Need staff training? If your answer is “No,” it’s time to reconsider: The optical landscape is ever evolving—from products and programs to your own practice.
“Learning must be a core focus of any strong organization,” says Kevin Griffin, CEO of GE Capital, where “every employee, regardless of level, takes at least 40 hours of training a year.”
Sure, training makes for better customer service, but it also makes for better employee retention. From a purely practical perspective, that’s important because the cost of turnover can be as much as 1.5 to 2 times an employee’s salary, and that doesn’t include soft costs like morale and productivity—according to Deloitte, an accounting organization and professional services network.
The Vendor Connection
Don’t overlook suppliers when looking for training, especially when it comes to the product education and programs they provide.
“The approach we’ve taken is to have the vendor’s trainer meet with the doctors and staff together to talk about a new product,” said Mario Gutierrez, OD, FAAO, of Vision Source Alamo Heights in Texas. “We’ll reinforce what the trainer from the company discussed, and then determine who gets it and who doesn’t. Some people may have to do it over and over because that’s how they learn. On the other hand, other employees hear it once, and they’ve got it."
“The personal relationships that can develop between end users and vendor training staff,” concludes Dr. Gutierrez,” can help deepen and strengthen those partnerships.”
That’s a lot easier for a big corporation, but you can take steps, too.
“You can really target specific training needs in staff meetings,” says Mary Schmidt, ABOC, trainer and president of EyeSystems in Pleasant Hills, CA. “Have an agenda and focus on solutions, not situations.”
Beyond staff meetings, here are some of the educational platforms, programs, and providers that can help with challenges you may be facing—whether you’re short-staffed, your training tactics are tired, your practice’s onboarding is outdated, or it’s simply time to take a fresh look at what’s out there.
• The American Optometric Association (AOA) EyeLearn Professional Development Hub is an online portal for live webinars, staff training modules, on-demand CE courses, and more. Target audiences range from current ODs to future doctors of optometry, as well as paraopometric staff.
• Laramy K-Optical from OpenOptix provides free educational resources, especially study guides for ABO and NCLE certification.
• Leonardo, an EssilorLuxottica learning platform, provides continuing education courses and programs. It has delivered more than 8.6 million hours of education since its inception, including a “Build Your Career” pathway section and its Transitions Expert certificate program, according to the company.
• The National Academy of Opticianry (NAO) addresses all aspects of opticianry education and training—from career, certification, and licensing exam prep to continuing education at all levels of opticianry.
• The Optical Training Institute (OTI) is positioned as a “complete training ecosystem.” Programs include hiring and skills assessments, onboarding, optician development, and access to continuing education from several sources.
Steps to Take
Whether you’re training a seasoned manager or a new staffer, there are certain steps that make sense for everyone.
Take your job descriptions (you do have them, don’t you?) and break down each one into:
• Duties: a detailed look at the position by responsibility
• Goals: broken down monthly, quarterly, annually
• Fits: are the best people in the right spots?
• Tracking: make a list and put it down in black and white for each role
Then step back and make a comprehensive list of how to implement what you’re trying to accomplish and how to communicate it to your team. Finally, pull out your calendar and start tracking and scheduling sessions.
• The Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) platform, PECAA Max, makes a variety of services available for a no-contract flat monthly fee, including CE courses, staff training, vendor savings and rebates, business advisors, and peer-to-peer networking.
• Premier Edge from VSP Vision provides on-demand training for doctors and staff.
• The United Opticians Association (UOA) is a nonprofit that presents itself as “the national voice for opticians,” advancing the profession through advocacy, education, and a united community.
• VSP’s uUniversity offers free on-demand optical and technical education. Options include live education, CE, and accelerated courses, including free ABO prep education and “cram sessions” for everyone from entry-level opticians to experienced ODs.
• Woo University is an online platform offering low-cost and free continuing education and webinars globally for optometrists and eyecare professionals.