Hi, it's Tina. I'm here with your one-minute management tip.
Well, the topic of the last few years has been how to train when we are short-staffed. Now, it is difficult because we have to do what Dr. Peter Wishnie said: we need to slow down in order to speed up. So, that means when you do find someone to hire, don't bombard them and try to teach them everything they need to know right away.
There is no way that the office staff will be able to do that, or that the new employee will really be able to absorb it. So, think about the top five critical things this person needs to know for their job position, and then start with the first two. Take some micro training time.
That means, maybe they're your check-in person, so someone's going to sit with them, and they're going to be greeting patients and learning how to check-in. Then, break it off into 10- or 15-minute sessions, where they’re learning about insurance and you’re spending time teaching them about it. Then go back to sitting with someone where they're learning the check-in process, and then back again into the insurance training portion.
When we break training into small bites, especially when we're shorthanded, it’s easier not only for your staff to teach, but for the new person to retain. Now, there are so many other things we need to be able to do when we're shorthanded, but if we can get this new hire to do three to five of the critical tasks they need to do in the first several weeks, that's great.
Then, you can start moving them forward.
Now, if you need information about training when you're shorthanded, just email me at [email protected]. I'd be happy to discuss it further with you.
Take care. Bye.
