As the workforce and expectations of employees continues to change, it is even more challenging for small businesses to to attract high quality employees. There are many aspects that make the corporate world more appealing, but that doesn't mean you should just give up on hiring new staff. There are plenty of people who prefer to work for small businesses, including small practices. Here are our tips for hiring the people you need.
HIRING FOR YOUR PRACTICE
Whether your chiropractic practice is small or large, it needs employees to operate. Two key questions to ask are: how many employees do you need, and who do you hire first? When looking at your business plan, determine the number of staff members you can afford at your practice. As it grows, you can always increase the number of members on your team.
Ask yourself what your most pressing need is in terms of staffing. The answer will vary for each practitioner. Our first suggestion is to hire a qualified receptionist. Not only do you need someone to answer the phones and greet your guests, but the receptionist is the first person your patients will interact with. In the short-term, you may be able to get by with temporary assistance from a staffing agency, and that means you may serve as the office manager for a period of time. However, as your practice grows, you too may outgrow that option. The same is true for your billing. When you're starting out, administrative tasks can take up much of your time and you will eventually need to hire someone to complete that work, at least part time. Once your practice is successfully running, you'll want to consider hiring Chiropractic Assistants.
A full-time office staff is the ideal goal, and keep in mind that such hires mean providing benefits. Benefits packages may cost less than you think, and you can attract higher quality employees when you offer retirement plans, health benefits, and other amenities. If it's not in your budget just yet, start with part-time staff to keep those costs down.
HIRING PRACTICES
Whether you are hiring full-time or part-time employees, hiring the right people is essential to the success of your chiropractic practice. So what's the best way to find those individuals? There are the usual methods you are probably already aware of, such as running ads or networking with other professionals and letting them know you're looking for staff. You can also take advantage of your social media pages to get the "help wanted" message out there. Once your practice is underway, patients are also a great source for referrals. Some may even fit the requirements and become great staff members! Once you have good employees hired and need more, you can also ask your current employees if they know of any strong candidates.
You may think that having prior chiropractic experience is a must for your new hire. However, that isn't always easy to find. Keep your options open, and note that previous medical office experience or those that have worked with the public are an added bonus. A smart newcomer with the personality that suits your practice shouldn't be discounted. With the right training and an eagerness to learn, an inexperienced person may become your most valued employee.
Whatever method you choose to hire new employees, be sure that you are promoting an exact job description that outlines the hours and expectations for each position. When resumes start coming in, sort through the "definite", the "possible", and discard those that just aren't qualified. Call candidates and prescreen them prior to inviting them for an official interview. Additionally, no matter how good a candidate seems on paper, conduct thorough background checks and contact all references. If a reference won't tell you any details other than the person used to work at their establishment, that's a red flag to keep looking.
The hiring process can be overwhelming, but if you focus on bringing on quality employees and follow our tips, you'll have your dream team before you know it!