WHEN ENFORCING POLICIES, IT’S BEST TO PLAY BY THE BOOK

Action Steps

✓ REVIEW YOUR POLICY

✓ MEET WITH THE STAFF

✓ MEET WITH CHRONIC OFFENDERS

✓ CONSIDER REDUCING HOURS

✓ HOLD EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE

ATTENDANCE problems are very common to many optometry practices. Below is a process for addressing the issue.

REVIEW YOUR POLICY

Regarding staff attendance problems, the first thing I ask is, “What does your employee handbook say?” Sometimes, there is no written policy. Sometimes there is a policy, but the O.D./practice owner is not sure what it says.

The process for handling attendance, including personal, sick and vacation days, should be spelled out in your policy. From a human-resource standpoint, you need to follow your policy consistently for all employees.

MEET WITH THE STAFF

Does your staff know your attendance policy? Many practice owners and managers tell me they have a policy, but they are not sure what it says. If you don’t know, it’s safe to assume your staff doesn’t either. It’s time to dust off your policy, and review it with the entire staff.

MEET WITH CHRONIC OFFENDERS

Abusing the attendance policy should elicit a private discussion with the employee. Maybe there are valid reasons, such as caring for a sick relative. Or, maybe the employee prefers the beach on a sunny day.

In a service industry, your staff is your No. 1 asset. Use this meeting to reestablish expectations, along with an agreement on consequences if the issue does not improve.

CONSIDER REDUCING HOURS

In many cases, full-time employees who routinely miss work are working part-time hours anyway; but getting full-time benefits. Make it clear in your discussions with them that if they continue to miss work beyond the personal or sick time allowed in the employee handbook, they will be subject to a reduction of hours to the level that they have shown willing and able to work. Your policy could include something like, “After two written warnings for excessive absence or tardiness, a schedule change may be considered to accommodate patient flow; this may include a decrease in hours, which could affect eligibility for some company benefit programs.”

HOLD EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE

I prefer an employer take all the necessary steps to avoid terminating a good employee — I don’t take termination lightly. However, attendance is a factor in job performance. Most times, I’ve heard practice owners complain of ongoing attendance problems. The reason it’s ongoing is because there are few, if any, consequences. Not only will some employees abuse the policy, but those who are reliable will resent you for not enforcing the policy. After all, they have to work harder! OM

DR. VARGO serves as Optometric Practice Management Consultant for IDOC. A published author and speaker with more than 15 years clinical experience, he is now a full-time consultant advising O.D.s in all areas of practice management and optometric office operations.