142: New Chiropractic Office Culture

142 The New Chiropractic Office Culture

 

The new chiropractic office culture. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the KC CHIROpulse podcast brought to you by Kats Consultants, helping doctors keep their pulse on success. I'm Dr. Michael Perusich, your host, and I'm joined today with my co-host, Marisa Matea. 

 

Marisa, this is a big deal. 

 

It is a big deal.

 

Creating the right office culture is huge. And it's not just culture for our patients. It's for our staff as well. Absolutely. We can't forget about our staff. So we're finding new trends happening, um, in the workplace for culture. So we have to say kind of at least. In the know about what's going on so that we can help, you know, make sure that we either retain staff for the long term or, you know, we're creating the environment that they're really looking for.

 

And in today's, uh, employment market, um, you know, it's, it's a strange 1, not to say the least, but, uh, you know. Yeah, everybody's looking a little differently. And so when we talk about culture, let's first look at how we create culture in our office. Um, the first thing is we have to have this inviting culture for staff as well.

 

We have to have a. Getting involved culture and a giving back culture, all those kind of come together as one almost. Um, so when employees are out there or potential hirees are looking for employment, those are some of the things that they're looking for. And we're seeing a big trend with bigger companies and things and the direction that they're going to really keep their employees around.

 

And it's not just in the workplace, but it's out in the community. So we're seeing a lot of bigger business encouraging, uh, joining our pickleball team or making sure that they've got activities such as those out there for their employees to do together. So in other words, they're building bonds. Not necessarily just in the office place.

 

So we are small clinics most of the time, right? So, and when I say small clinics, that's under 15 employees. So we typically maybe don't have, uh, the amount of staff that we need. So team up with another office. Think in terms of, is there a dentist's office? Is there a orthodontic office? Somebody that you can team up with to create a wiffle ball team or a pickleball team or whatever the thing may be that you can get involved in the community and other people can see you together.

 

Yeah, we used to do that. We had a dental office that we would. Have these little challenges and fun times with and, you know, our staff loved it. It was just a way for us to, it's really kind of a team building thing, honestly, but it was just, just a way for us to get out of the office, do something different and, you know, also kind of be out in the community and being involved, you know, and it's good for the community to see us doing those things.

 

Uh, you know, my daughter just recently joined, um, a new firm and. They're getting involved. They're doing things left and right. You know, I see them going out and playing with a ball and they're, you know, riding, uh, bikes together. And, you know, they, they have activities, but not only. Are they working together, but people in the community are noticing them.

 

So, that's the nice part. And it also gives you some fun social media content for what you guys are doing together. Because that's a more inviting culture for potential new patients as well. We also have to think about who we're hiring. So for example, my, my daughter, our daughters are best friends, by the way.

 

Um, our, both of our daughters, um, are, uh, Gen Zers, I guess if, if we put a label on them. And so they're attracted to a totally different kind of work environment. So my daughters, office, they work in teams and literally work in teams. So they all, they work in teams of eight and they all eight sit around just like a big conference table.

 

And that's how they work every day when they're in the office. Some days they're working remote from home. Now you can't always make those kinds of adjustments in your chiropractic clinic, but You really want to think about, you know, what can we do to create that culture that makes, if we're hiring Gen Zers, what makes them happy, what makes them enjoy the job more, what, what meets them on their level.

 

And I was talking to a client recently who was talking about. How they've made so many changes and adaptations to be able to hire and keep, retain Gen Zers in their office because they want a younger, vibrant, it's just kind of how their clinic runs. And so they've really worked to create this culture where they can retain those people.

 

So, for example, every once in a while, they just show up with, um, 50 Starbucks gift cards. And, you know, Gen Zers love going to Starbucks and so they, they just do little things like that, that mean way more than their pay a bonus time off, those kinds of things. Those are the kinds of things that really attract Gen Zers.

 

Now you take somebody from, I'm having to look at all the list of generational names over here. So I keep looking over at my computer over here, but you know, you take like a baby boomer or a gen X, they're attracted to a totally different kind of work environment. You know, baby boomers are more of the roll your sleeves up, dive into everything.

 

Gen Xers are much more of the organized, um, doers, thinkers, those kinds of things. You know, so you, you've just got to be able to really be able to plug in with some of these. And you and I've talked about this. We've got to look at resumes differently. How are you attracting people? So it's not even just looking at your resumes differently.

