Tag: human resources

Seeing Beyond the Crisis: A Strategic Vision for Eye Care Recruitment

Human Resources, Talent Acquisition

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Strategic vision

The eye care industry, a nexus of health, style, and innovation, is at a critical juncture. Despite being a field ripe with opportunities, we are faced with a recruitment crisis. This is our clarion call to action, our moment to harness the latent potential within and address the pressing challenge of attracting and retaining a future-focused workforce.

Recruitment in Crisis: An Opportunity Cloaked in Urgency

It’s an unsettling paradox that such an appealing industry is grappling with talent acquisition. The crux of the issue lies in our short-term tactics and the perennial race against the clock, fulfilling the needs of today while the foresight for tomorrow remains blurred.

Why is this sector a beacon for aspirants? It offers a unique combination of compassionate healthcare services and the sleek sophistication of fashion, all underpinned by technological advancement. Yet, our outreach remains narrow, appealing only to those actively seeking employment rather than inspiring a broader, more diverse audience to join our ranks.

Our industry has been content with ‘Best Practices’, comfortably treading water in familiar territory. We’ve focused on those with resumes at the ready, failing to cast our net wider to those not yet contemplating the rich and varied careers in eye care.

How do we break free from the current paradigm that holds us back? By shifting our perspective from short-term, reactionary methods to controlled, long-term planning. Recruitment must be reimagined—not as a series of transactions but as a strategic endeavor.

Addressing the challenge of filling specialized roles like optometrists and opticians requires a multifaceted approach, particularly considering that these professions demand extensive education and training. While the power to expand educational opportunities often lies with educational governance structures, there’s a time-proven strategy within our reach: mentorship. This approach, far from being novel, has long been a cornerstone in the optical industry. Through mentorship, seasoned professionals can guide, inspire, and motivate those embarking on or considering these demanding career paths. It’s an invaluable tool for career development, ensuring a continuous influx of well-prepared professionals ready to uphold and advance the standards of eye care. By strengthening mentorship initiatives, we not only support individual career growth but also contribute significantly to addressing our industry’s long-term staffing needs. 

Imagine the transformation if, instead of competing for a finite pool of candidates, we joined forces to build the workforce of tomorrow. By leveraging advanced processes such as human analytics and behavioral science, we can align personalities with roles that not only fit but flourish within our industry.  

Collaborative Innovation: A Path Forward

What if our collective effort could create a talent incubator, nurturing the next generation of associates and eye care professionals? Examples abound in other industries where collaboration has led to robust talent pipelines and shared success.

We’ve witnessed industries pivot and thrive by adopting such collaborative strategies. The food manufacturing sector, for example, has united to spectacular results, with applications and retention rates soaring. We don’t have the luxury to be passive observers; action is imperative.

It’s time for the torchbearers of industry: associations, buying groups, professional circles, and leading companies to ignite this change. We need visionaries who can transcend traditional boundaries and initiate a movement toward strategic recruitment.

The Future is Clear—Let’s Shape It Together

Who will answer the call to reshape our industry’s future? It begins with leadership willing to invest in tomorrow, today. Together, we can cultivate an environment that not only draws talent but also empowers, retains, and celebrates it.

The future of eye care must be envisioned with clarity and courage. We have a responsibility to act decisively, crafting a legacy of innovation in recruitment that will sustain and invigorate our industry for decades to come.

TIM BRENNAN

is Chief Visionary Officer with Fit First Technologies Inc, the creators of Eyeployment, TalentSorter and Jobtimize.

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Workplace Conflict (Part 2): Causes and Resolution Tips

Human Resources, Managing Others

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Worklace Conflict

Let’s talk about the key reasons why addressing clinic conflicts is essential:

  • Workplace Morale and Productivity: Unresolved conflicts can create tense and aggressive work settings, negatively impacting employee morale and productivity. By addressing conflicts promptly, organizations can maintain a positive work environment and ensure optimal productivity.
  • Staff Turnover and Absenteeism: Prolonged conflicts among employees can lead to increased staff turnover and absenteeism. When employees face constant conflicts, they may seek employment elsewhere, resulting in talent loss for the clinic. Resolving conflicts can help retain valuable employees and reduce absenteeism.
  • Legal Implications: Office conflicts left unaddressed can escalate and lead to legal problems for the practice. Harassment or discrimination claims can arise from unresolved conflicts, resulting in costly legal battles. Proactively resolving conflicts can help prevent such legal implications.

