June 2009
Hiring Good Support Staff
Lately several attorneys have complained to me about an administrative person in their office. Often the problem is with the person who answers the telephone and has some other responsibilities as well. These attorneys were frustrated because the person they had hired was doing the job poorly.
It was déjà vu for me. In a previous career at AT&T when I was selling large telephone systems the complaint I would hear most often from managers was that the attendant answering the phone was a problem. It was such a huge problem that it was "solved" by using an automated attendant.
In my opinion the solution was not a good one for most firms. The person answering gives the caller his or her first impression of the firm. A great receptionist gives the caller a warm welcome and the feeling the firm is there to help him or her. It is the first place potential clients experience the firm.
No one sets out to hire a poor receptionist or employee so how does it happen so often? If it has been a problem for you, there are three places to look for the answer to that question.
Hire the right person for the job
The first place to check is in your hiring process. The job description must accurately state the duties and responsibilities of this position. During the interview process you will want to insure that the potential employee is able to fulfill the requirements.
This is the time to use some assessments to be sure his/her skills as defined in the job description are good. The attorneys I coach use their own assessments or some that I have.
In addition I recommend using the behavioral and motivational assessments for each candidate to insure that:
- The new hire's behavioral style is right for the job.
- You know how to communicate with the employee in a way that they really hear you.
- You know what motivates this employee.
Taking the time to do this during the hiring process will make a huge difference
in your success rate.
Train the person and document the processes
Once you have hired someone you will want to train them in your system. Give them a binder with their job description and then explain the processes that they will be involved in. Train the person how to do each of the processes he/she owns. (All processes are usually found in the operations manual for the firm.)
If for example the person answers the phone and takes messages, give them complete instructions as to how that is done. If he/she has other tasks, be equally clear on how you want them to perform those tasks.
In the first few weeks give the person room to make mistakes. When a mistake occurs review the training to show the person where in the process he/she strayed. After an initial orientation period you have a right to assume the person will be competent in the process and will continue doing the job as required.
Trust but verify
You can assume that but you must verify it. As the manager of this employee you will want to periodically check to see that he/she is still doing the job exactly as you detailed it in the operations manual. No changes to the process are allowed unless you approve them and they are put into the operations manual.
It is natural for people to forget a step or do something in a different way. For example when I workout I often slip into an easier way to do my exercises without even noticing. I have a trainer to remind that to get the full benefit I must do it correctly. In the same way your employee may slip. You will need to remind him/her of the correct procedure.
A good staff means your office will function more smoothly and your clients will have a good experience with your firm. While doing good work for your clients is one of the most important thing that you do, managing the office is another important role and probably one that gets neglected. To make your office efficient and your practice thrive and grow, take some time to actively manage your staff.