subject: Practice Management Mistakes That Lead To Employee Dissatisfaction Issues [print this page] Employee dissatisfaction is a frequent and important contribution to practice management issues. Like a slowly growing cancer, it starts insidiously and progressively becomes larger. If allowed to continue, employee dissatisfaction can lead to staff problems, increased staff turnover, or even bigger issues like employee lawsuits.
Sometimes owners or managers can do something inadvertently that dissatisfies employees. The practice owner or manager is usually unaware of employee dissatisfaction until it's too late. This may be because employees are generally too afraid to speak about their issues and therefore, don't immediately voice their objections.
There are mistakes that managers and owners commonly make. These mistakes lead to employee dissatisfaction. Good practice management dictates that these mistakes be addressed and avoided.
Not providing proper training or adequate guidance
In handling difficult situations and new circumstances, people require support, guidance and proper training. Unfortunately, in some instances, providing such guidance is frequently ignored. Thorough guidance and a supportive attitude can greatly help staff morale and improve work performance. Being critical to managing staff is to know what to say and how to say it.
Providing luxuries to some but not all
Consistency is the key to managing staff. Permitting one individual to arrive late because he had "some important things to do" while reprimanding another individual for late arrival can lead to complications. It can also seem discriminatory if one staff member is granted an extension for a medical leave while the other one is denied the same. Being impartial is wise.
Giving poor performers raises and bonuses
Making everyone happy by offering an annual raise is tempting. If poor performers are offered a raise, they never develop the motivation to improve. Money never improves the performance of a poor worker.
Criticizing employees personally
Nothing defeats motivation more than being attacked personally. A supervisor can lose all his credibility by focusing on the person and not his behavior. Criticizing personally can lead to resentment, discouragement and poorer performance.
Ignoring issues
Bad situations only worsen if they are not addressed in time. Negative circumstances are prevented from getting bigger if they are addressed early. This will make things easier for the practice in the long run.
Overlooking offensive behavior
Many people, at times, have told inappropriate jokes or forwarded emails that were funny in their opinion. A manager has to be firm about what could be offensive to others in the working place. If a potentially offensive behavior is noticed, it must immediately be addressed. If an unacceptable behavior is overlooked, the doors to future issues and complications will be pushed wide open.
Lying
Nothing angers employees more than being told lies by their supervisors. Not only is lying unfair for the employees, but it is also unfair for the practice. Good practice management requires having integrity.
Hiding mistakes from employees
Covering up is another dirty habit that leads to difficulties in employee management. Again, manager integrity is involved here. All humans can make mistakes from time to time. If a superior tries to cover those mistakes up or hide them from his employees, he will set himself up for a big fall. The staff usually knows more than the manager thinks. Mistakes should be admitted not concealed.
