Keep it Local: The Key to Employee Retention Flexibility

The Key to Employee Retention: Flexibility

By: Marni Russell, DDS I cannot pretend to be an expert on employee retention—or really any management topic—only working in private practice for four years now. I do know, however, that finding and retaining dental staff has been a challenge for all of us recently. The nationwide labor shortage is multifaceted, including issues with government unemployment benefits, COVID-19 protocols, and workers needing increased flexibility for family care (Why Is Hiring Hard Right Now, New York Times). Mothers account for a disproportionate number of job losses since the pandemic started because school and daycare closures have made their family and work schedules impossible to predict. Women who are not currently mothers still tend to be tasked with taking care of aging parents or grandkids. With over 90% of dental staff positions filled by females (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), this is the most significant challenge we as owners face. Dental staff obviously cannot work from home, so how do we as business owners cultivate a flexible environment for our employees? First, I want to examine what I believe employees are looking for in a long-term job. I will then review the ideas I have implemented so far in my practice. I was lucky to join a practice where employee happiness was already a priority, but I have really enjoyed introducing some new systems. Upon asking my employees and other dental colleagues, I truly believe the key to employee satisfaction and retention is flexibility. Of course, paying well helps; however, if an employee knows she can run to pick up a sick kid at daycare and someone at the office can cover for her, that gives the employee a sense of peace. To increase flexibility, we as owners can try a multitude of ideas. For now, I will review job sharing, performing prophys ourselves, and altering office hours. “Job sharing” technically means two or more people share one job. Our employees tell us which days they can work, and we fit all the pieces together like a puzzle. For instance, my office employees three women who work at the front desk, but there are only one or two in the office at a given time. Monday mornings are particularly busy at the front desk, so we know we want two of them then. Otherwise, we ask them when they would like to come in. Some of them have other part-time jobs, so we work around their schedules. They have mentioned that they like knowing they can take time off, have someone else cover for them, and come back without a pile of catch-up work to do. After we were closed for a week in 2021 for snow days, I saw many hygiene patients in my column since our hygiene columns were booked out several months ahead. Patients were happy to be seen so soon, and I loved getting to brush up on my scaling skills! It worked so well for our practice that I now perform one or two hygiene procedures a day. Lots of these are new patients, which has the added benefit of getting to know them better than if I just popped in at the end of the appointment. Last year, I selfishly wanted to change our office hours to work better for my family’s schedule. Before I implemented this change, I asked each of my employees individually if they were on board. Luckily, the new hours not only benefited my family schedule, but also theirs.

All these small changes have helped my practice greatly, but the main takeaway is to ask employees what works for them. I need to continue re-evaluating and communicating with my employees to meet their needs as their situations change. Here’s the thing: I love my job. When I am surrounded by happy coworkers, I cannot help but enjoy my day. As far as employee satisfaction, we are all the same: we want autonomy. Under that umbrella are things like higher wages, flexible hours, paid leave, and benefits. While it is hard to accomplish all of these as a small business owner, our goal should always be to improve the lives of our employees. When they enjoy coming to work, we do, too!

OKLAHOMA HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS PROGRAM

Since 1983, the Oklahoma Health Professionals

Program (OHPP) has provided services to over 1,000 physicians and health care providers with alcohol and chemical dependence. OHPP is an outreach program designed to support and monitor medical and allied health professionals throughout Oklahoma who are experiencing difficulty with substance abuse.

The OHPP continues to be a leader nationally in identifying problems, assisting in treatment, and returning to practice health care professionals who have suffered from substance abuse or dependency.

OHPP services are confidential and include expert consultation and intervention designed to encourage health care professionals to seek help for substance abuse and behavioral concerns.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marni Russell is a general dentist and When an individual contacts the OHPP about a health owner of Scissortail Dental in Edmond. She graduated from the OU College of Dentistry care professional or about himself or herself, the director or designated associate director assesses the situation and assists in guiding the health care professional. in 2017 and completed her AEGD residency at OU in 2018. She and her husband, Jacob, Participation with OHPP is voluntary and confidential. enjoy reading books and having tea parties OHPP will strongly urge a professional who is ill to with their rambunctious one-year-old daughter, Caroline. get help, and although OHPP does not provide direct treatment, we will suggest specific treatment options. We respond to the concerns of families, colleagues, and hospitals by providing coordinated interventions and referrals to treatment.

In addition, OHPP hosts a number of support group meetings open to all health care professionals, students, residents in recovery as well as those seeking peer support.

OHPP recognizes the difficulty of reporting a colleague who may be impaired. Because of the potential risk to patient care, OHPP encourages medical professionals to make referrals if a problem exists, no matter how long there has been a problem.