BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC. 14998 W. 6th Avenue, Suite E-500 Golden, CO USA 80401 USA 1-800-937-3113 CANADA 1-800-461-0100 UNITED KINGDOM 44(0) 1202-534-986 AUSTRALIA 1-800-800-963 www.backtalksystems.com Team Tip #17 EVALUATING THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Several months ago I was speaking to an expert on management consulting. He shared some information on how to evaluate employees and their importance to your business. I have used this simple evaluation and would like to share it with you. This evaluation is a rating system. It will help you rate your employees as A ,B, or C . Imagine that an employee came to you and said: "Dr. Smith, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I have been offered another job. I am giving you notice and will be leaving in two weeks." If you think to yourself, "I'm relieved that this employee is leaving. She wasn't really doing the job anyway and it will save me the discomfort of letting her go." That employee has a rating of "C". If another employee gives you the same notice, and you think to yourself, "I am really disappointed that this employee is leaving. He will be difficult to replace. He was a very good employee." That employee has a rating of "B". Now, if your employee comes to you with the same notice, and forget about thinking, you just want to put your head down on your desk and cry. You wonder how you are going to run your practice without this employee, you have an "A" employee. I probably don't have to tell you that "B" employees are very valuable and steps should be taken to keep employees like these. When you have an "A" employee, you want to do whatever it takes to support and retain this employee. The bottom line is once you have "A" and "B" employees, they should be appreciated and treated well. They, along with you, are responsible for your practice growth! The trap that many chiropractors fall into, however, is that once they find an employee who is even remotely helpful, they often give too much control and stop overseeing the business side of the practice. This is a very dangerous thing to do. Just like the brain, which gives and receives messages from the nervous system, the chiropractor must give and receive messages. Never give up total control even to an "A" employee. It could lead to practice disaster. The following are traits you should be looking for in your "A" employees: Confidence and Belief in all aspects of the practice. Great attitude and high level of enthusiasm. The ability to give credit and accept blame. Keeping personal problems out of the office. Instilling a positive healing atmosphere in your office. Professionalism. The ability to problem solve. Finding solutions. Doing whatever it takes. Growth oriented, both personally and professionally. Focusing on the well being of the patients. Creating a happy, healthy office environment. Open communication between employees and employer. Ability to delegate and oversee tasks. Trustworthy & Honest. An "A" employee understands the needs of the practice and forms a trusting relationship with the chiropractor. That relationship in one of communication and teamwork to create a great practice where patients will get better and want to refer and employees will be proud of their association. The preceding information has been excerpted from The Chiropractic Team Training and Practice Management Manual written by Susan Hoy and available at Back Talk Systems. This manual contains over 200 pages of team training tips and practice management procedures and forms. Why not join the hundreds of chiropractors who have already made the commitment to organize and systemize their office. For more information contact Back Talk Systems at 800-937-3113 or log onto their website at www.backtalksystems.com Susan Hoy has managed a busy chiropractic office since 1989. Currently, Susan travels throughout the U.S. helping teams become more organized, systemized and energized.