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Based on the email I receive from readers and my work with doctors nationwide, staff issues
are the biggest challenge we face in practice management. An excellent staff is vital to
success in optometric practice, but staff management can be complex and very time consuming.
Recognizing this need, I'll write a recurring series of tips on real-world employee problems.
To alert you to that subject area, I'll start the title with the words "staff issues". Of
course, I'll still write many tips on non-staff topics and those will be interspersed as
good ideas arise.
While these staff articles will often be directed at doctors, practice executives and office
managers, they will also be beneficial for other staff members to read. I'm well aware that
my readership is very diverse. I'll try to make each tip specific enough to be of real value,
but I'll also respectfully acknowledge that every practice is different and my way is not the
only way. I welcome your comments and topic ideas for this series.
Last week's tip was about the business uses of the Internet, which opens up the potential for
abuse when employees use websites and email for personal reasons. While it's much older
technology, the telephone is another business tool that is often overused by employees for
personal reasons. There are a couple of different scenarios: the busy doctor who is not even
aware that staff members routinely use office phones and computers for personal reasons, and
the doctor who is aware that it happens but can't control it.
Employment Policies
The simple and obvious solution for excessive personal business being conducted during work
hours is to have a policy. In my opinion, all practices should have an employment manual,
even with a very small staff, and phone and Internet policy should be part of that. The manual
is simply a written record of the rules of employment, which change over time and cover a
variety of issues.
There are two underlying factors that I look to when I make up an employment policy. I use
these points to guide my decisions and I refer to them openly with staff when a policy is
explained. 1) Policies should first address what is best for the patients and practice.
Employers must be aware, however, that the wants and needs of employees are also very important
and should be considered, even if secondary. 2) The issue of fairness to all employees should
constantly be scrutinized and fairness underlies the implementation of all employment policies.
I happen to agree with the concept that office computers and phones are for business use only,
but as a good manager, I care about the wants and needs of my staff and I know there are
legitimate extenuating circumstances. So a strict policy against all personal calls will likely
cause unhappiness among staff and won't work anyway because exceptions will arise.
I prefer to have a policy that prohibits the personal use of phones and computers, but allows
for the exceptions, such as a short check-in call from a child or other urgent family needs.
My policy is that only personal phone calls for family business or emergency are acceptable, and
they should be very seldom and very brief. All other calls should be placed during lunch or
before and after work. During these times, an office phone is available in the staff lounge,
which may be used for local calls only. Staff cell phones should be turned off during working
hours. Since telephone use is easily monitored and also works better for urgent family needs,
it is the only acceptable method of personal communication, eliminating personal email altogether.
My key staff departments each have a business email address which is used for office business only.
Viruses, Worms, Spam and Spyware
The threat of harmful rogue programs is very real and they can literally destroy valuable data
and programs. They enter both network servers and local hard drives when certain email is opened
or when certain websites are visited. The risk is minimal (but not eliminated) if you only open
email from trusted sources and if you only visit websites of reputable companies in our industry.
All practices should have up-to-date security software running at all times, but the threat is
another valid reason to limit employee usage of office computers to business purposes. It's
helpful to be sure staff members are aware of this.
Supervision is needed
To prevent any policy from abuse, staff supervision is needed. In optometric practices, that's
usually the doctors' and office manager's role. Without supervision, a policy meant to be
considerate of staff needs can become abused to the point of embezzlement of paid time and create
serious morale problems if some staff members push the policy well beyond its intent. It's not
only counterproductive to the practice (violates policy rule #1), but it's also unfair to those
who abide by the policy (violates policy rule #2).
It goes without saying that the supervisor must have the best interest of the practice at heart
and fully support the employment policies. If the office manager abuses the email and phone
policy, and allows other staff members to do the same, it's worse than no policy at all.
If you think there is a problem, you could monitor long distance charges on the phone bill and
follow up on any numbers that are frequently called. You can also monitor the Internet search
engine log history and email programs for personal use. I don't think this is overly intrusive
as long as employees are informed in advance that the practice exists. Too much "big brother"
snooping can become demoralizing; there should be a basic trust that employees are doing the right
thing.
There is a natural tendency to take a hard line on staff policies, but a smart manager will balance
the needs of the business with reasonable staff needs. More on this balance to come.
Best wishes for continued success,
Neil B. Gailmard, OD, MBA, FAAO
Editor, Optometric Management Tip of the Week
A Proud Supporter of
Send questions and comments to neil@gailmard.com.
Dr. Gailmard offers consulting services to eye care professionals through Prima Eye Group; information is available at www.primaeyegroup.com.
Please Note: The views expressed in Management Tip of the Week do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.
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