Master the three A's of staff retention

In order to retain quality staff, physician practice leaders need to look beyond just compensation and benefits, and consider whether employees truly are happy with their work. According to a recent Physicians Practice interview with Patricia Raymond, a Virginia-based gastroenterologist and healthcare speaker and author, there are three nonfinancial keys to staff satisfaction:

• Autonomy. Empowering staff to make their own decisions is not only a time-saver, but also helps show employees that you trust and value their judgment. For example, try giving staff the leeway to fill open slots for what they consider urgent appointments without having to first consult with a physician or administrator. When mistakes happen, such as when a same-day patient turns out to not be all that ill, use the experience as a training opportunity.
• Action. Give employees the means to make a difference in a patient's day. Raymond recommends giving staff $20 per person as a discretionary fund to help compensate for unavoidable gaps in customer service. For instance, a staffer could use the cash to buy a cup of coffee or other token of appreciation for a patient or family member kept waiting an excessive amount of time.
• Assessment. Evaluate not just employees' performance, but also their impression of how well managers are keeping them motivated and engaged. Raymond favors Gallup's Q12 as a tool to measure "in a nutshell" how well your practice is attaining staff satisfaction and retention goals.

To learn more:
- read the article from Physicians Practice (reg. required)

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