HR Management Best Practices for Practice Owners
The most effective way to prevent HR issues is to establish clear, written policies and follow them consistently. A professional employee handbook is your most essential tool for creating this foundation.
Managing Your Employee Handbook
- Avoid "Borrowed" Handbooks: Do not use a handbook from a colleague or a different office. Policies must be state-specific and current; using a generic or borrowed version often results in outdated or legally non-compliant guidelines.
- Maintain Consistency: You must follow the rules you set. For instance, if your handbook promises performance reviews at 30, 60, and 90 days, failing to conduct them immediately damages employee trust.
- Keep it Current: Review your handbook at least once a year. This ensures your policies align with evolving labor laws and the actual daily operations of your office.
Addressing Attendance Challenges
Attendance (including tardiness and unauthorized overtime) is often the primary struggle for dental and medical practice owners. While enforcing basic timekeeping can feel difficult, it is critical for legal protection.
- Utilize Digital Systems: Modern digital timekeeping systems can actively change behavior. Features like "late" pop-up alerts encourage employees to prioritize punctuality.
- Generational Expectations: Younger employees, specifically Millennials and Gen Z, expect high levels of transparency and modern technology in their workplace.
The Power of Documentation
In the event of a "wrongful termination" claim, objective documentation is your best defense. If an issue isn't written down, legally, it didn't happen.
- Stay Objective: Documentation should be factual and real-time. Avoid emotional language or any wording that could be interpreted as discriminatory, as this can be used against you.
- Tiered Conversations: Use a progressive approach to feedback
1. Informal Check-ins: Bi-weekly or monthly conversations to provide ongoing feedback.
2. Formal Write-ups: Only used if the behavior continues after initial feedback.
3. Required Signatures: Necessary to document persistent issues and establish a clear paper trail.
Mitigating Risk and the "X Factor"
- Insurance Coverage: Every owner should carry Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI). However, be aware that many policies do not cover "wage and hour" claims, which are very common.
- Manage Your Ego: Avoid fighting unemployment claims purely out of pride. It is often more cost-effective to allow a former employee to receive unemployment than to escalate the situation and invite a more expensive lawsuit.
- The "X Factor": The key to successful ownership is becoming comfortable with difficult conversations. Clear, written communication is the strategy that transforms a toxic culture into a professional one.