ADVERTISEMENT
Blog
Are You Really Listening To Your Staff?
09/05/2014
Truth … I enjoy my work. Part of that is because it offers the opportunity to meet and speak with hundreds of doctors and staff who are fresh out of school, decades in practice and everywhere in between. This happens sometimes in person in their offices and at seminars; other times during phone conferences, emails or webinars. Regardless of our surroundings, typically, the same combination of speaking and listening takes place. It’s called communication. Everyone likes to be heard, but the question is: how well do you listen?
Rule #1- If you are talking, you are just repeating stuff you already know.
Rule #2- If you are listening, you may be learning something new.
I had a “conversation” recently with a longtime office manager. He explained that he and his doctor were having difficulty with another staff member (a common topic). This manager had a litany of complaints about the employee, whom he states was “problematic” almost since the day she was hired. However, instead of firing her, they decided to make life at the office so miserable for her that she would quit on her own. Three years later … she’s still there. The stress level, I hear, increases daily. Are you shocked?
Personally, I don’t know how they've worked together for three years under these circumstances but the story continues. The “problem employee” sent an email to the manager with an objection regarding an incident in the office. The manager did not reply. Rather, he forwarded the email to the doctor who responded, “Just ignore it.” And they did. Now, I’m no psychic, but regardless of the circumstances, I know ignoring issues is not the best way to handle employee complaints. In fact, if the staff person had concerns when she wrote that email, I’m pretty sure ignoring it added a bit of fuel to the fire.
When I questioned whether they did performance reviews on her productivity or explained the significance of any wrongdoings, the manager said, “We stopped doing her reviews because it was getting us nowhere. As far as documenting her activities and behaviors, I write her up for everything; we have a stack of notes of things she’s done wrong.” However, when probing further, I learned that she had received zero penalties for her unacceptable conduct and my first thought was why would she leave? By not reprimanding her, they have actually enabled this poor behavior.
Ignoring and not listening to employees is just poor management and solves absolutely nothing. Neither is making employees’ environment so unbearable that they will want to leave on their own. A quality manager handles these issues and chooses the high road in this effort and thus has the title “manager.” To intentionally disregard, ignore or hope problems go away should never be a solution. Sitting the employee down and talking with her and trying to understand and making an honest effort to solve the problem is a solution. If staff are not meeting their job expectations, breaking policy, are defiant or are insubordinate, good managers need to take action according to policy. It is nothing personal. Managers should always follow their disciplinary process which, if structured properly, will either lead to corrective action or if the work relationship cannot be saved, termination.
I cannot imagine an employee working under the same roof with/for people who don’t appreciate them or their work or who intentionally feel shut out. On the other hand, if an employee’s work is consistently subpar or there are other prevailing, documented issues that don’t align with the practice philosophy, why would an employer keep her at all? (Let alone for three years?!) Yikes!
Current Issue
November 2024
Volume 37
Issue 12
Subscribe to our E-newsletter!
Podiatry Today Newsletter
