If ever staff training has been imperative, that time is now.

Covid is ongoing—and stress levels are rising as fast as the case numbers across the country. How can you train staff to function in this uncertain world?

As Bethany Fishbein, O.D., who practices at Somerset Eye Care in North Brunswick, NJ, sees it, “You can’t talk training without addressing the backdrop of stress. For many staff members (and O.D.s, too!), life outside of work has become infinitely more stressful.”

THE STRESS FACTOR IS REAL.

“Staff members are more likely to be absent and those in the office are often working harder to compensate,” adds Dr. Fishbein, who is also president of The Power Practice. “This, combined with the difficulty many offices are having hiring—along with supply chain issues and patients who may be under great stress themselves—has led to a pretty stressful workday for a lot of staff.”

What does this have to do with training? “The biggest issue since Covid is lack of time,” explains Mary Schmidt, ABOC, CPO, who is the founder of EyeSystems, a consulting firm based in Pleasant Hill, CA. “Many practices are experiencing staff shortages, so carving out time for training is very difficult.”

The long-term impact? “The biggest concern with lack of training,” explains Schmidt, “is the toll on the staff member who is unprepared and unable to provide care and service to a patient and experiences so many feelings—embarrassment, disappointment, frustration, and sadness, to name a few.”

Dr. Fishbein agrees. “Even staff members who are usually motivated to train and learn might not be as motivated right now. It’s not that they lack engagement, it’s just that they’re already challenged by everything around them.”

Here, we share five critical staff training strategies.

#1 STRATEGY
TAP ON DEMAND.

Today’s reality is that staff members are often asked to learn new things—sometimes under duress—due to absences and job changes.

“We have clients with smaller offices who have suddenly needed to do everything themselves if they wanted to be open,” says Schmidt. “Having materials that allow for someone to immediately access the tools to complete a new role is really valuable.”

One result? On demand is becoming much more popular. “For example,” explains Schmidt, “I have put together prerecorded programs for organizations that offer targeted training to member practices. Any employee can log in at any time.”

#2 STRATEGY
UTILIZE VIDEO.

The hands-down winner for training during Covid has been video.

“The easiest, cheapest, and most effective tool we’ve found,” explains Fishbein, “is recording video using your phone. [Record] little things like how to open the office and turn on all the equipment in the morning,” she suggests. “If the person who usually does that is out, anyone can follow the video.”

What about manuals? “I love to have each team member responsible for keeping their department training manual current,” says Schmidt. Fishbein says they are less important now that “everything is done online. Plus, you can find that an insurance company updated their site, making your manual outdated.”

#3 STRATEGY
KEEP UP ON UPDATES.

Make sure your business information stays current.

“In our practice,” says Monica Larimore, optical coordinator at Eagle Vision in Longmont, CO, “it’s up to the doctors to give us guidance. They get their information from associations, the county, etcetera.”

How do you turn that into your own program? “Be creative,” says Schmidt. “Don’t always make it a sit-and-learn program. Have hands-on, team-building, and morale-boosting activities, too.”

Don’t forget to include handouts. “We get Covid handouts,” says Larimore. “Then we have to sign that we’ve read them.”

#4 STRATEGY
CONNECT REGULARLY.

Make sure to connect with staff regularly—in person or virtually via Zoom—to deliver consistent training and connection.

“Monthly is ideal to keep everyone engaged,” says Schmidt, “but mix it up, have random lunch-and-learns or a weekly ‘grand rounds’ where you discuss interesting or problem patients.”

However, the experts agree that keeping it fresh and impactful is certainly more important than a regular schedule.

What role does the Covid-19 pandemic play in these meetings? Updates to current protocols are crucial. “We always go over it in our monthly meetings,” says Larimore. “The doctors ask if we’ve encountered any Covid-related issues or have any questions. Training is important, but the key is constant communication.”

#5 STRATEGY
FUTURE FOCUS.

Which Covid-19-related changes will remain part of training into the future? Here, four fresh training focuses our experts say are here to stay:

• Accommodate the Changed Consumer. “We’ll do whatever we can to accommodate the patient...deliver glasses to the car, whatever,” says Larimore.
• Alleviate Stress. “Try to offer stress relief and integrate some fun into the day,” says Schmidt. “Thank staff and acknowledge difficulties while pivoting toward solutions and positives.”
• Be Consistent. Be sure staff and doctors are behind policies. “If someone refuses to wear a mask, for example, we get HR or a doctor out there,” says Larimore. “Without one, no one comes in.”
• Embrace Today’s Digital Format. “Covid has made video learning mainstream,” says Fishbein. “Video is here to stay. Quality education is now available right on your own computer screen.”