  • Work Performance: Workplace conflicts can significantly impact work performance. Employees experiencing conflicts may feel stressed, anxious, and unmotivated, leading to poor work performance. By addressing conflicts and fostering a supportive work environment, organizations can enhance employee well-being and productivity.
  • Toxic Clinic Culture: Frequent conflicts among employees can contribute to a toxic Clinic culture. Disagreements and unresolved conflicts can create a negative work environment, affecting employee satisfaction and overall clinic culture. Addressing conflicts promotes a positive and inclusive clinic culture.
  • Negligence and Patient Experience: When employees spend excessive time and energy on arguments and conflicts, their focus on their duties may diminish. This negligence can result in decreased patient satisfaction and a negative impact on the clinic’s reputation. Resolving conflicts allows employees to focus on delivering exceptional patient experiences.
Identifying the Causes of Clinic Conflicts

To effectively address and prevent clinic conflicts, it is crucial to understand their underlying causes. Let’s explore some common causes of clinic conflicts:

  1. Unclarified Job Roles and Poor Responsibility Distribution

Unclear job roles and responsibilities can lead to confusion and conflicts within the practice. When employees do not have a clear understanding of their roles, misunderstandings and disputes can arise. Additionally, when unofficial supervisory roles are assigned without proper communication, jealousy and resentment can increase.

  1. Lack of Opportunities

A lack of growth opportunities within a clinic can contribute to clinic conflicts. When employees perceive a stagnant work environment or observe colleagues receiving promotions while they feel left out, tensions can arise. It is crucial for clinic to provide equal growth opportunities and communicate transparently about career advancement.

  1. Unhappy Employees and Poor Work Environment 

Unhappy employees and a negative work environment can be significant contributors to clinic conflicts. Poor communication, assumptions about personalities, and a lack of trust among colleagues can lead to conflicts. Practice’s should prioritize fostering a positive work environment and encourage employees to resolve their differences in a timely manner.

  1. Personality Differences

Personality clashes can be a common cause of workplace conflicts. When individuals respond to challenging situations in unproductive ways, disagreements can escalate. It is essential for employees to develop emotional intelligence and respect each other’s differences to minimize conflicts.

  1. Unrealistic Expectations

Overloading employees with excessive workloads or setting unrealistic expectations can contribute to clinic conflicts. When employees feel overwhelmed or unable to fulfill their responsibilities, conflicts may arise. Practices should strive to strike a balance between workload and employee capacity to prevent conflicts.

  1. Unclear Company Policies

Clear and transparent company policies are essential for avoiding conflicts. When employees are uncertain about procedures or perceive a lack of fairness in policy implementation, conflicts can arise. Practices should ensure that policies are well-communicated, understood, and consistently enforced to minimize conflicts.

  1. Unresolved Harassment Issues

Unresolved harassment issues can lead to clinic conflicts. If employees are experiencing conflicts with colleagues and the root cause is not addressed, aggression and tensions can escalate. Practices should have proper channels for reporting and addressing harassment issues promptly.

  1. Lack of Promotions

Perceived biases in promotions can contribute to clinic conflicts. When employees feel that they are not being appreciated or that promotion decisions are unfair, resentment can arise. Practices should implement fair and transparent performance evaluation systems to minimize conflicts related to promotions.

 

 

Solutions for Resolving Workplace Conflicts

Resolving workplace conflicts requires proactive intervention and effective communication. Here are some solutions that can help address and resolve conflicts in your clinic:

  1. Focus on the Future

When resolving conflicts, emphasize the importance of moving forward and finding solutions rather than dwelling on past grievances. Encourage employees to develop a proactive mindset and work towards a positive future.

  1. Establish Strong Company Guidelines

Establish clear guidelines on how employees should handle conflicts and seek resolution before involving management. Encourage employees to address conflicts among themselves, promoting a culture of personal responsibility and accountability.

  1. Provide Conflict Resolution Training

Invest in conflict resolution training for employees and leaders. Equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate conflicts effectively can significantly reduce clinic conflicts.

The overall key to creating a supportive and conflict-free clinic culture depends on the level of emotional intelligence your team has to properly implement these solutions.

