As someone who opened a practice in 2022 in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, and, thus, built a team, I have learned that finding the right people is often a never-ending search. Regardless of who you hire, training your team is a significant investment. It takes time, costs money, and requires a collaborative effort. But, when done right, it pays dividends in the long run.
Here are tips for training a new hire as they progress into their tenure, and the specific action steps I take to be the best leader, coach, and teammate to my staff.
Instill a Culture of Caring
If you visit my practice web page and click on “about us” in the navigation bar, you’ll see, “This practice offers a warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable staff, and attentive service.”
On day one, I instill this culture of caring into new hires by providing a welcome note, or small gift, such as a coffee mug, or branded office item, and give them a personalized, thorough tour of the practice. Additionally, I personally introduce new hires to their fellow staff members, and I ensure their personal workspace is clean and organized, so they know we are as excited to have them join us as we are to provide exemplary service to patients.
I also encourage staff to pursue certifications, such as the American Board of Opticianry certification or Certified Paraoptometric designation, as I want them to know I genuinely care about their career advancement.
Provide a Training Schedule
When I first started training staff, I quickly realized the importance of setting clear expectations from day one to ensure new hires and I were on the same page. Without a plan, it is easy for both new hires and me to feel overwhelmed regarding the training that needs to take place and when. Therefore, I now provide a structured training schedule that maps out a new hire’s first few weeks.
For example, the first week of training for all new hires focuses on learning practice policies, such as handling patient greetings, and an introduction to systems, such as time clocks, the phone, and basic electronic health record (EHR) navigation.
During the second week, I move new hires into the technical aspects of their role. For front desk staff, this includes mastering scheduling software, insurance verification, and navigating billing platforms.
In the case of new technicians, this entails education on how to use our pretesting equipment, such as autorefractors, and our diagnostic devices, such as widefield imaging and ocular coherence tomography.
I spend time educating my opticians on frame adjustments, contact lens dispensing, and the spectacle lens options we offer. Using optical training books and online courses, I test their knowledge to ensure they understand the basics of optics and lens materials. I casually ask them basic questions that I feel they should know based on where they are in their training.
Assign a Mentor
The biggest lesson I learned about training is that it won’t be successful if it’s a solo effort. As a result, I pair new hires with an experienced staff member who can serve as their go-to person for questions and guidance. Whether this person is the lead optician or another seasoned staff member, having a mentor and a “friend” at work facilitates staff training, while ensuring that the new hire feels supported. In fact, I encourage my entire staff to be patient, supportive, and proactive in helping new hires succeed. (See “Culture of caring” on the previous page.)
By the end of their first month, I aim for new hires to handle many responsibilities, while still having a mentor available for support.
Require Hands-On Experience
I use a mix of shadowing fellow staff members, mock practice management and patient scenarios, and supervised practice with new hires. Hands-on experience is needed to make it all stick.
For example, we create fake patients in our EHR system, so new hires can get comfortable with how to use it and without the pressure of working on live cases from the get-go.
For technicians, I walk them through how to operate devices, and I teach them how to assist in setting up exam rooms and maintaining equipment.
Provide Cross-Training
To keep my staff motivated and skilled; while preparing us for busy days or unexpected absences, I require cross-training among the different areas of the practice. Cross-training also fosters continuous learning and teamwork. It occurs 2 to 3 months after a staff member's hire and when they are comfortable in the original role they were hired for.
A Worthwhile Investment
Training staff is an ongoing commitment that takes time, patience, and effort. While it can temporarily slow productivity, the long-term rewards—an efficient, skilled, and cohesive team—are well worth it. I have found the action steps provided above have worked well for training my staff. Further, I have learned that it’s important to remember that staff training never ends. In my practice, we continuously participate in workshops, webinars, and industry events to stay current with new technologies and trends. I have found that it is also important to hold periodic check-ins with new hires to review progress, address challenges, and celebrate achievements. Recognizing a staff member’s growth helps keep their morale high and reinforces their value to the team, which can thwart staff turnover. OM
