Q: My staff consists of smart, capable individuals, who are great at accomplishing their own tasks. But when it comes to teamwork, especially team projects, results are sorely lacking. What am I doing wrong? A: First, kudos on what sounds like a great staff. "Smart, capable individuals" certainly provide a strong foundation for building a team. But, as you've discovered, … [Read more...] about How can I get my staff to work as a team?
Managing staff
An HR ghost story
By Lynne Curry bio My client asked me to find him the one "right" applicant for a critical management position in his company. Out of more than 50 resumes, I chose my favorite. "Jacob" did a great job on his phone interview, so I called him in for an interview. Ten minutes before the interview, he called saying an uninsured motorist had rear-ended him and the police … [Read more...] about An HR ghost story
Who tops the nation in vacation days?
Last year, Americans used 17.2 vacation days, the most since 2010 according to new research from Project: Time Off. Despite this marked improvement, 52 percent of employees reported leaving vacation days unused at the end of the year. The new report, Under-Vacationed America: A State-by-State Look at Time Off and Travel, provides a look at vacation behavior in all 50 states. … [Read more...] about Who tops the nation in vacation days?
How to handle the 4 most common types of “disconnected” staffers
Why don't those staffers perform the way the manager wants them to perform? To a great extent it's because there's no connection between the staffer and the job. For an employee to do well, there have to be three connectors. They are: fit (or intellectual connection) passion (or emotional connection); and ownership (a sense of having enough importance to think and act like an … [Read more...] about How to handle the 4 most common types of “disconnected” staffers
Ohio staff spend one day a month in each of the other positions
The profit margin is so small that no medical office can afford to have people doing bits of work, says the manager of a digestive health medical practice in Ohio. For efficiency, everybody has to have a concept of what everybody else is doing. To achieve just that, she requires her staff to spend one day a month in each of the other jobs. Sometimes one person sits with … [Read more...] about Ohio staff spend one day a month in each of the other positions
How to handle patient abuse of workers’ compensation or disability claims
Most likely you've already learned to manage the administrative issues and challenges related to workers' compensation and disability claims. Far more difficult to manage, however, are issues related to patients who are trying to abuse the system — particularly patients who expect you to cooperate, or even participate, in their schemes to bilk the system. As one medical … [Read more...] about How to handle patient abuse of workers’ compensation or disability claims
What #MeToo means for corporate America and why employers must continue to address sexual harassment in the workplace
The #MeToo movement brought awareness and conversation to one of the most urgent issues facing the workplace today, but not enough data has been available to point to the causes or solutions until now. A new study, "What #MeToo Means for Corporate America," conducted by the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI), is the first of its kind to measure the scope of the problem within … [Read more...] about What #MeToo means for corporate America and why employers must continue to address sexual harassment in the workplace
5 actions to take when you hear, “I don’t trust you”
By Audrey Epstein bio Talking about trust is tough in business. When a colleague tells you, "I don't trust you" your first instinct is probably to react defensively or aggressively, and rarely with curiosity and an openness to understand. You take "I don't trust you" as an attack on your character and an afront to your integrity. But trust is the foundation for strong, … [Read more...] about 5 actions to take when you hear, “I don’t trust you”
3 tips for selecting a health and benefits advisor
By David C. Fortosis bio The responsibility of selecting, designing, financing, and managing employee benefits is a critical task in today's medical office business. Retirement and medical benefits are subject to more and more legislation and require adherence to legislative mandates. In addition, the combination of retirement and health and welfare benefits … [Read more...] about 3 tips for selecting a health and benefits advisor
Three dimensions of medical practice cohesion
By Nick Hernandez bio Cohesion is the intense bonding of employees, strengthened over time, that results in absolute trust. It is characterized by the subordination of self and an intuitive understanding of the collective actions of your medical practice and of the importance of teamwork, resulting in increased productivity. Cohesion is achieved by fostering positive … [Read more...] about Three dimensions of medical practice cohesion