In my early years, I worked for an airline in a small city. The best part about a small-city airport is that, as an airline employee, you do it all, which is good because you learn a lot and see how everything works. That meant checking in passengers, loading luggage, managing the boarding process and even deicing aircraft. Yes, you do a lot. And as with any job where the responsibilities are endless, so is the required training.
According to Forbes, employers that invest in formalized worker training programs yield a substantial increase in company income per employee. The article went on to say that companies with formal training programs see a 218% higher yield compared to companies without them.
The keyword is “formal.” If your veterinary practice does not have a formalized written training program, now is the time to develop one. It will increase revenue and enhance employee retention and productivity.
Level It Up
The airline I worked for provided excellent training. First, we learned the easy tasks to get us started — how to load luggage into the aircraft, how to operate the motorized equipment and how to marshal the plane to the gate.
Consider this when designing training for each position in your practice: What can people quickly learn to boost their confidence and help them feel valued? For a receptionist, Level 1 would be as basic as learning to greet pet owners and schedule appointments. For a veterinary assistant, it could be how to clean cages and walk patients. If you don’t formally share your expectations, how will they ever know? There is no need to push harder if the basics don’t stick. A well-written program, accompanied by a mentor, trainer or assigned buddy, helps move the needle.
Once someone masters the basics, it’s time to move to the next phase. In the airline industry, leveling up meant weeks of intensive training about software, rules and regulations, and deicing procedures. After that, specialized training might cover topics such as accepting different types of cargo, tracking lost luggage, assisting unaccompanied minors, knowing which oxygen devices are allowed on aircraft, and issuing vouchers to unfortunate passengers on canceled flights.
You can apply the same concepts in your practice. Level 2 can build intermediate skills and result in greater autonomy. For the receptionist, the training might include handling client complaints, processing end-of-day reconciliations and overseeing client reminders. For a veterinary assistant, Level 2 may involve performing standard laboratory tests and filing prescriptions.
Once they master Level 2, the goal is to tackle Level 3, and so on.
For the entire process to work, you must put it in writing. Start by listing each job’s skills and responsibilities, prioritize them, and then divide them into levels. No training program is set in stone. You might realize that the order isn’t quite right, that processes have changed, or that you need to add or subtract a task. The more detail is better, as it certainly makes changes and improvements easier to address.
Establish Advancement Criteria
In the airline industry, those who completed specific skills earned a certification. While you don’t have to be that fancy in a veterinary clinic, a checklist of completed skills requiring a trainer’s signature of approval is a great way to set goals and monitor results.
When I was a veterinary practice manager, the trainers were coached on how to sign off on various tasks. They learned which questions to ask the trainee. If a specific skill required a demonstration, the doctor or lead technician would follow the directions on the checklist.
If a team member didn’t complete the training as anticipated, the trainer would sit down with the person and discuss what needed to be done.
During my airline days, I noticed that some people with 10 years’ experience were stuck at Level 1. No one pushed them to advance to Level 2 because the training was at the employee’s pace and lacked deadlines.
You might find long-term employees like that at your practice. Therefore, consider adding training time frames. While competency is the main objective, it’s wise to set a deadline for the completion of each phase.
Reward Progress
I received an automatic raise every year when I worked for the airline. Everyone got one on their anniversary date. It was the company’s way of thanking you for being part of the airline family. The pay scale was an open book, and everyone knew what their raise would be next year.
It took me a few years to discover an apparent disconnect between skills and rewards. Airline employees stuck on Level 1 for 10 years were being rewarded more than I was, even though I had attended every training session, took on more responsibilities and was constantly busy. When cargo arrived, I was often the only employee who knew how to process it. When the plane broke down, I was frequently one of the few who knew how to rebook passengers’ flights. When a drunk passenger was at the gate, I was often the only one who could handle the situation. My radio was always on.
Unfortunately, some of my co-workers sat and waited for the next plane to arrive so that they could then unload and load luggage, as if that was all they knew how to do. How do you think that made high performers like me feel? Within five years I turned down the opportunity for additional training — a weather class.
Do you have skilled employees who are always willing to take on more responsibilities? Nurture your team members by tying advancement through the training levels to a solid reward program. Once an employee levels up, they earn a raise or another incentive. You establish the amount or outcome, and everybody knows it. Employees who level up are more beneficial to your practice and are motivated to continue learning and improving.
AT THEIR LEVEL BEST
A well-designed leveling program offers numerous benefits for the veterinary practice and team. They include:
- Motivation and a transparent career path: Employees are aware of the knowledge or skills they need to acquire to progress in their job.
- Fair and predictable compensation: When each level is tied to a predefined pay rate or raise, team members know how to get there.
- Better hiring and onboarding decisions: When you bring in new team members,
- a leveling system is an easy way to assess skill levels and pay fair wages.
- Consistency in training and standards: A phased training program helps ensure that every employee learns to meet the same standards at each level.
- Employee engagement and retention: Team members will experience a sense of progression and accomplishment as they move through the levels. Their progression can come with new job titles, such as junior receptionist, senior receptionist, guru receptionist and lead receptionist.