To create a supportive and conflict-free workplace culture, clinics must prioritize increasing the emotional intelligence amongst the entire team to build stronger relationships that can weather challenges. By providing your team with training, you will reap the benefits of a team that can self manage their own conflicts and arguments without turning them into something bigger.

Remember, workplace conflicts are inevitable, but they can be effectively managed and resolved with the right solutions in place. By understanding the causes of conflicts and implementing the appropriate resolution techniques, clinics can create a positive and productive work environment for their employees.

For resources on Conflict and Argument Management visit www.emotionalintelligenceconsultinginc.com

Jade Bodzasy

Jade Bodzasy

Jade Bodzasy, Founder of Emotional Intelligence Consulting Inc., is a dedicated Coach and Consultant for Optometric Practices. Her extensive background includes over 20,000 hours of expertise focused on customer relations, work structure refinement, training method development, and fostering improved work culture within Optometric practices.

Certified in Rational Emotive Behavior Techniques (REBT), Jade possesses a unique skillset that empowers individuals to gain profound insights into the origins of their behaviors, as well as those of others. Leveraging her certification, she equips optometry practices with invaluable resources and expert guidance to establish and sustain a positive, healthful, and productive work environment.

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6 Tips for Successful Recruiting and Team Building in 2022

Human Resources, Leadership, Talent Acquisition

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While the challenges of of recruiting in eye care were evident in 2019, the last two years have added a whole new dimension to the challenge.

Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, we have seen significant workplace trends develop from an acceptance of remote working, online meetings, flexible work hours to support home schooling and, overall, a new set of rules and worries – for both employers and employees. There has been a lot of learning!

For the past 10 years or longer employers have been told to prepare for the great resignation/retirement wave that was going to hit the workforce with the baby boomers coming up to 60+ years.

The Pandemic Has Empowered Employees
We were starting to experience this back in 2019 but now the pandemic dynamic has accelerated what was already happening – people removing themselves from the workplace.

Workers are quitting their jobs at unprecedented rates. But here’s the thing; what we’re seeing right now isn’t just a generation of baby boomers stepping into retirement. It’s a bigger phenomena.

People who are leaving their jobs aren’t passively surrendering or checking out. People are actively shifting the narrative about what is acceptable (and not acceptable) in jobs and workplaces.

If your star employees have not left yet, they might be “hunkering down” –  biding their time, ready to pounce on new opportunities. Perhaps they will consider starting their own business, buying a franchise or changing industries entirely.

People are embracing their power and helping to reframe how work can and should look and feel.

Time. Space. Growth. Autonomy. Leadership. Wellness.
Work-life integration. Money. Safety. Engagement. Equity.
All of these things are essential to our mutual success. The problem is that employers and employees are not always on the same page about what these things are or ought to be, in policy or practice.

So, what does that mean for the Optometry Clinic and Optical?  Here is a quick checklist of  6 things you can do to make everything work better at your business.

  1. Programmable Recruiting. Consider who you want to attract and then target them. Social media tools allow you to set the demographics you want to reach and target your spend on the best potential candidates not volume of candidates.  Seek Quality – Not Quantity
  2. It’s Not About You. Shift the narrative in your communications with candidates and your team about what it is they can expect to get from you not what you are wanting to get from them.
  3. Know Your People. Understand what your current people want from work. Are you over-extending them with more hours than they want but they are not speaking up? Do you have the opportunity to support up skilling or professional development?
  4. Measure What Matters. Are the roles in your practice where you can provide training and upskilling? If so, put the focus on who they are, then look at what they know and what they have done.
  5. Always be looking. Be an organization that is always on the look-out for great talent to bring to the team. Don’t wait until you need to fill a position. If someone great comes along see how you can make room for them. If not immediately, keep the contact warm.
  6. Build Your Community. We all have a community around us. The people we work with, the people we serve, the suppliers, friends, family and professional contacts. Keep connected. Share what you know and be a valued member of your community. Give first is always the best approach to building relationships.

TIM BRENNAN

is Chief Visionary Officer with Fit First Technologies Inc, the creators of Eyeployment, TalentSorter and Jobtimize.

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5 Key Lessons Taught By COVID

Finance|Wealth, Human Resources, Practice, Resources

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The unprecedented coronavirus pandemic has caused changes in mindset, attitude, direction, and behaviour for practice owners. It changed for employees too. One year later, we can all agree that important lessons have been learned – not always by choice but by necessity.

