I think the most difficult aspect of being the CEO of my company is staffing. Like all optometry graduates, I was highly trained for the clinical work, and I enjoy it. I’ve also found the business development and growth to be fun, like a calculated game of chess that rewards those who think ahead. Managing the staff, however, seems to me at times like having 10 wives with unpredictable moods, needs, and expectations. But I want them all to show up for work, because an early-morning text saying someone can’t make it in never bodes well for the day. Managing a staff is draining, and sometimes makes me think about selling the practice early. What can we as CEOs do to decrease the pain of management?
Each situation is different, but many of the experts in management will lean on one of these three reasons people do not stay at their jobs:
- Unhappy environment – The majority of individuals hate conflict. Very few people look at conflict as a way to grow. Minimizing the intrastaff conflict that exists is the first step in keeping this out of your office.
• Recommendation – Stop conflict early and make individuals deal with the small problems before they become insurmountable. Schedule a time at the end of the day for the two in conflict to meet with you, the mediator, and address the issue.
- Not feeling appreciated – The majority of optometric staff are female. Relationship expert Gary D. Chapman describes five different “love languages” that people use to communicate, and in his research, Chapman determined a high percentage of women respond best to the love language “words of affirmation.” Job satisfaction increases when people know they are needed and appreciated.
• Recommendation – Create a “to do” every week to affirm one staff member. This can be done through email, a traditional card, or sending flowers. Whatever the case, do something.
- No job description or expectations – It is difficult for staff members to be successful if they don’t know the expectations. Staff members need to know how to measure their daily efforts, so when they leave each day they will know if they have completed their job and done it well. Many optometry CEOs do not take the time to regularly update job descriptions and review them with the staff. Do your staff members a favor and let them know what you expect.
• Recommendation – Every staff member should have a job description and expectation list that outlines his or her responsibilities. Create one for each staff member and review it a minimum of every 12 months.
So what is the #1 reason staff leave? Experts can’t pinpoint this for your particular setting, so you will need to guess (or ask some of your staff members). The point is, if you are having a problem keeping staff, these three areas are great places to investigate. Then make sure you are consistently giving staff members what they need to be successful at their jobs.
