Physical therapy has always been one of healthcare’s most in-demand fields. In 2020, physical therapists – especially the most experienced and talented among them – could handpick their employers. Just a few years later, finding and recruiting the right employees to staff your practice has become harder and harder. If you're having difficulties finding staff for your clinic, here are five tips to help you!
Related Blog: How Hiring Physical Therapy Assistants Can Make Your Practice More Efficient
Talented prospects are going to be looking for the best clinics. Running your practice with efficient operating procedures and performance metrics is a sure way to attract top talent. Do you know how much time your clinicians spend on filing, charting, and other administrative tasks? If you reduce the time spent in this area, your PTs will be able to spend more time caring for patients. Take the time to review your policies and procedures to see where you can make improvements to benefit the business and assist in your recruiting. A great way to do this is to break down all the functions needed to run a physical therapy clinic. We've created five basic categories of function: Executive, Clinical, Operations, Administrative, and Marketing. Once you've defined all the functions of your practice, then you'll be able to nail down the parameters that impact your hiring decisions.
When bringing potential candidates into your practice, they are looking to your facility for the best tools and services in patient care. Do you offer any high-tech modalities as part of your patient care program? This may include laser therapy, TENS, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or light therapy. Do you offer any unique or cutting-edge services such as balance rehabilitation, dry needling, or others? Top talent wants access to the best, so giving them a clinic in which they can provide the best possible treatment is an attractive asset.
Investing in your clinicians is a great way to attract additional talent. Continuing education, certifications, and professional development can be a significant expense for therapists, and covering the expense can be the answer to attracting and securing top talent. Beyond the financial component, top talent is attracted to the quality and type of professional development available. Does your clinic provide an opportunity to learn a specialized service such as balance rehabilitation, aquatic therapy, or others? What about opportunities to progress their management skills or business knowledge? Seeing a clear pathway to greater responsibility and long-term success in your organization is crucial for the most motivated of candidates.
PT salaries vary from state to state, and top talent will require a more competitive salary. However, the additional benefits you offer can make you stand out as an employer. Does your practice have a stand-out benefits package? Retirement contributions, health insurance, PTO, and sick leave will make a tangible difference when recruiting talented physical therapists. Other selling points include flexible schedules, a good company culture, and opportunities for growth.
Summer is upon us, and new graduates are becoming available as board exams resume. There is often a general hesitancy around hiring a new grad. When interviewing a new grad, ask specifically about the strengths and weaknesses they have identified through their clinical rotations – this gives insight into their level of humility, safety awareness, and if this is a person who will continue to learn and grow at your practice. Often, new grads turn out to be the best hires because they are excited, passionate, eager to learn, and have not developed bad habits at other facilities. One of the biggest things to remember is that it's easier to fill gaps in competence than gaps in character. Even if people have strong experience, hiring or promoting them is a mistake if they have weak values. Knowledge and skills can be learned, but principles like integrity, humility, and generosity are tougher to teach.
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Considering a physical therapy practice? Already own one and want to make improvements? Contact us today and learn how partnering with FYZICAL may be the best option for you!