{"id":951,"date":"2021-09-01T06:00:11","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T06:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/?p=951"},"modified":"2021-09-01T11:50:12","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T11:50:12","slug":"staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff Shortage!!!  5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, I know the term team is more uniting and empowering than the word staff.\u00a0 Also, that staff is an infection.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude0a However, I like the alliteration of short staffed versus short teamed or team shortage.<\/p>\n<p>Times have changed and nearly everyone faces sporadic or chronic staffing challenges.\u00a0 Stop and take a moment and breathe deep!\u00a0 You will survive this challenge and be even better after!<\/p>\n<p>Start by writing an ad that is enticing and specific to attract that new superstar team member!\u00a0 Together as a team define specific skills and traits desired for the position.\u00a0 Please email me at <a href=\"mailto:JudyKay@PracticeSolutonsInc.net\">JudyKay@PracticeSolutonsInc.net<\/a> if you would like to receive a sample ad.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3pdq74N6QWE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here are 5 steps to help you survive the shortage until you hire your new superstar!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Communicate<\/strong> \u2013 Take time to communicate as a team.\u00a0 Notice I used the term team now as no need for alliteration.\u00a0 Together define specific tasks that were being done by the employee or employees who are gone. \u00a0\u00a0Make a list of the specific tasks that need to be done instead of panicking.\u00a0 Avoid generalization of tasks as the more specific the easier the solution.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prioritize<\/strong> \u2013 Triage the list of tasks.\u00a0 What must be done?\u00a0 What can be delayed?\u00a0 What can be let go?\u00a0 I like to utilize Rocks, Pebbles and Sand to prioritize.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rocks \u2013 Important and Urgent \u2013 Rocks must be done that day or consequences<\/li>\n<li>Pebbles \u2013 Important and Not Urgent \u2013 Pebbles can be done another day without consequences. However, if delayed long enough a Pebble can turn into a Rock.<\/li>\n<li>Sand \u2013 Not Important and Not Urgent \u2013 Sand is the filler like cleaning and organizing and can be delayed the longest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Utilize Human Resources \u2013 <\/strong>Your human resources are your entire team.\u00a0 So often we compartmentalize the team into departments.\u00a0 We lessen our resources when we compartmentalize.\u00a0 Instead, be creative when discussing who could do specific tasks.\u00a0 Take time to cross train whenever possible.\u00a0 A highly cross trained team is much more flexible and beneficial!\u00a0 My favorite job description is:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cMy job from the moment I check in to the moment I check out is whatever is legal, ethical, and within my licensure to help the patients, practice, and team thrive!\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Also consider which tasks could be done virtually.\u00a0 There are many platforms available.\u00a0 <em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Utilize Technology <\/strong>\u2013 Learn your technology in your practice.\u00a0 Invest the time now and you will become more efficient and effective.\u00a0 I work with practices nationwide and very few fully maximize their technology.\u00a0 Schedule a call with your practice software trainer asap.\u00a0 Review your lists of tasks to learn what tasks could possibly be automated.\u00a0 For example, billing, confirming appointments, contacting recare etc.\u00a0 There is often so much more we can do with the existing technology in our practice.<\/p>\n<p>Look into additional technology that would allow you to automate in the clinical area.\u00a0 For example, Voiceworks Software allows hygienists to be autonomous with probing as well as more effective and efficient. \u00a0Check out the video on voice-controlled charting.\u00a0 The link is \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/oralscience.com\/en\/products\/voiceworks\/\">https:\/\/oralscience.com\/en\/products\/voiceworks\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Schedule \u2013 <\/strong>Review the schedule with your team based on current staffing available.\u00a0 Many of you have new team members that will take time to train.\u00a0 Do you need more time for procedures?\u00a0 Do you need to change what is scheduled in conjunctive columns?\u00a0 You may even need to temporarily suspend scheduling a column.\u00a0 <strong>FEAR ALERT!!!\u00a0 <\/strong>I know you are concerned about overhead and the bottom line etc.\u00a0 However, if you consistently overwhelm and over burden your current old and new team members they may leave as well.\u00a0 Or worse yet\u2026they will stay and become burned out and disengaged.<\/p>\n<p>Review the past two weeks schedule with your team.\u00a0 Where were the bottlenecks and stress points?\u00a0 What shows up consistently?\u00a0 Adress the consistent problem areas by adjusting the schedule to accommodate them based on current team, training, and skills.<\/p>\n<p>Implement these 5 steps and you will not only survive you will thrive!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, I know the term team is more uniting and empowering than the word staff.\u00a0 Also, that staff is an infection.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude0a However, I like the alliteration of short staffed versus short teamed or team shortage. Times have changed and nearly everyone faces sporadic or chronic staffing challenges.\u00a0 Stop and take a moment and breathe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,5,6,8,9,10,16,18,19,25,191,30,38,39,44,51,53,1,184],"tags":[61,63,68,70,73,76,84,87,88,92,93,94,96,98,101,120,121,144,146,149,153,154,159,160,166,167,169,170,175,182],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage. - Practice Solutions Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage. - Practice Solutions Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Yes, I know the term team is more uniting and empowering than the word staff.\u00a0 Also, that staff is an infection.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude0a However, I like the alliteration of short staffed versus short teamed or team shortage. Times have changed and nearly everyone faces sporadic or chronic staffing challenges.\u00a0 Stop and take a moment and breathe [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Practice Solutions Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-09-01T06:00:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-09-01T11:50:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Judy Kay Mausolf\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Judy Kay Mausolf\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/\",\"name\":\"Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage. - Practice Solutions Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-01T06:00:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-09-01T11:50:12+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3d60c194e33825690d9b7fc1c8a0c1de\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Practice Solutions Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3d60c194e33825690d9b7fc1c8a0c1de\",\"name\":\"Judy Kay Mausolf\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/add3568619b785e72f417cb404b8f404?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/add3568619b785e72f417cb404b8f404?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Judy Kay Mausolf\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/author\/judykay\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage. - Practice Solutions Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/staff-shortage-5-steps-to-help-you-survive-the-staff-shortage\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Staff Shortage!!! 5 Steps to Help You Survive the Staff Shortage. - Practice Solutions Blog","og_description":"Yes, I know the term team is more uniting and empowering than the word staff.\u00a0 Also, that staff is an infection.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude0a However, I like the alliteration of short staffed versus short teamed or team shortage. 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