When is it the right time to let an employee go? That was the question I was asked recently by one of my clients. I had to empathize because letting go of someone is a very difficult thing to do. The simple answer is that it’s like pulling teeth; it should always be your last resort. However, as it was in this situation, the person responsible for the front desk role was not doing their job. Multiple attempts to teach and re-teach proved unsuccessful. Ultimately, they just refused to do the job as the doctor/owner asked them to do.
Dental teams work very close together and build strong bonds. Given that this role is crucial to the success of the practice, it is imperative that the “right” person sits in that chair. I mentioned this situation to several friends of mine who are dentists and they all said they can relate to this. In fact, the phrase, “I felt like I was being held hostage” was mentioned several times.
I have had several clients recently share with me they feel like they too are being held hostage by an employee. Apparently, to these doctors, it is easier for them to deal with the negative behavior of one employee and know what they are going to get versus letting them go and starting the search for a replacement.
I must admit I do not agree with this type of thinking. If an employee is not performing in the manner in which you communicate and teach and will not change, then why keep them? It is a liability to your practice if you have an employee that does not share your beliefs of how patients are to be treated. Having a warm body instead of a vacancy is not an answer.
So to answer the question, when is the right time to let an employee go? If you have exhausted all efforts for your employee to learn and change their behavior and nothing has changed, it is time to make a change for the sake of your practice and let them find other employment.
This topic can be very troubling and complicated. If I can offer any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.