 

Lesson #1: Learning to be agile.
We all had to respond quickly to changing events. Sometimes with only a couple of days notice. This made us realize how
important it is to be comfortable with change and willing to shift gears when necessary. A sub lesson in learning to be agile was also recognizing the gaps in the way things were being done. Because we had to change, perhaps some of these changes had positive outcomes.

Lesson #2: Appreciating technology more.
So many of us have had to change the way we do business. The face-to-face meetings, attending events/conventions and how
patients needed to be looked after are just some of the many examples. Corona emphasized the importance of technology. Think of all the virtual learning opportunities we have had to embrace or tele-medicine that became a necessary and by default option. I for one was forced to embrace webinars and Zoom calls. Prior to the pandemic, these were never an option for me because I was not comfortable. Simple applications like LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram have enabled me to meet new people and stay connected to those I already knew. I must admit, until the pandemic, I never appreciated the value of these tools.

Lesson #3: Being more empathetic.
In these trying times, clear communication with all stakeholders of your practice—staff, partners, advisors, and patients are
critical. There is no doubt that the stress of the pandemic on owners is massive. The key towards sustaining your business
in this situation is being transparent with your stakeholders and prioritising their needs. Apart from supporting your staff and
understanding the situation, you must support your workforce by encouraging them to learn and give them opportunities to join Zoom training and courses.

Lesson #4: The essential nature of social interaction.
While digital collaboration tools have become critical to remote work and will remain post-pandemic, the new way of work also emphasized the need for social interaction for humans. Suddenly a trip to your office during a lockdown may possibly be a real treat or outing. People miss human contact with those outside of their homes. Never underestimate the positive effect you have on the people who walk through your doors. For the staff, as stressed as people may be, the ability to laugh or participate in banter can mean so much. For example, when I was at my office a few weeks ago, four of us, while social distancing, had the most frivolous conversation that left us simply laughing. It was such a wonderful feeling, one that has been missed from our daily lives.

Lesson 5: Keeping a cash buffer.
The period from mid-March 2020 to mid-June 2020, taught all of us the importance of fiscal responsibility. Certainly, our credit cards took a beating as evidenced from the multitude of Amazon packages, however, for owners of practices as well as the associates, these were very scary times. Even with the various government programs, the major lesson learned by all was that we must have something in reserve. It is why banks are being tough on purchasers today because they must be confident that this person could withstand another lockdown if it ever happened. The good thing we have seen is that healthcare is recession resilient and now pandemic resilient. The pandemic has taught us the importance of having a cash buffer. Hopefully, it has also taught many of us to be grateful for what we have. So many have fallen on economic hardship and forced with extremely difficult decisions.

The pandemic has been an unforeseen situation for the whole world. It has brought about crisis and problems we never experienced before and has exposed us to many unknown vulnerabilities. This has been a period for all business owners to take a closer look at how their practice was run pre-pandemic versus now. However, along with the many challenges we faced due to the pandemic, it has also given us an opportunity to align, adapt and amend businesses as well as reinforce the strategies to make the most of the ongoing situation. Clearly, it has also taught all of us lessons that shall be both applicable and beneficial in the long run. A wise man told me that we do not need to embrace the reason for the change, but we must embrace change!

Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corp

JACKIE JOACHIM

Jackie has 30 years of experience in the industry as a former banker and now the Chief Operating Officer of ROI Corporation. Please contact her at Jackie.joachim@roicorp.com or 1-844-764-2020.

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Compensation

Human Resources, Managing Others, Talent Acquisition

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people management

This job would be easy if it wasnt for the the people!

Anonymous

by Maria Sampalis, OD

Compensation plans for optometric practices need to be executed carefully since they are a significant expenses for an optometry clinic.

You need to do is the right way to ensure that you don’t end up costing the clinic too much money. Here are five critical steps required to implement a proper action plan that will make the entire process more efficient.

1. Determining the Right Market Pay Rate for Every Position
Each position at the clinic will require a different compensation amount. You will need to use a salary survey to establish bands for salaries. These bands are basic groupings of existing salary rates based on the experience of the candidate or the employee. You will need to determine the amounts for senior, mid-career, and entry-level positions. This can help you make decisions about hiring and raises.

Publishers’s NOTE:  Published Salary rate bands are difficult to come by in Canada.  With a little bit of effort, data points may be available with minimal cost or even free of charge at PayScale.com.

