Recognize the Other Factors of the Employee Experience

Knowing what employees want and having the right leadership and structural elements in place is only the beginning of the journey to create an outstanding employee experience. These elements are often overlooked, or are done in ways not always aligned with the overall organizational vision.

Be selective-and see it pay off.

Of these other factors, selection is probably one of the most important. Many organizations fall into the trap of the "warm body syndrome"-or the practice of hiring the first qualified person who comes through the door.

Unfortunately, hiring only for technical skill and ability can destroy the work environment very quickly. While the person may be able to technically do the job, they may be a terrible fit for the organization.

If yours is an environment that places a high degree of value on customer service and you hire someone without that same degree of commitment, pretty soon that person is on their way out the door-voluntarily or not. Either way, the situation isn't good. Now, you have a vacancy to fill, staff pulled to cover and train, and no one to do the job.

It's great to define the technical requirements, but it's just as important to look at the behavioral traits that will fit your organization. Therein lies the key to whether or not you'll optimize your employee experience.

Offer training that encourages new thinking.

Training, whether formal classes, on-the-job education or via departmental meetings, is another important factor that influences the overall employee experience. Organizations with highly rated employee experiences (and, therefore, highly rated customer satisfaction) report that at all times, a full one-quarter of their staff is in training of some sort.

Unfortunately, for many organizations, training is the first thing to get cut when the budget is tight. But what some people don't realize is that training provides not only knowledge, but also the personal growth that's so valued by employees committed to your organization.

Encourage a coaching mentality.

Coaching is a growth area for both managers and employees. When one thinks of the best athletes in the world, one thing that they all have in common is a great coach somewhere on their team. Too often, we think that once someone's education is complete that their learning is done; we as leaders don't seek out the support and advice from others.

Coaching can be as simple as teammates urging each other on in the quest for the daily goal, or as formal as regular meetings between staff and their leadership coach or the Leadership and an external coach. Whatever form coaching takes, it's an important investment for the organization. It keeps employees and Leadership fresh, sends a message of commitment, and helps the organization stay objective.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Share your feedback with us. What do you want to know more about? What are some of the issues you're facing? Your comments will help us zone in on the physician topics of interest to you as we prepare our next issue

To print this page select the print button from your browser window or click here.