource your staff management, including invoice double checking, chasing up on insurance matters, etc to a practice manager person/role. The person in this position should give you an update every two weeks (we sent out X invoices in the last fortnight, Y% of our overdue bills have been paid, Z insurance matters have been called 3+ times and are now being sent to the debt collectors/lawyers to chase) and that should be the sum total of your interaction with the staff, other than the usual friendly pleasantries of 'good morning' etc.

If you don't do one of these two things (and I can imagine number 1 being extremely difficult to do in practice) then you will continue to lurch from crisis to disaster.

It's up to you.

You are absolutely correct. In fact, Mary has stated in her resignation email that more or less, she will be bagging me out.

Jen, come and be my practice manager / person! The reporting as you have described in option 2 is exactly what I need but find few staff capable of doing.

Mary used to be fantastic in doing exactly what you have written in option 2. In fact, after her first year of work, I did not even ask her for an update on these matters as I was quite confident it was being done.

With Mary gone, I have been trying to pursue option 2 by two means. I have advertised for such a person by all the usual means but so far have had no response. I have now contacted a practice management company so that they can do this task with my staff on my behalf.

 

[china]

Would this colleague allow one of his staff to give you some time now to get things set up. If you offer enough money to have her come in on the understanding that you will not try to poach her, he would allow her to get your systems up and running and do it with your other staff member there too to learn as it happens?

He only has one staff member. When she is on leave, he does not mind his business being unattended.

He has already invited myself and my staff member to go to his office to learn the systems we need. But obviously he doesn't want his office closed so that she can come to my office. We are located 30km away.

He also feels that if his staff member teaches my office staff her systems then if his staff member ever leaves, then someone from my office can go to his office and keep it running.

 

[TPI]

What about arranging an on-site visit from Genie for staff training?

 

[china]

What about arranging an on-site visit from Genie for staff training?

I thought about this but decided against it as I have one six week old staff and one brand new person who may or may not work out.

I thought that if I offer Genie training to these people and they leave shortly, I have wasted this training entirely. If anything, I should do the training myself.

Hence, I am keen on this practice management firm who can offer more permanence.

 

[wylie]

Without looking back through dozens of posts, I'm curious about one thing...

A while back you said something along the lines that you didn't trust your staff member, or that there was some issue, but rather than sort it out you preferred to keep her... something like "the devil you know" or that's my memory.

Were you writing about Mary? Because you are now saying how good she was, when that wasn't the impression you gave a while ago. Perhaps you are looking at her past service with rose coloured glasses?

Perhaps it is best to hire the best you can manage, train her and the other staff member you have and then once manuals are done and able to be followed by a temp or a new person, maybe rotate your two staffers with your colleague so that all three can fill positions in both practices. (30km apart might be a bit of a problem though, but in an emergency it is probably a good idea.)

 

[TPI]

That's true, won't hurt to do it yourself.

 

[china]

Without looking back through dozens of posts, I'm curious about one thing...

A while back you said something along the lines that you didn't trust your staff member, or that there was some issue, but rather than sort it out you preferred to keep her... something like "the devil you know" or that's my memory.

Were you writing about Mary? Because you are now saying how good she was, when that wasn't the impression you gave a while ago. Perhaps you are looking at her past service with rose coloured glasses?

Perhaps it is best to hire the best you can manage, train her and the other staff member you have and then once manuals are done and able to be followed by a temp or a new person, maybe rotate your two staffers with your colleague so that all three can fill positions in both practices. (30km apart might be a bit of a problem though, but in an emergency it is probably a good idea.)

I think that was probably the staff member that resigned before Mary took over the main role in my office. The lady before started off very strongly in the first two years but in the third year declined a lot. However, I put up with it after talking to her a few times and then she resigned around middle of this years. I was quite exasperated with her. I was secretly pleased with this because Mary easily just took over.

 

[hobo]

I have a similar memory to wylie about your previous comments, but I was sure they were more recent, ie in the last 6 months.

I haven't been on SS for all that long. Hasn't Mary been there for a few years now? So I would assume the comments I am remembering were aimed at current staff, ie Mary... or the other (6-week-new) staff?

 

[china]

I have a similar memory to wylie about your previous comments, but I was sure they were more recent, ie in the last 6 months.

I haven't been on SS for all that long. Hasn't Mary been there for a few years now? So I would assume the comments I am remembering were aimed at current staff, ie Mary... or the other (6-week-new) staff?

Therefore, I have a 6 week old staff member when that lady resigned.

 

[BayView]

It is the principle of the matter - if people are hired to do a job and they say they will do a job, then it should be done.

I agree.

But noone is perfect, and you need to realise this or your staff turnover will be enormous - and in the long run this will cost you lots of money in various ways.

As someone who earns an income via personal labour, I look forward to every cent that I have earnt via my blood sweat and tears and not to be shortchanged by clerical errors.

Everyone is in the same boat on that score if they run and work in a business.

That is no excuse for treating staff poorly.

Your staff - as you are finding out to your detriment - are your biggest asset besides yourself.

If you have good staff; you look after them.

That doesn't mean throwing more money at them either.

I have often read your mentality towards the worth of nurses in your posts, and have been diasppointed.

I suspect your attitude to lower ranking hospital staff is shining through in your office.

 

[china]

I agree.

But noone is perfect, and you need to realise this or your staff turnover will be enormous - and in the long run this will cost you lots of money in various ways.

Everyone is in the same boat on that score if they run and work in a business.

That is no excuse for treating staff poorly.

Your staff - as you are finding out to your detriment - are your biggest asset besides yourself.

If you have good staff; you look after them.

That doesn't mean throwing more money at them either.

I have often read your mentality towards the worth of nurses in your posts, and have been diasppointed.

I suspect your attitude to lower ranking hospital staff is shining through in your office.

I understand these principles.

I hope that this is not the case. My office staff help me generate revenue and they are very different to unionised staff that work to rule.