Must every employee be fulltime?

When I am asked by my clients to help them locate some strong candidates to fill a particular position within their dental practice, the usual request is that they require a fulltime dental professional to add to their team. While this is understandable the majority of the time, there are occasions when the questions I ask reveal the need for a permanent part-time employee and not necessarily someone on a fulltime basis.

Granted it isn’t always easy to determine the exact man/woman power to effectively manage the needs of a practice, but there are things that I like to consider when guiding my clients through the process. In some cases it’s based on the physical size of a practice and how the work area lends itself to the flow of activity during the work day; while in other situations it’s based on the lack of proper systems, protocols and efficiency measures applied within the business model.

More times than not, the lack of systems is one of the main reasons an employer/ dentist assumes that there is a need to hire more help; when truthfully without proper direction and protocols an efficient team can easily be mistaken for a group that just can’t keep up with the workload .

I encourage my clients to assess and evaluate the systems or lack of that they apply within their practice along with making sure that everything is clearly defined and every team member (whether it is in their job description or not) is aware of the methodology established within the culture of the practice.

I suggest taking a good, clear look at the structure and overall organization within the business and how it relates to running and managing the various duties that are distributed among the group.

Are the employees assigned responsibilities that they can not only manage properly, but thoroughly? Do their duties align with their ability?

Is everyone clear with exactly what they need to accomplish to successfully manage each day, each month and end of year?

Here’s a thought–what about seeking a permanent part-time employee to manage the overflow that may not necessarily require an additional fulltime employee? I will say that it’s a little more difficult to find a permanent part-time employee than a fulltime one, but once you and your team can pinpoint the specific area(s) that are lacking within the structure of the business, seeking out the necessary team support will be so much easier.

Part time permanent positions when designed correctly are very effective for both administrative as well as clinical positions. If the box is organized, it’s ok to think outside of it!