The business owner must ensure that his or her policies are legal, appropriate, and applied fairly, regardless of whether he or she manages or oversees human resource matters. If you are the owner of a dental practice, you may find it useful to review a few frequently asked questions that pertain to human resources.
Are there any questions I should avoid during interviews?
If we were to ask a few basic, even common questions during a conversation, we would not hesitate to do so, but those questions should not be asked during an interview. Examples of such questions include:
- What is your marital status?
- Do you have kids?
- Where does your (unusual) name come from?
- What is your sexual orientation?
- How old are you?
The purpose of these questions is to break the ice. However, in some cases, they can also lead to the sharing of personal information regarding protected class status, such as disability, family status, ethnicity, and religion. It is not acceptable to ask such questions during an interview, and it may lead to potential legal issues down the road.
What should I do if an employee refuses to sign a disciplinary action form?
You should always have a witness present when asking an employee to sign a disciplinary action form. The employee should also be reminded that refusing to sign does not in any way invalidate the disciplinary action and that further transgressions can still result in even more serious consequences.
Can software programs help with keeping track of employee hours?
There are many software programs available that can be used to track the working hours of an employee. With these programs, you can automatically deduct meal times from the clock-in and clock-out times of the employees. In short, the software is designed to save you valuable time and to allow you to concentrate more of your energy on your practice and your patients.
When implementing an automatic system of this type, remember to consider the time saved by not manually entering the hours. Compare that time to the time lost by entering corrections if a team member misses lunch, returns early, or runs late. If your dental office rarely runs late, this may be very helpful to you. If you find that you are making corrections more than once or twice a week, it may take you more time than it will save you.
Please contact us if you have any other questions regarding staffing or if you would like a practice management consultation. Through our expertise in human resources, we can help you avoid mistakes that could cost you financially as well as result in legal issues in the future. Our team of dental consultants is here to help. Contact Theresa F. Narantic, Inc today.
