A mentor once told me, “By the time you free up someone’s future (in other words, let them go), it’s likely about 3 months past when you should’ve done it.” Unfortunately, as the main person responsible for staffing where I first practiced and now at my own practice, I can attest to this. And so these experiences have served as a reminder that, beyond hiring, an equally important responsibility of the practice owner/manager is recognizing when it’s time to terminate employment.
With that said, here are 3 tips that will enable you to remove a bad apple from the bunch efficiently.
1. Establish Clear Protocols and Rules.
Some employees’ poor performance can be due to a lack of understanding of what is expected of them or the practice’s policies. Therefore, I have found that it’s imperative to have clear protocols for tasks and job responsibilities upon hiring.
For example, in my practice, staff are not allowed to clock in more than 10 minutes before their shift starts without prior permission. If this is not made clear, an employee might think they are being a go-getter by arriving early, when, in fact, they are abusing the time clock.
Additionally, I have found that it’s as equally as important to thoroughly review the rules and policies with each new hire personally and have them sign a document acknowledging this understanding.
Once this is all accomplished, the practice owner/manager will be able to discern whether an employee is failing to do what is required of them.
2. Spot the Red Flags.
Some of the top red flags of a poor employee are unreliability, excessive tardiness/absenteeism, negative attitude, incomplete or incorrect work, failure to get along with others, patient or coworker complaints, and ignoring the practice’s rules and protocols (see above paragraph).
In our day-to-day routines, these red flags may sometimes be excused away or overlooked, as we try to help our team succeed. However, it is important to identify and keep tabs on these trends to recognize consistent behaviors vs. someone having an occasional off day.
3. Document. Document. Document.
Documentation of problematic behavior is imperative and should not be omitted. It can take the form of a simple document, such as a spreadsheet, which tracks the date and offense/complaint, or a formal write up. Should the practice owner/manager need to write up an employee, they should make that employee aware of this and review the offense/complaint in a one-on-one meeting. Being diligent in this area enables the identification of trends, while protecting the practice owner/manager from any wrongful termination complaints.
Act Sooner vs Later.
Once the practice owner/manager has identified an employee who is not improving despite the setting of expectations and related conversations, they should remove the employee sooner vs. later. While no one wants to be short staffed, the negativity, insubordination, and/or poor performance of an employee can be contagious and lead to decreased team morale. The ramifications of this are poor patient care, which also negatively affects the business health of the practice.
During the termination meeting, the practice owner/manager should provide the facts upon which they have decided to free up the employee’s future for a new job. If preferred, the practice owner/manager can record the conversation for defense purposes, though they should first check their state laws regarding whether the other party must agree to that recording.
Terminating an employee can be a stressful and dreaded part of management. In following these tips myself, I have set my team and practice up for success. OM
