Wise-up Wednesday from Zane Benefits: 3 key HR management strategies for dental practices in 2016

When it comes to successful human resources management, the only real constant people can rely on is change. Effective HR managers must possess an inherent flexibility and willingness to adapt to challenges as they arise. Here are three key human resource management strategies to consider adopting as your dental practice enters 2016.

Enlist your employees

Most dental practices can suffer significantly when a key position goes unfilled or a valued employee unexpectedly gives notice. Encouraging your staff to take an active interest in referring quality coworkers can save you substantial recruiting time and legwork, and can also benefit all other members of the organization. Remind your employees about this.

One of the greatest untapped resources in many health care organizations is the employee pool. Helping your practice’s employees recognize the direct rewards they will enjoy on a day-to-day basis by assisting you in the recruitment process is one of the single best ways to keep a steady flow of talent coming in.

Plan for the future

Tumultuous economic times keep many HR professionals focused only on the present day or a few weeks ahead. However, it is critical not to lose sight of your role in promoting the overall longevity of the organization. This means thinking many months or even years into the future.

Creating an organization chart that identifies employee duties is a key element to sustainable long-term planning. This is true even for small dental practices. Being able to access this structure at a glance, and adding benchmarks to help you recognize the need for modifications to this structure, enables you to analyze whether your practice is poised to handle its current and projected workload. It also allows you to proactively shift employees and duties to meet your future needs now rather than correcting problems later.

Think outside the benefits box

Once a successful management method is implemented, even the most flexible of HR professionals can become arbitrarily resistant to modifications. However, once again, the only constant is change. Especially with the advent of the Affordable Care Act, thinking outside the benefits box has become a vital skill for successful health care HR managers. Identifying superior alternatives to many of the traditional employer insurance plans, as well as implementing new technology to help manage and oversee these alternatives, are two ways you can vastly improve the financial stability of your dental practice and the overall happiness of your employees.

Conclusion

The strategies of using employee’s networks to fill positions, planning for the future through organization, and being creative with benefits will help your dental practice now and in times to come.

RECENT WISE-UP WEDNESDAYS:
Open enrollment and why it matters to your dental practice
Some simple retention ideas to keep your top-tier talent
5 recruiting tips for busy dental practice owners

Wise-up Wednesday is presented bi-monthly from the experts at Zane Benefits. One Wednesday a month features Human Resource issues, and the other Wednesday discusses health benefits.For more human resources tips and best practices, download Zane Benefits’ complimentary guide.