Successfully managing staff may be the most difficult aspect of running an optometry practice today. Keeping up with new technology and yearly updates to insurance plans is challenging, but nothing is as unpredictable as managing people. The small optometry business owner and the OD were not trained for this in optometry school.
Generally owners and ODs are older than the staff they manage, so generational issues often compound the problem. Millennials, who comprise the 19-35 year-old age group, look at life from a unique perspective. Employers who hope to successfully employ and retain a team of millennials should be aware of their mindset.
Millennials in the work place
- Millennials want more freedom in their work, so they are resistant to the 9-5 job. In fact, Millennial Branding polled over 2,000 millennials and found that over half of them would rather travel while working than take vacation time. They also found that 87 percent would rather work whenever they would like.
- This same poll revealed that over 50 percent would rather work from home.
- Millennials prefer to work late at night.
- Over 60 percent stated they would most likely quit their jobs within the next two years.
Managing the Millennials
- Give them projects that allow them to explore their entrepreneurial spirit. They like work that expresses their creativity. Include them in decisions.
- They like to move ahead. Give them plenty of feedback and let them know areas in the office they can improve and also tie this to life success.
- They resist corporate. Remind them you are a small business which will allow them to learn new things and allow them to be cross-trained. They don’t want to be limited to a cubicle and a rigid job description.
- Of those polled, over 50 percent of them classified themselves as entrepreneurs. Take advantage of this and give them projects (i.e. – website function and design) or leadership within the optometry practice that allows them to run on their own. This can be difficult in small businesses but can pay dividends when staff are not constantly turning over.
Staff turnover is one of the most expensive overhead charges that isn’t discussed in practice management dialogues. Optometrists want to discuss cost of goods and buying groups, but I have not found a buying group that helps me keep staff members longer and increases their job satisfaction. Working to understand your staff members and tailoring their positions as much as possible to their preferences will help you, your practice, and your patients benefit from consistently dedicated staff.
Reference: Small Biz Trends (http://smallbiztrends.com/
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/01/16/this-year-millennials-will-overtake-baby-boomers/
