Keeping your medical staff safe and healthy during the pandemic has been the focus of the medical community since the pandemic began, but the impact of its effect on employees’ attitudes toward their job, and their morale while at work, has impacted the medically community hard.
Your office may have been running smoothly prior to the pandemic, and many may have adapted successfully during the pandemic. Keeping your staff morale high during the pandemic is vital to your continued success. There may be some staff who wanted to take leave, or wanted to resign. Or staff needing to stay home due to schools being online. By working with them and showing them your support, you can keep them on board and ensure their continued work. You can also show them that you're taking steps to ensure their well-being and that you're not only invested in your business, but also in their personal success.
It's always nice to see how others have adapted and we'd like to share with our fellow collogues some ideas. If you more thoughts, please add them to the comments below
JOB SHARING
Some employees may prefer flexibility in a job and not need medical benefits.
Job sharing, also known as job-shares, is a flexible work arrangement in which 2 employees share 1 job. This can allow you to keep your employees while saving money on benefits. Each employee works a different shift, but shares the responsibilities and rewards of the job. This can result in decreased costs for benefits, such as medical, and increased profits for the business.
FLEXIBLE HOURS - temporarily.
Any family with children has had to deal with schools being online, then back at school repeatedly. Normal childcare options may be shut down, or temporarily unavailable, necessitating one parent to stay at home. Having flexibility for these staff members can make all the difference to keeping them on your payroll. Allowing them to come in later, or leave earlier to accommodate their changes may offer you some covered hours, vs. them needing to take vacation time, or resign all together. Overstaffing, mentioned above, can help with this as well.
KEEP STAFF INFORMED
Give your staff members the information they need to keep themselves safe. Many medical practices have been shutting down because they didn't have enough employees on hand to handle sick patients during the pandemic. If you are having trouble keeping your employees on board, give them the information they need to keep themselves and others safe. This is best done in person, weekly/morning meetings vs. emails, pamphlets or written material which may go unnoticed or unread.
INCENTIVES
To keep your staff working, be sure to offer good incentives and incentives that are beneficial to both you and your staff. These can be temporary financial bonuses, paid time off, flexible hours, gift cards and any other ways that may help your employees feel appreciated. Feeling connected part of the team helps employees to feel the worth of fighting through the difficult times.
KEEPING OFFICE CLEAN
This may seem obvious when addressing a medical community, but if all aspects and all team members are not properly trained, or feel unsafe, this could be vital to the absences in your staffing. Keeping your office space clean is not only important to the health of your employees and patients, but to the reputation of your office. Now is not the time to be losing patients because they feel your office is not clean, or taking a pandemic seriously. You may also consider other ways to show your staff and patients that you are taking all steps possible by adding UV to HVAC systems, or HEPA filtered air machines in waiting areas.
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