How do you build a team of medical professionals for your medical practice? You need the right recruitment strategy, says medical business adviser Kym Nitschke.

One of the biggest challenges you may face as a medical practice owner is that of finding the right people to put on your medical team.

Doctors don’t grow on trees. Recruiting them to your team is difficult, and if you can sway them your way, you’ll be in a battle to keep them from deep pocketed competitors.

Not only do you need to hire skilled talent, you also want to work with professionals who share your values and vision for years to come.

How can you find those kind of colleagues? Here’s what you need to do to find and keep great doctors for your practice.

Create a Work Environment Other Doctors Will Be Drawn To

If you want people to come work for you then you have to offer a place they want to work in. Your marketing strategy shouldn’t just target potential patients, it should also send a strong message to potential talent that your practice is an excellent place to build a career.

Incorporate the latest technology into your practice. Keep the environment clean and the grounds tidy. Make sure working areas are renovated, well-lit and spacious.

Potential fellow doctors will be very concerned about your reputation in the community. If you have a great working environment with a strong patient base, potential employees won’t need much convincing to work with you.

Be Honest About the Job

Be upfront about what you have to offer. Don’t be vague or attempt to distort the facts just to convince someone to come on board. They’ll figure out the truth sooner or later and be out the door much sooner than you were hoping.

Whether in the job advertisement or in an interview, be very clear about what kind of work you’d expect them to do and what compensation they can expect. Will there be opportunities for advancement within the practice? Is the potential doctor comfortable with the amount of administrative work they’ll be expected to do? What kind of hours do you need them to work vs what kind of hours are they hoping to work?

Make sure all the detail are clear and that everything has been communicated correctly. This will save you a lot of headache down the road.

Be Supportive of New Hires

Your new employees may know how to do their job, but applying their knowledge and skills in a new clinic like yours can be intimidating. It will take some time for them to feel comfortable with the workflow of your office.

Be patient with a new recruit. Check in on their progress from time to time without hovering. Get feedback from them about their experience. Offer constructive criticism and be quick to praise rather than judge a fellow doctor or any other office employee.

By showing the new hire that you care about how they’re adjusting, they’ll feel heard and appreciated. As a result, he or she will be more likely to enjoy working with your team. They’ll become more productive and feel a sense of loyalty towards you.

Create an Inclusive and Fun Work Environment

Show your employees just how much you appreciate them. Reward them for their hard work, include them in decisions relating to the future of the practice and have fun.

Specifically, this can be include simply asking staff for their feedback and insights. Throw office parties and offer free lunches on special occasions. The little things count.

Create space for career development

Ensure that your employees have a fair chance at getting pay rises and bonuses that they qualify for. Don’t skimp on wages – if you have great doctors, and want to attract more, ensure they’re paid at market level and beyond. If you underpay your employees, they’ll feel more dispensable and may be more inclined to leave you without much notice.

And it is not just about money.

Training and up-skilling is very important to good doctors, so provide plenty of opportunity for development, through internal programs but also external study and conferences. Your doctors will grow, provide an even better service to your patients and develop a greater connection to you and your practice.

Understand What Motivates Your Employees

Some doctors are driven by the prospect of advancing their career. Others, however, are seeking lifestyle and balance for themselves and their families – remember, many of your staff may have kids at home and other passions alongside their work.

Once you better understand what motivates your employees and fellow doctors, you’ll be better able to create a work environment that is flexible and personalised, which will be a hugely important factor for anyone considering joining the practice.

Hire an Office Manager or Human Resources Manager

You should probably already have an office manager in place. If you do, then you will need to work with him or her in streamlining the hiring process. As your medical practice staff body grows, you might even need to hire a human resources manager to work full-time so as to meet everyone’s needs, including recruitment, retainment and engagement of existing employees.

Revisit Your Hiring Process

If no one is answering your job ads, or you’re turning away too many potential work candidates or employees are leaving you within a year, then that may be saying something is wrong with your current strategy. There may be some common factor in the hiring process that is pushing away the talent your business needs.

Take the time to re-evaluate your hiring process using the tips discussed in this post, and get advice from an experienced business and recruitment adviser if need be.

Get advice

Nitschke Nancarrow are experts in the business of medical professionals – whether it is running a medical practice, or a personal tax or investment matter – contact us to get the right advice.

Contact Nitschke Nancarrow managing partner Kym Nitschke for a free initial discussion about your situation. Call us on (08) 8379 9950 or send me an email.

– Kym Nitschke

The information contained on this web site is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser.

Taxation, legal and other matters referred to on this website are of a general nature only and are based on Nitschke Nancarrow’s  interpretation of laws existing at the time and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Those laws may change from time to time.

Nitschke Nancarrow specialises in accounting, tax and financial advice for superannuation. Contact us now for a no obligations discussion about your needs.