Two Weeks to Transition: Staying Calm When a Team Member Resigns

Employee resignation can be challenging, especially in a small, family-oriented dental team. When someone hands in their two-week notice, it can trigger a wave of emotions: frustration, sadness, and sometimes even panic.

However, when a team member decides to leave the dental practice, it does not always have to be a crisis. If you have the right approach, a resignation can be turned into an opportunity to strengthen your team and improve efficiency on daily tasks.

A proper response to a team member leaving includes controlling initial reactions, conducting an exit interview, and creating a transition plan for the practice.

CONTROLLING INITIAL REACTIONS

The most important thing to do when an employee resigns is to stay calm. As the dental office manager, your reactions set the tone for the rest of the team. A good manager will not express any negative or angry comments, nor will they encourage their teammates to do so either.

Instead, react with professionalism. Thank the employees for their time and contributions to your dental office, and let them know you wish them the best in their future endeavors. This approach to resignation allows you to be on good terms with the employee and allows your entire dental team to have an example of an appropriate reaction, one with maturity and professionalism.

CONDUCTING AN EXIT INTERVIEW

Once you have had time to process the coming changes caused by the resignation, having an open and honest conversation with the resigning employee is important.

While the resigning employee may not always want to participate in an exit interview or be willing to provide full details about the reason for their resignation, it is vital to understand their reasons for leaving. Any feedback the resigning employee can provide will give you valuable insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your office culture, compensation/benefits, or even job requirements.

Some example questions to ask the resigning employee during an exit interview would be:

• What was your experience like working for our dental practice?

• Was there a specific event or situation that led to your decision to resign?

• Is there anything we could have done differently to retain you as a team member?

• Would you consider returning to our dental practice if the circumstances differed?

At the end of the exit interview, remind the resigning employee that you appreciate their time. The feedback shared should be used to improve the dental practice and hopefully prevent future resignations.

CREATING A TRANSITION PLAN

When you notice that someone is leaving your team, it is crucial to have an action plan in place for a smooth transition. A sudden change in team member availability can impact patient care and day-to-day operations.

The first thing you need to do is inform your entire team about the resignation. When speaking, try to be transparent and professional, but focus on how the team can get together during this transition. Keep the dental team engaged and motivated by acknowledging the resignation with positivity.

Remember, as the office manager, your reaction to the resignation will set the tone for the rest of the team.

Let them know that while changes are happening, the focus will be on ensuring a smooth transition for all employees.

After informing the team, a hiring process must also begin. The earlier you start the hiring process, the better. Evaluate your current team members and determine what qualities and skills would complement your dental practice. Create a job listing to include all pertinent information that would help complete the team.

It is important to remember to be patient during the hiring process. The process can be time-consuming, but finding the right person to fill the role will make a difference.

While looking for a permanent replacement, you must utilize temporary solutions to maintain office efficiency and patient care. Three examples of temporary solutions are redistributing tasks, adjusting office hours, or hiring a temporary or part-time worker.

Depending on your team size and flexibility, redistributing responsibilities among the current team can be a great solution. The team already knows what tasks must be done and how to do them correctly.

Be sure to clearly communicate who is responsible for each job requirement and evenly distribute the tasks among all team members. If you choose this option, be diligent in the hiring process so that your team does not get burned out or overwhelmed with the additional responsibilities.

Another temporary solution is to adjust the office hours or schedule patients differently to alleviate the stress on current employees. Scheduling fewer patients during the day can allow your current employees to focus on all their daily responsibilities without compromising patient care.

Lastly, consider hiring a temporary or part-time worker if the budget allows. This temporary worker can help alleviate the workload while the office searches for a long-term solution.

A commonly heard saying is, “many hands make light work.” The more people you have coming together to ensure the work gets done, the easier it will be for you to manage a smooth transition among all aspects of daily operations.

LEARN AND GROW FROM THE EXPERIENCE

After everything has been completed and the office is operating at standard capacity, take a moment to reflect on the events that took place.

• What can be learned about leadership in the office?

• Is there anything that can be done better if this same situation were to arise again in the future?

• Are there common themes in the office resignations that could help identify potential issues in the dental practice?

• Are there ways to improve office communication, address employee concerns, or make the office more desirable?

Your willingness and desire to take the time to reflect on these questions will ultimately improve your skills as an office manager and make your dental practice a more desirable place to work. Remember that employee retention is not always about compensation and benefits. It is about having the right people in the correct positions at the right time.

Receiving a resignation can feel unsettling, but it does not need to be an end-of-the-world situation. By handling the situation with professionalism, transparency, and care for your team members, the dental office manager can ensure that the dental practice will continue to run smoothly during the transition. A well-managed transition can lead to positive change and unexpectedly strengthen the team.

Now, when a team member informs you of their sudden departure, reflect and turn the situation into an opportunity to grow and improve the practice.