Are You Getting the Most out of Your Attendance Software?

Many healthcare organizations are overlooking a key element in their efforts to improve employee morale, recruitment, and retention. That element is time and attendance software solutions. In many cases, organizations already have the tools they need with their current solution; they're just simply failing to properly leverage key functionality.

By selecting and implementing the right time and attendance policies and procedures, administrators can help create cohesiveness within your organization and improve workforce morale and productivity. Below are two key tips that will give your attendance program the boost it needs.

Use approvals to generate accountability. Approvals refer to a process in which one or more persons review and sign off on an employee's hours. Most modern time and attendance systems include functionality for approvals, yet many healthcare organizations don't enable these features for fear of changing processes or creating new tasks for their staff. However, approvals are easy to both implement and use, so the organization can achieve positive changes with relatively little effort.

Approvals help ensure that all employees are consistently held to the same standard. Approvals also help keep employees accountable, as they know they won't get away with filling in fraudulent time sheets. Furthermore, a fair and consistent approval process lets individuals know that they'll be recognized and paid for adhering to attendance policies, which encourages other employees to change their behaviors.

Focus on functionality. Time and attendance software systems are capable of handling a wide range of pay rules, yet organizations typically focus only on implementing rules that are already defined in the employee handbook. The advanced pay rules available in today's software systems can be leveraged to encourage specific behaviors, solve key problems, and improve job satisfaction for both employees and managers. For example, scheduling personnel for late-night and weekend shifts is often a challenge for healthcare organizations. Those shifts are perceived by employees to be undesirable, and the ongoing scheduling headaches created by these perceptions can strain employee-management relationships. In many cases, these problems can be solved by incorporating a new time and attendance rule, such as a shift premium or a weekly premium to give additional compensation for specific shifts or combinations of shifts.

By creating tangible incentives for employees to volunteer for specific shifts or jobs, healthcare organizations can improve the morale and productivity of both employees and managers. Employees don't need to be coerced into accepting schedules or jobs they don't want, and managers have more time to devote to tasks other than scheduling.

Bottom line: Leveraging time and attendance software solutions can help your healthcare organization reap big rewards. Discovering key functionality is usually as simple as digging into a user's guide or calling your software provider's support line--so get to it!



Worried about Work?
Think Worst-Case Scenario...and then get over it!

Are you a chronic worrier at work? Do you constantly stress about displeasing your boss? If so, you need a big reality check. You need to ask yourself what really is the worst thing that could happen if you displeased your boss. Could it really be all that bad?

For instance, what if your boss yelled at you at work in front of all your peers-- would it really kill you? It might embarrass you, but remember, you're in charge of how you feel, and though your initial reaction would probably veer toward shame and embarrassment, you'd probably get through the experience--and even learn from it.

But what if you do get fired, you might be saying. Well, first ask yourself how likely it is that this would happen. It's probably pretty unlikely that you would get fired for inadvertently displeasing your boss. But if you did, you'd probably find another job; one that didn't come with an overbearing boss.

Why Thinking Worst-Case Scenario is the Best Remedy
Trying to imagine the worst-case scenario should help you get in tune with whether you are slipping into irrational thinking. Discovering that you are thinking irrationally is the first step in stopping something that robs you of the focus and energy you need to work in top form.

The fear of failure has stopped many very capable people from achieving their highest levels of success. Don't let your fear whittle down your courage. Banish your fear at work by thinking of the worst-case scenario. You'll realize that it's really not that bad. And you will end up meeting success head on.

"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism."

--Norman Vincent Peale



Deal or No Deal?
How to Make Good Decisions

As a healthcare professional, you must make dozens of important decisions every day. But, do you know how you come to these decisions? If you don't, you should take a few minutes to contemplate the question, because once you become aware of how you make (or don't make) decisions, you will be freer to make better decisions in the future.

Many people have a specific way of handling decisions. Here are a few of the more common approaches:

Snap decision-makers. Snap decision-makers rely on their gut instincts and make quick decisions. These types of decision-makers often make choices based on fear or discomfort. They just want to get the whole thing over with, so they choose quickly without weighing all the options. Ultimately, this can make for some pretty bad decision-making.

Procrastinators. Procrastinators weigh their options to a debilitating extreme. These decision-makers put so much time into weighing every detail of every option that they often get lost along the way--and find it difficult to ever come up with a decision they are happy with.

Flip-floppers. These types of decision-makers think they have made a firm decision, but after a few minutes, days, or weeks, they shift their thinking. Flip-floppers usually have a problem with committing themselves to the possible outcomes of their decision. And so fear drives them to change in quick succession.

If you've fallen victim to any of the categories listed above, you could probably use a little help with the decision-making process. Below is a four-step process that will help you avoid making poorly thought out or ego-based decisions.

Contemplate with the consequences in mind. Consider all of your options, but be careful not to waste time and energy weighing unnecessary details. Make your decision based on the best possible outcome, but also be prepared to face all of the consequences tied to that decision.
Make your own decisions. While you can and should ask for advice from trusted sources, don't rely on others to make your decisions for you. Go with what you think is the best possibility, and take responsibility for what you decide.
Stick with it. Don't let your doubts torment you. You need to take responsibility for your actions. If you make mistakes, face them, and determine a way to overcome them.
Work toward fruition. After you've made your decision, work tirelessly toward the end you would like to see. Focus on detail and practice patience.
"If you can't change your fate, change your attitude."
--Amy Tan


Some oxymoronic fun…

An oxymoron is a combination of words that seem contradictory or incongruous--cruel kindness, for example. Here is a list of some more modern oxymorons:

Postal service
Head butt
Act naturally
Microsoft Works
Airline food
Holy war
Military intelligence
Virtual reality
Minor disaster
Auto pilot
Near miss
New classic
Soft rock
Fun run
Original copies
Living dead
Deafening silence
Civil war
Genuine imitation
Good grief
Athletic scholarship
Death benefits
Pretty ugly
Government organization
Peace force
Old news
Sweet sorrow
Exact estimate
Tight slacks
Healthy tan