 

Like, but if we plug that into what you were just saying, um, in regards to hiring people, resumes are going to look differently because your. Gen Zers, we'll say, are not staying on the job more than a year or two. They, they are hopping jobs more often than, say, a Gen Xer would, you know. So, we have to pay attention to who we're hiring, so that we know as employers what we're getting out of them.

 

And what we're, what, what's their longevity look like? And those kinds of things. Now, we're not saying to go out and just hire one specific group of people or anything like that, but, but it's, it's, you have to understand who you're hiring. Yeah, and then you have to pair that with the culture that you want.

 

So you have to be able to look at who's coming in as potential hirees and who they are, and do they truly match the culture you're trying to create? So I can't stress enough, it's important to create questions to ask them. With regards to the culture that you want in your office, you know, uh, you know, it's important to create that whole environment.

 

So if, if your office is, you know, big on, let's just say one of your cultural things is being kind, obviously in a chiropractic office, that makes sense. Right. So, right. So if you're, if that's one of your things, you might ask them. How are you kind to people? And on a daily basis, right? Tie your culture to your questions that you're asking them in your interviews.

 

And let's make sure that we're getting the appropriate people in your practices. Okay. I want to unpack this just a little bit more, but we, we need a little, leave a little white space here for our sponsor. So we're talking about creating the culture you want in your office, but how we have to look at chiropractic office culture a little bit differently.

 

So let’s have a word from our sponsor. We'll be right back.

SPONSOR MESSAGE

 

All right, everybody. We're back from a quick little break. We're talking about creating the right chiropractic culture in your office and how we have to look at office culture just a little bit differently. Then we have in the past. And, you know, one of the things that we were just talking about before the break was that we we've got to, we've got to really think about, you know, what generation are we hiring?

 

You know, a Gen X for example, is different than a Gen Z and, and Gen Z. And I'm not picking on Gen Z. We keep talking about Gen Z a lot, but. We talk about it because that's a lot of who we're hiring these days. We have to think about them differently because to them, they don't look at the corporate world, the business world, the way maybe we all did.

 

They look at, we all looked at it as, you know, how can I climb the ladder? How can I increase my pay? How can I make more of an impact? Those kinds of things. And they look at it as the way they feel like they're climbing in their social circles is every year to two years, they're on a new job and they get excited about that new job.

 

So now, now, now everybody's thinking, Oh my gosh, I can't retain them. But more than that, well, you can. But they have to be excited about it. You said it. They have to be excited about it. Which means your office culture can't be static. It has to keep evolving. So this is something that you just, you have to keep doing.

 

You can't do one thing one time and never go back to it again. So, well, and it has to be promotable, it has to be, you have to be promotable in your culture that you're offering. So if your culture is to be kind, show that on social media, you know, show how you're doing those things, you know, Hey, there's Marissa walking a patient out to their car with a blown up exercise ball, you know, we're being kind and helping them to the, to the car today.

 

Whatever it is, those are, those are how you show that and that's how you utilize your social media as well is show real life things that you're doing for your patients that match your culture so that it can be promotable to these new hires. And if your social media campaigns are feeling a little flat right now, it may be because you're not showing enough social content.

 

You know, we, we have a tendency to just throw stuff out there, you know, the static posts about health and, you know, posture and, you know, whatever it might be. And every once in a while, we'll put a video on there about, you know, how to overcome headaches with chiropractic care. We need to show how we're injecting ourselves into the community.

 

That's what's attractive to people right now. Remember, it's called social media for a reason, because you're supposed to post socially. And, and just keep in mind, every face that they see, they attract to that. So, they feel a connection if they see you smiling and they see you and those kind of things. So, those are, those are the little things that help you be promotable.

 

And we have to make sure, you know, if you're not getting The resumes that you think you should be getting, let's look at the, what are they looking at when they see your ad, you know, because they go look you up, they see what, what you're about. And a big portion of what, uh, they're looking for is that good culture that fits with what they're looking for, that giving back, that getting into the community, you know, all of those little things are really what we're seeing as well as.

 

extra training. We're seeing that a lot as well. You know, they want to be able to say they're growing and they have the growth ability through training within your practice. So those are all hot topics right now for the, uh, cultural world. Yeah. And to piggyback on that, they, they want a lot of training and development and at cats consultants, we help with that kind of stuff.

 

We're constantly putting out content that your, your staff can be utilizing to feel like they're. Getting developed, like they're getting training, which they are, and it's all relevant to your practice as well. And I want to talk about something else because you brought up resumes. I think we have to start looking at resumes differently.

 

You know, if the, the Gen Zers, for example, if they're Going to different jobs every year or two, or maybe, maybe they stay on a job, maybe a max of five years in the, in the, I'll call it the old days, you know, previously we looked at that as job hopping and we would, we typically would shy away from that person because we think, Oh gosh, they're just going to hop jobs.

 

That may not be the reason to. Put a resume aside in today's world. It's not necessarily a bad thing anymore. It's just how they think. And so tapping into that market, they're good workers. I can tell you that you just have to make sure that you feed their soul, so to speak. So don't overlook them because they've had, you know, three or four jobs in three or four years.

 

They just got to be, uh, the engagement and the they have to have a spark. Let's call it. Yeah, that's great. In your office, you know, uh. The love that they feel while they're there for chiropractic and the work that they're doing and the engagement that they're having and what kind of team camaraderie is happening, you know, those kind of things.

 

So, yeah, it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just they haven't found their spot yet that fulfills all those things that they're looking at for culture wise. Right. I know my daughter's company, they do all kinds of things. They're always out in the community and they do, um, periodically they do like a, like a community cleanup event and they do a, they do a scavenger hunt every year.

 

And you know, they just, they just do things and have fun once in a while. They work hard. During the day, but then they go out and do some fun things. So come up with some fun things, you know, challenge another office in your community. It doesn't have to be a chiropractic clinic. It could be a dental office or could be the insurance office.

 

It doesn't matter who it is, you know, or get several offices together and have some challenges, go, go spend a day and. I don't know. What a great way to, you know, promote your business and everybody else's businesses. Yeah. And, and get that engagement going with other people and pay docs while you're there, make sure that you're connecting with the other docs for referral opportunities and talking about, Hey, tell me what I can do for your practice.

 

You know, let them hear those things while you're engaging in that. And see what is out there for referral opportunities and make it fun for everybody. You know, it doesn't have to just be your office. So challenge them to a bowling challenge or something. Yeah. Take some pictures while you're there. Post them on the, on the internet, you know, announce who won, which team won, who had the highest score, who had the lowest score and you know, you'll hee haw about it.

 

And the community will absolutely love it. Especially if you're supporting other businesses in the process as you know, and like walk for life. Or something or the heart walk, um, American cancer walk, whatever, you know, get some other offices together, some other businesses together and create a team. You know, you could be the Cairo dental insurance team and you go out there together and everybody's got their office shirts on and promoting your, your businesses as well as showing that interconnected community involvement.

 

Yeah. It's huge right now. These are the kind of things that really build up that office culture in your practice. And I'm telling you, you do this enough and you're going to have people coming by your office wanting to know if they can come to work there because they've seen and heard such great things about being an employee there.

 

And you won't have to go out and find employees. They'll come to you. Now that happens in our practice often. It did actually. Yeah. You know, we had that happen quite often and we did a lot of that. We were out in the community all the time and did it, did it take away from the practice? No, it added to the practice.

 

Absolutely. Change our focus on patients. No, it added to it. No, it created a culture where people wanted to be, you know, and that's, that's the whole purpose here is it's not just a culture for your employees to want to be there, but it's a culture for your patients to want to be there as well. Right. So create an office culture.

 

This is a big deal right now in the employment market. And I know we hear this all the time. Doctors are complaining about employee retention and attracting the right employees. Look at your office culture. It may be time to create something new. Marissa, anything else to add? No, if you, uh, ever need anything, obviously we're here for you.

 

Make sure that, uh, you look right up there and, uh, click the button or scan the QR code and... Schedule a chat with us. You know, we do those free. There's no charge. There's no strings attached. We can help you Talk about your practice and those kind of things and see if there's anything we can do for you 

 

So yep, so check us out at KatsConsultants.com  We are the chiropractic business advisor.

 

So we've got all kinds of Downloads and information. You can see what we're doing with clients and check out our resources. We do. Absolutely. All right, everybody. I think that's enough for today. Thanks for tuning into the KC CHIROpulse podcast brought to you by Kats Consultants. We'll see you next time.

 

Yeah.