Part 1: recruitment, interviewing and vetting
The issue of people management in an IVF setting is far too broad to be covered in a blog! But, what we can do is give a simplistic overview of the main areas of people management. And then consider it from the perspective of an IVF clinic.
My old boss in the pharmaceutical industry used to tell me that there are four aspects to management:
- Business planning and strategy, including recruitment (10%)
- Implementing the strategy (10%)
- