Top 9 Things to Include in Your Employee Training

So, you’ve hired a brand-new team member and you’re excited! You’ve gone through the extensive and diligent process of recruiting, interviewing, and hiring them. Now, you’re ready to train and develop them into being a strong and impactful addition to your team. But, what are the steps you need to take, and what are some key things you need to include in your employee training process to make sure you set both them and the practice up for success?

We’re so glad you asked.

Here are the top 9 things to include in your new employee training:

1) Orientation of the Practice

Teach the new employee the standards, policies, procedures, and protocols you have in place for your office. Be intentional to review these things instead of “throwing them into the fire” and expecting them to understand your policies and work culture. Be aware that any bad habits they’ve picked up from previous jobs may be what they bring into your practice. Therefore, share things like your policies on staff uniforms, body piercings, tattoos, bold hair color choices (blue, anyone?), tardiness, cell phone usage on the job, plus other important codes of conduct. In addition, make sure to give the new team member a tour around the practice. Show them where all the paperwork is, where the PPE is, let them know where to park, etc. Don’t expect them to automatically know these things. It’s your responsibility to effectively orient them.

Note: Your practice’s policies and code of conduct should be included in an easy-to-locate Employee Handbook. We always recommend having ALL employees, both new and existing, sign off on these policies. This includes a social media policy as well!

2) Front Desk Staff Shadowing

We suggest that every single new hire should spend at least a half-day shadowing a team member at the front desk. It’s key for everyone in your practice to possess strong phone and customer service skills as well as an understanding of the patient sales process (marketing/lead generation, calls-to-consults conversions, follow-up systems, etc.). Generating revenue and keeping patients coming back for more is a team effort.

3) Sitting in on Treatments

You want to make sure that each team member not only knows about all of the treatments and procedures that are done in the practice but knows how they’re done. Observing the treatments being performed gives your new team member an understanding of your bedside manner. This is incredibly important when they’re credentialing you as a provider! It also allows them to observe proper/preferred procedural techniques, the steps and items the procedure entails, and what the patient can expect during the procedure. Having each new team member sit in on treatments performed in the practice is essential to the employee training process, even if they are going to be working at the front desk.

4) Teaching Your Mission Statement

Make sure that everyone on your team knows what the mission statement is! Share why your practice exists and the difference you want to make in patients’ lives. Remember, a mission is a goal, a vision, and an objective. It answers questions like “Why am I doing this?” and “Why am I coming to work?” Establish your mission statement and make sure everyone on your team knows it. In the long run, team members will feel compelled to stay in your office because there’s a purpose to going to work, not routine activities.

5) Looking Like a United Team

Provide cohesive uniforms and/or branded scrubs and establish a dress code (what’s the standard of professional appearance each team member should uphold?), engage in team-building activities (having in-office team parties and events, spending time together outside of the office, and more) and finally, create a team mentality all around! Remember, the practice has a mission, and everyone is working toward achieving that goal. Success will take unity, group effort, and commitment from everyone.

6) Creating Respect

Your team members should respect you AND you should respect them. The best way to create respect is to model it and show it. In addition, it’s crucial to make sure to not tolerate any disrespect amongst team members or towards leadership and nip it in the bud as soon as it occurs.

7) Using Incentives to Create Strong Work Ethic

Incentives motivate your staff. While your new employee is undergoing training, you don’t want them to learn to cut corners here and there, nor work at their lowest potential. You want them to be sharp and do their absolute best. Therefore, share incentives they will earn as a result of their hard work and quality performance. Ideas for incentives can include bonus structures, PTO (paid time off), product samples from vendors, an allowance for complimentary procedures in your practice, and more! Remember, not all incentives have to come in the form of dollars from your bank account. Allowance of flexible schedules, an extra day of vacation, and even an employee of the month recognition with a certificate that is displayed in the office or shared in an e-newsletter can be effective as well.

8) Providing Ongoing Training

Empower your team with the tools they need to succeed, and always provide them ongoing training. This can be achieved by registering them to join you in attending industry conferences, enrolling them in online courses to develop their skills, or having them sign up for industry webinars. Investing in your team’s ongoing training will help them stay on top of their game and improve their skills such as their ability to close consults or perform a procedure. As a result, the practice will grow and thrive year after year.

9) Conducting Regular Employee Reviews

Meet with your staff members on a regular basis to go over their performance. Be sure to recognize opportunities for improvement as well as outstanding behavior you wish to see duplicated in the future.

In conclusion, the reason it’s important to properly train and onboard a new employee is that according to a 2020 Entrepreneur magazine article, an improperly and ill-trained employee can cost you as much as 30% of your practice’s profit. As consultants, we so often see that once the training starts and the employee is officially a part of the practice, things quickly begin to fall through the cracks so that by noon on the first day you’ve already left them to go out on their own. So then, just like we tell all of our clients, we suggest that you have a strong onboarding and training process. This way, you prevent your hard-earned revenue and precious time from going out the window.