Dealing with Problem Employees? Here Are Some Tips for Corrective Action

Is an employee of your dental practice behaving badly or violating rules of the workplace? Here are eight tips to help nip misconduct in the bud before it gets out of hand, and what to do if it does.

1. Be As Specific and Genuine As Possible

When discussing employee behavior, it's often important to be specific and accurate. Don't gloss over the reason corrective action is needed or make the offense sound less serious than it really is. Instead, stick to the facts and be as detailed as possible without becoming upset or emotional. If, for example, a dental hygienist is rude with patients, don't chalk it up to a poor fit. Let them know exactly what caused the need for disciplinary action.

2. Stay on Topic

It's important to stay on topic when discussing behavior issues or violations of your dental practice's policies. Don't allow employees to go down a rabbit hole either; if you sense the conversation straying too far from the core issue, let your employee know that you prefer to stay on topic and you can discuss other issues at another time.

3. Help the Employee Understand the Impact of Their Actions and How They Violate Company Policy

Corrective action isn't simply disciplinary; it should allow employees to understand their mistakes and learn from them. Help your employee understand the impact that their actions have had on your dental practice.

If they violate company policy, you may want to make sure to include details about which specific policies are involved. For example, if one of your dental associates regularly goes over their appointment times, it can cause patients to get backed up, likely affecting the flow of the entire office.

Use the need for corrective action as an opportunity to help your employees learn the importance of adhering to company policy.

4. Avoid Discussion of Legal Issues

The violation of company policy doesn't necessarily equal a legal transgression. You may want to avoid mentioning that your employee will face legal consequences for their actions, because it may not be true in every case. Harassment or discrimination isn't always legally actionable, even if they are against your practice's anti-harassment policies. If you think any legal issues may be involved, then you should review the situation with your attorney.

5. Mention Prior Warnings but Don't Include the Documents

If the employee has had prior warnings, especially if they were for actions of a similar nature, it's likely important to mention them. This may help the employee to understand the significance of the matter at hand.

However, don't bring up copies of related documents if not absolutely necessary. Unless you are unable to adequately explain the situation without the documents, using them is likely just going to be overkill. You’ll likely want to avoid creating an overly litigious exchange with the employee.

6. Allow the Employee to Respond

Give the employee the opportunity to respond, either in person or in writing. Often, employees struggle with formulating an on-the-spot response under pressure, so be sure to communicate to them that you invite an emailed or written response if the employee chooses. If the response indicates that additional follow up is needed, get the facts and revisit the matter with the employee.

7. Follow Through

Outline a plan of action for the employee to rectify their behavior and set guidelines on how success will be measured. Determine what, if any, consequences will result from another infraction and follow through if the employee violates policy again. Follow through lets other employees know where the boundaries are and what consequences can be expected in cases of misconduct.

8. Be Consistent

Another important message to send to your dental practice staff is consistency. Do not allow one employee to exhibit the same off-limits behavior that another employee was penalized for. The same disciplinary actions should be taken across the board for similar infractions.

Why Correcting Employee Behavior Is Important (and What to Do If It Doesn't Work)

Correcting employee behavior may seem like more work than it's worth, especially if the infraction wasn't that bad to begin with. However, establishing firm boundaries with your employees is likely critical to the success of your dental practice.

Difficult employees can impact the satisfaction of your patients and your bottom line, both of which you can't afford to allow. Although challenging, the termination of employees that aren't able to function well within your dental practice ultimately may be in the best interests of your patients and other staff members.

About Treloar & Heisel

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Treloar & Heisel, LLC. and its divisions do not offer business consulting or legal advice. Please consult a professional concerning these topics.