In a New Jersey neurological office, the manager relies on two part-timers to keep the office current on the busy work. And the two part-timers rely on the office for job flexibility, because they are mothers who want to work but also want time to be home with their children. When the manager came to the practice decades ago, she herself had young children at home. She knows … [Read more...] about Part-time clerical jobs have hours to suit a working parent’s schedule
Managing staff
Eight rules for managing an office, especially a small one
The smaller the office, the more the manager works under a microscope. Everybody sees everything that's going on and everything the manager does. For a new manager in that setting, the microscope gets even stronger because staff are watching to see who their new boss is. And if that new manager has been promoted from within, the scrutiny is unforgiving because it's coming … [Read more...] about Eight rules for managing an office, especially a small one
How to end 3 costly kinds of office conflict
One of the most unpleasant – if not dreaded – facets of management is dealing with conflicts. In a medical office, they come in one of three forms. They are conflicts between staffers, between staffer and manager, and between doctor and manager. And each gets handled in a different way. 1 Staffer versus staffer Staffer and staffer conflict becomes apparent a number of ways. … [Read more...] about How to end 3 costly kinds of office conflict
Are employees embezzling funds from your medical practice?
Embezzlement is easy in a medical office because little amounts come through every day, many of them in cash, and $5 here or $10 there doesn't get missed. The scheme can be as simple as a staffer walking off with a bit of cash now and then. But it can also be elaborate. Somebody sets up a fictitious vendor and writes checks to the bogus company. Or somebody sets up a bank … [Read more...] about Are employees embezzling funds from your medical practice?
A six-question oral survey can help the manager and improve morale
The people closest to the work are the ones who have the best suggestions for improving it. You can take advantage of staff ideas by getting their recommendations in an informal survey. Not only will it generate usable ideas for the manager, but it may help morale because when people are asked for their opinions, they become committed to the organization. There's a sense … [Read more...] about A six-question oral survey can help the manager and improve morale
4 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
A medical office is filled with many different personalities and many different dynamics. And with those differences come office politics. And with the politics the manager can become a casualty. Here are the solutions to five situations where politics and personalities come into play. They are outlined by Margaret Hintz, SPHR, manager of HR services for Insperity, an … [Read more...] about 4 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
2 proven ways to build staff morale fast
What builds staff morale? Letting staff participate in the office's operations, getting their ideas, and using their suggestions are good for morale. And there are two ways to achieve these ends. One is to survey staff on their attitudes and opinions. The other is to set up a suggestion program. Simple as those may be, they work because people want to be listened to. They … [Read more...] about 2 proven ways to build staff morale fast
It’s not me, it’s you: 5 office policies to break up with
By Paul Edwards bio Springtime may mean that love is in the air, but your office can't hesitate to dump a policy that creates problems. Some policies are so blatantly unenforceable, they shouldn't even have gotten past the first date! If any of these are in your employee handbook, it's time to say, "Let's not even be friends anymore." #1: "Employee salaries are … [Read more...] about It’s not me, it’s you: 5 office policies to break up with
Front desk moves its phones into a communications center
A Colorado manager has taken the telephones off the front desk and set up a communications center. The noise, other commotion, and staff burnout at the front desk have ended. As a result, the four-doctor, 16-staff office is able to see more patients in a day. Before the change, the front desk was nothing short of frustrating. It was noisy with phones ringing. Worse, staff had … [Read more...] about Front desk moves its phones into a communications center
Cheap management tricks that really work
By Dr. Steve M. Cohen Sometimes office management is more a matter of quickly throwing out a good answer rather than some profound strategy or statement. I'm not trying to minimize the organization and old-fashioned brainpower that goes into managing an organization. If you've read many of my blogs, you know that I view your job as challenging and often frustrating. It's … [Read more...] about Cheap management tricks that really work