In today’s rapidly evolving employment market, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant flux and its impact in the business sector. Unfortunately, much of what we encounter in the headlines offers little more than speculation and vague projections, leaving us without concrete solutions. The dental field, in particular, has been deeply affected by these economic shifts and workforce changes, making it increasingly difficult to stay ahead and continue providing the level of care our patients deserve. However, practices that find success amidst these challenges often share a common thread: they prioritize strategic HR management. In this post, we’ll explore essential HR strategies that can help your practice thrive in these uncertain times.

Today’s headlines are replete with news of ongoing changes in the employment market and the impact on every sector of business. Unfortunately, most of what we read offers little more than unsubstantiated opinions, vague projections, and generally commiserates about the current condition. We know all too well that the dental field has been deeply affected by economic factors and workforce changes, making it challenging to stay ahead of the curve and provide the care our patients need. Practices seeing success in this regard focus on these vital components in their approach to HR.

Allocate Adequate Resources to HR Needs In many practices, the challenge of being short-staffed is met with reactive measures, such as posting a job ad and hoping for a miracle hire. However, filling just one vacancy can take dozens of hours and thousands of dollars, often amidst a busy patient schedule. To avoid such inefficiencies, it’s crucial to engage in proactive, ongoing recruitment strategies.

Pivot from Hiring to Ongoing Recruitment We like to differentiate between active and passive recruitment phases. During a passive phase, you may not have an immediate hiring need but should acknowledge the necessity of continuous recruitment. Use this time to build your HR resources and relationships.

Build and Strengthen Your Team Continuously Develop an ongoing action plan for covering employee absences or vacancies. Consider family members, previous employees, or part-time staff as potential fillers. Maintain relationships with temp agencies to grow a pool of reliable temporary help. Offering internships can provide exposure to students and often lead to direct hires.

Implement Effective Recruitment Strategies Determine who can best fill the role of HR administrator and allocate a specific schedule for this work. This individual (whether a team member, recruiter, former employee, family member, or independent contractor) can handle ad writing, applicant screening, and interview scheduling, allowing managers to focus on the hiring process.

Utilize Multiple Advertising Outlets Practices should maintain at least five outlets for advertising open positions: mainstream job posting sites, hiring services, social media, staff recruitment incentives, and networking activities.

Act Quickly Delays in the hiring process can result in losing quality candidates. Swiftly move through initial steps, condense interviews and working sessions into one appointment, and prepare offer letters and compensation details in advance. Efficient testing, background checks, and reference checks are also essential.

When you prioritize resource building during a passive HR phase, you’ll be prepared to deploy effective methods swiftly and efficiently when needed. This proactive approach brings composure to what could otherwise be a frantic activity.

By taking a proactive approach to HR management, you can turn a potentially chaotic situation into a well-organized, efficient process. Allocating the right resources, maintaining continuous recruitment efforts, and building a reliable team are all crucial steps toward ensuring your practice remains resilient in the face of workforce challenges. Remember, success in today’s employment landscape isn’t about merely reacting to changes—it’s about anticipating them and preparing your practice to meet them head-on.