2. Creating Comprehensive Job Descriptions for Every Position
You should think carefully about the responsibilities and duties of every position.

Having a detailed and proper job description that includes duties, required skills, educational levels, and working hours can help the candidates and employees understand their position in a better way.

The description should also have a summary of expected employee behaviour.

The more accurate you are, the more realistically the employees can approach the task. The optometrists should make sure that the employees do their tasks well, and the job description can help with that.

3. Explain the Entire Process to the Team
Making sure you are transparent is the most important thing.

You should answer any questions and make sure the employees know everything they can about the job.

You should also meet with every employee individually to make sure they have a clear understanding of the expectations and compensation plan. This process will pay off in the long run.

4. Ensuring Team Accountability
The performance standards and responsibilities need to be met, but don’t wait till the end of the year to update the employees on their standing.

You should give regular and clear feedback throughout the year to ensure that they are able to improve their performance. Frequent evaluations and reviews will help them, and they will definitely appreciate it too.

5. Reviewing Team Performance, Revenue, and Potential Raises
Evaluate who are the top performers for the year and reward them before anyone else.

Then, you should look at the employees who may not have met your expectations and consider other options.

For example, you can look for new hires or provide a chance for them to develop further. Offering formal reviews for all the team members can help.

Optometry compensation plans may not always be easy to execute, but only if you don’t follow the right steps. It doesn’t have to be such a complicated procedure if you have an action plan in place

MARIA SAMPALIS

is the founder of Corporate Optometry, a peer-to-peer web resource for ODs interested to learn more about opportunities in corporate optometry. Canadian ODs and optometry students can visit www.corporateoptometry.com to learn more.

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Beating the Winter Blues

Human Resources, Managing Others

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January and February are often tough months for many people. After the excitement of the holidays, the reality of a long, dark winter is hard to accept.  It is never more important than now to ensure that your team is feeling engaged and rewarded at work.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to touch base with staff and discuss what their goals are. What things would they like to learn or achieve this year? How can the practice help them achieve their personal career goals? Not every employee has goals so be sure to come to the meeting with some ideas of what might be possible to provide some additional training or responsibility.

Offering the opportunity to build new skills or enhance existing talents with training and professional development is a great way to rejuvenate staff. There’s a bonus in it for you, too, because you’ll end up with more well-rounded staff who are better able to handle a variety of roles.

If you don’t have a system in place already to acknowledge a job well done, there’s no better time to start than the beginning of the year, when many employees struggle with motivation. Reward deserving staffers with sincere, public praise, or offer them something more tangible, such as bonus pay, time off, or tickets to shows and sporting events.

In fact, maybe you want to make it a team outing. Christina and I recently tried out a Salt Cave Spa experience together. It was SO good for us! Lots of laughs and some down time made us much more productive for the rest of the week. It is hard to take time out of our busy schedules, but the reality is this down time often pays off in spades.

Our diet also plays a big part in how we feel. Rather than bringing that box of leftover chocolates from the holidays to the office, try to get your employees back on a healthy track by providing fresh fruit, squeezing juice instead of brewing coffee, or starting up a salad-sharing club.  Getting back on track is much easier when it’s a group effort!

At the same time, promoting physical fitness can be a big help in lifting people’s spirits. Whether it’s lunchtime jogs, weekly yoga sessions, or a simple group stretching routine every morning, getting the blood flowing is a great way to shake your staff out of the doldrums.

We have been working hard to clean our home lately. There is a certain show that has inspired me to pick up everything we own and determine whether or not it sparks joy. It turns out that this is a great time of year to purge! Very little is passing the “spark joy” test. The truth is, things start piling up and you stop noticing them. Just like at home, this is a great time of year to schedule some time for your employees to clear away any accumulated junk, piles of paper, and other distractions from their work space. Make it fun event if you want, with a booby prize for the person who tosses the most in the trash.

Finally, a lack of daylight is one reason that many people struggle with their mood once the holidays are done. The solstice has come and gone, and the days are gradually getting longer again, but it’s still tough to see the sun slip below the horizon so early every evening. Consider investing in a few light therapy lamps and let your staff take turns basking in their bright glow. Sometimes, just the acknowledgement that others are feeling the effects from the shorter days too helps everyone to mentally cope with the long, cold winter.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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