Video: Managing too many part-time employees
You need them for flexibility and you don't need to pay them benefits. But you can have too much of a good thing.
Managing a stable of part-time employees is no easy task for the practice owner or manager. And some experts say if you're overusing part-time help, you're losing money in turnovers, poor client communication, and possibly weaker patient care when cases are handed off too many times to too many people.
Monica Dixon Perry, CVPM, with VMC Inc., says you should aim for no more than 50 percent part-time workers. She also shares some tips to best use them.
Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Jeff Werber loves the advantages of employing part-timers: flexibility, no requirements for benefits or paid vacation, and, most importantly, fewer employees during "dead time."
Now before you go overboard with part-time staffing, consider the advice of Karyn Gavzer, CVPM, MBA. Flexible scheduling is great, but there's the risk that part-timers "never get good at anything," she says.
Veterinary Economics Hospital Management Editor Mark Opperman, CVPM, with VMC Inc., wants you to think about the long-term costs of hiring part-timers. Find out what they are.
Once you've got the right mix of part-timers and full-times, how do you best manage the staffing? Veterinary Economics Financial Management Consultant Gary Glassman, CPA, with Burzenski & Co., says budgeting will do the job.
For more on managing hours and staff pay, check the related links below.
