Wow—you’ve come so far from when you first opened your practice.
You have a better understanding of your market and business ownership (of course there are a few kinks to work out).
You have the pleasure of working with your patients and making people feel better. However, you have a feeling that you might be missing something.
You make a nice profit from your practice, but it could definitely be better. It’s so hard to keep up with the finances and look for ways to bring in more business when you are busy working in your business every day.
The missing puzzle piece to the picture of your perfect practice could very well be a management role. You might be thinking, “Wait, isn’t that me?” And you’re right, kind of.
You have done a great job of starting your business and managing your employees, but you can always do better. Everyone always has room for improvement! It is too challenging (and inefficient) to balance working with patients all day with managing and supervising a clinic. You can only grow your business so much before you are so overloaded that your progress comes to a halt. Stagnant business will be the death of you.
At FYZICAL, the most common challenge we hear from PTs is recruiting. Whether this is because the PTs are nervous about taking on a management role or it is simply challenging to find the best person for the role, the struggles never seem to end. Don’t get discouraged—there is a light at the end of the tunnel after all. Patience is the key to successfully hiring a PT for your practice.
In order to effectively find the right person, you will need to assess your clinic’s needs. Find the applicant with the characteristics/experience that you think best fits. Culture will be one of the most important things to keep in mind during the recruiting process.
Your PT must fit in with the culture of your business, otherwise they will not share the same values and methods as you do. This discord will only create a negative environment for your other employees and potentially result in the PT’s termination. It may be tough waiting weeks and months for the right person to come along, but like any relationship, you never want to settle for less. In the event that you have to terminate your newly-hired PT, you will have spent more money than if you had waited for the right person.
Fast forward. You have battled through the long, grueling recruitment process, and you finally find THE ONE. A skilled, passionate PT with drive and charisma. Before you throw yourself a party, you must negotiate compensation. This is nerve-racking for both sides of the hiring process.
Money is often a deciding factor for applicants, and this person has battled a competitive market as you have. You often hear the saying, “You get what you pay for,” well, if this person has all the right qualifications, you will need to offer competitive pay. Take care of your PTs and all your employees. The benefits and perks you offer will be the deciding factor if this applicant has other options. Businessman Richard Branson may have said it best, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” People will stick around often just for the fact that they are treated well by their supervisor.
The next step will be evaluating your new PT. Set goals for him/her to meet within a time frame. Hold them accountable for those goals and measure his/her success. Once you build trust and communication, it’s smooth sailing from there!
FYZICAL has become one of the leading therapy franchises in the nation and has seen some amazing PTs. We see thousands of applicants and future practice owners every year. Our revolutionary business model has secured the futures of many small business owners. To find out more about how you can grow your business and still remain in control, check us out here.