Staff disquietude

Medical Laboratory Observer, Sept, 2004 by Christopher S. Frings

Q Sometimes, it seems the entire staff is at odds with one another (i.e., who takes longer breaks, who is performing more tests, who is talking more than the next). Should management deal with this on a daily basis or just ignore it and concentrate on the bigger picture?

A According to Marti Bailey, "I do not think you can just ignore this behavior, not only because of the impact on working conditions, but also because of the probability that left alone, it is more likely to escalate than not. My suggestions include the following elements for addressing the issue with your staff and assigning them responsibility so that you can concentrate on the big picture:

1. Raise awareness of the issue.

2. Provide diversity training.

3. Clarify the procedure for employee reporting of perceived performance problems.

4. Clarify expectations for supervisory handling of performance problems.

"You can raise awareness of the issue by discussing it openly at a staff meeting. Let the staff know exactly what you have observed and the invariably negative impact this type of behavior has on the work environment and on productivity. Also let them know that you hold the entire staff accountable for correcting the problem."

Ms. Bailey adds, "Typically, when we think about diversity, the prime considerations are racial, sexual, and religious variations. But there are much more basic diversity issues, such as personality and productivity differences, that tend to be given little attention. As a group, workers tend to be very intolerant of co-workers with personalities different from what they would like them to be and of those who are not top producers. Tolerating these differences and not letting them lead to antagonism is part of accepting diversity. Try to find a way to provide diversity training for your staff, and be sure that it includes the basics. Awareness is so important."

Larry Crolla advises, "I think management's goal should be to produce quality laboratory results. This cannot be accomplished if there are personnel issues that might cause problems or errors to arise. To that end, management should be involved if the bickering you describe causes work-related issues. If there are no work-related issues, my philosophy would be to make sure a positive attitude is fostered in the laboratory while letting people be themselves."

Alton Sturtevant points out, "I would begin with a soft approach by discussing generalities at a routine staff meeting. I would discuss the need to maintain a schedule of set break times and lunch periods to ensure proper coverage for the clients. I would also talk about productivity measurements in a positive manner.

"Discuss the overall goals with regard to productivity, for example, specimens per full time equivalent (FTE) and tests per FTE. Where are you today, and where do you want to go in the future? What do you expect the supervisors or next level of management to do in order to achieve the productivity goals set by you and the facility? Involve the senior staff in a discussion to address your concerns. Solicit their input and suggestions for a solution. Continue to monitor and exert influence to resolve the current situation to your satisfaction." Bottom line. The supervisors are the key players. They need to evaluate their employees' performance accurately, handle performance problems appropriately, and counsel employees with less-than-expected tolerance of their co-workers. The shared responsibility for performance problems needs to be clarified with your staff. First and foremost is that you put in writing that it is the responsibility of each and every employee to report serious, perceived performance problems to his supervisor and not to complain about these to co-workers. Supervisors need to determine whether a true performance problem exists and to handle it if there is. In my opinion, it is not a bad idea to include this issue as a standard in employee performance appraisals.

Edited by Christopher S. Frings, PhD, CSP

Christopher S. Frings, PhD, is an internationally known consultant and speaker on the topics of leadership, managing change, time management, reaching goals, and stress management. His consulting firm, Chris Frings & Associates, is in Birmingham, AL.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

MLO's "Management Q & A" provides practical, up-to-date solutions to readers' management issues from a panel of laboratory management experts. Readers may send questions to Dr. Chris Frings at 633 Winwood Drive, Birmingham, AL 35226; fax, (205) 823-4283; or e-mail, chris@chrisfrings.com. The following panel of laboratory directors, managers, and supervisory technologists have provided their input in the answers given in this column: Marti K. Bailey, MT(ASCP), work unit leader, Pathology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA; Lawrence J. Crolla, PhD, consulting clinical chemist, Departments of Pathology and Respiratory Care, Alexian Brothers Hospital, Elk Grove Village, IL, West Suburban Medical Center, Oak Park, IL and Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights, IL; and Alton Sturtevant, PhD, vice president and general manager, LabCorp, Birmingham, AL.