When Key Employees Leave,
It Needn't Be Disastrous
Avoid crises by being prepared

A 1969 graduate of the University of Texas, L. Hurston Anderson's background includes CEO/President of Dr. Peter Dawson's computing and consulting firm, PerfectByte, and VP Sales/Marketing for ArkSys, an international computing software company. Mr. Anderson and his wife founded Professionally Managed Practices, Inc. nine years ago. They now have offices in Little Rock, Tampa, Asheville, and Wichita, with clients from coast to coast. In 1996 they founded Wisdom Management Group to handle publishing and Internet business. Their books are now used by dentists on five continents and "Weekly Tidbits" goes to 5,500 dentists in 18 countries. Their "Practice Management Cookbook" is a reference for dental practice management including samples, job descriptions, letters, etc. "The Protocol Series" (Hygiene, Financial Management, Scheduling, Team Building, and Marketing) are used to establish written protocols in key areas. For more information, call 813-963-7228, fax 813-963-5974,
or e-mail wisdom@tampabay.rr.com.

It seems like just when the staff is finally clicking together as a great cohesive unit, someone’s husband is transferred or they get pregnant or…you name it. Then it is back to the drawing board while we try to find someone who fits in. Our plans have gone astray. In a forty-year career, a dentist will see this as many as ten to twenty times, and some dentists never know anything else. Clearly, it can have a devastating effect on practice success. The following are some antidotes that can help to cushion the blow of staff turnover and actually reduce turnover.

1.) Don’t ever become too dependent upon a single individual, regardless of her dedication and loyalty. No matter how much you treasure her, she is not the one whose name is on the line with the IRS, the dental board, patients, other staff members, your family, or your creditors. Treat her with respect and pay her value, but always know what you will do when she leaves.

2) Make certain that the practice is totally organized with its own internal protocols in key areas such as hygiene, finance, scheduling, personnel, and marketing. These should be documented and understood by all. If these procedures and systems are only in the heads of key staff members, they walk out the door when these individuals leave.

3) Provide proper leadership and team management to allow individuals to air grievances, display superior performance, and receive appropriate kudos and rewards. An employee should not be asked to work a single day without a written Job Description which has been discussed and signed by both employee and doctor. Also, every employee should have a copy of the Employee Handbook (Practice Policies and Procedures), and the doctor should have a signed statement that it has been read and understood, and will be followed.

4) An employee review is more important than a crown, bridge, root canal, etc. Try not to sacrifice production for these reviews, but do them anyway. The review is NOT for discussion of salary...that is another meeting. NO salary adjustment should ever result from a review. Reviews should be written and signed by both parties.

5) Hire carefully and fire carefully, but do both when needed. Keeping an employee who is not working out for your office is a disservice to her. She has unique skills which should be used in the right place. If it is a mismatch, it is the doctor’s responsibility to solve it, quickly and humanely.

6) Employees are directly responsible for your success. They are to be treated with the dignity they deserve...without emotional tirades, without sexual intimidation and harassment, and with open communication. However, you cannot maintain an appropriate boss to employee relationship with someone if you have too close a personal relationship. Your friendships are to be found elsewhere...and definitely your romantic involvements. (If a relationship begins in the office, it will destroy the morale. It must be ended or your practice will suffer enormous damage. Don’t kid yourself. Everyone knows.)

7) The doctor is the boss. It is his/her responsibility to solve morale and other personnel problems. Don’t expect the employee to come to you. Be fair and active in solving YOUR problem. Whatever the source it is YOUR problem.

All the items noted above, including Job Descriptions and Employee Handbooks, can be purchased from many sources, including our company. It is not rocket science or brain surgery to maintain a productive and caring staff, but you must work at it. It will not happen by itself.

The best time to prepare for future difficulties is when things are going well. However, it is a rare individual indeed who will do so. It’s like the leaky roof in the Snuffy Smith comic strip—he only thinks of fixing it when it is leaking and making him uncomfortable, a time when it is too late. I think there are currently parallels in the U.S. with such a healthy economy, but there are also parallels in our business. Crises may direct our attention more pointedly, but it can be awfully hard on the blood pressure and heart. Most crises can be avoided if we simply spend a little time anticipating the possibility and taking preventive measures.