The Great Resignation is dominating news cycles at the moment and small businesses are taking notice.
A perfect storm of a surge in hiring, a lessened workforce due to the pandemic, and a burnt-out workforce from a year of turmoil has made it incredibly appealing for workers in every demographic to start seeing the grass as greener elsewhere.
Workers are quitting jobs before lining up new ones, confident that they’ll find those greener pastures with relative ease, and they aren’t wrong. In August, there were 1 million more job openings than job seekers according to CNBC. These statistics aren’t swinging the other way, leaving employers wondering if they’ll be next.
The Bad News: As a private practice owner, this can be concerning.
The Good News: You can avoid this, and even use it to your advantage, if you have the right personnel management and retention strategy in place!
Modern workers want competitive pay—that goes without saying, but they also want an employer who will invest in them the same way they invest in their job. Focus on these key areas to invest in your physical therapy retention instead of investing in hiring efforts.
Good Personnel Management
What is good personnel management? That is a complex term to define, but workers generally agree that great managers:
- Are confident
- Are excellent communicators
- Lead by example
- Understand what motivates and engages their staff
That last point is critical. Understanding how to motivate and engage your staff will help them feel content and know they are heard when they voice their needs. Your private practice staff probably tell you in small ways regularly what they love most about their job. Give them the room to expand in those areas in order to keep them engaged and excited for work.
If you’re not sure what your staff loves, take the time to ask them the areas where they’d like to grow – it’s all part of your physical therapy personnel management plan.
Provide Superior Onboarding & Training
One of the most frustrating scenarios for an employee is being dropped into a task without adequate guidance or expectations. From the front desk to your managerial staff, continuing education shows you’re willing to invest in your private practice and that success starts with the people on the front lines.
Investing in physical therapy leadership development will give your managerial staff the tools they need to guide and develop the staff they are responsible for.
Plus, the benefits to your private practice are more than employee retention (though in the 2019 Learning Report from LinkedIn, 94% of employees say they would stay in a position longer if given learning opportunities).
The Bottom Line: A better-educated staff runs a more efficient, effective private practice. Additional private practice management training and staff training initiatives will allow you to provide exceptional patient care and stay on the cutting edge.
Be Flexible & Transparent with Employees
Finally, take the time to listen to your staff and ask them how to make your physical therapy practice a better place to work.
Here are a few ways you can make a difference right away:
- Consider more flexible work schedules.
- Be transparent about how new initiatives will affect the company, staff, and patients they work hard to serve.
- Give them a clear understanding of their growth opportunities at your practice.
Invest in Your Staff, and They’ll Invest in You
At the end of the day, your people want to feel valued. One of the easiest and most obvious options to show your physical therapy staff that you’re invested in them is through additional growth and development opportunities.
MEG Academy has the proven systems and training to take your leadership and personnel management to the next level. Check out the various courses and certifications that will deliver the retention strategy you need to join the top 10% of private practices and avoid the great resignation for good.
