Human resources issues: What should I do when ...? Part 1

One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years is that quickly addressing – and not ignoring – human resources conflicts is the best route.

Direct, appropriate confrontation can be awkward, uncomfortable, even painful, but ultimately you find that it is a relief for your remaining practice staff and healthier for your practice.

Every delayed decision impacts your bottom line and, if you own the practice, affects financial opportunity. It is possible to be a strong leader, financially responsible and treat colleagues and employees well. Below are a few ways to be sure you have an organizational structure in place to address human resource issues:

If you have an administrator or office manager, make sure they have the credentials, education and/or appropriate experience for the job you expect them to do. Sometimes practice pace outgrows the current talent and you have to recognize it and take steps for resolution. This is often the case when it comes to HR management. Managing 6 staff members is very different from managing 20 or more.
If you lead the practice yourself and have little experience managing HR issues, utilize outside assistance such as a labor attorney or practice consultant. They’ve heard it all before and can guide you through at a small cost, compared to the rookie errors we all made when inexperienced. Or make an arrangement with a noncompetitive practice to share an administrator if you both don’t need someone full-time. (This would cover more areas than just HR).
Avoid emotion. Handling HR issues emotionally can lead you down the wrong path. These are business decisions, and they can include caring and kindness. But leading with emotion can get you in trouble.
Creating committees or teams to address practicewide issues helps with buy-in when it comes to policy changes. Including the right people in the room assures that all the information needed will be collected and provides the support needed for an effective change. Have you noticed that when the solutions are not always handed down from above, but created during a process that includes the parties needed for implementation, fresh ideas, solutions and even alternate perspectives arise?

Expect pushback from staff after implementing a tough decision, but hold strong. Support management decisions and be viewed as a collaborative team that means business. Make decisions based on the best direction for the practice, not necessarily individuals. In the end, the practice will be stronger, benefiting all.

Next time I will list common HR issues with suggested resolution paths.

Corinne Z. Wohl, MHSA, COE, is the administrator at Delaware Ophthalmology Consultants and can be reached at cwohl@DelawareEyes.com.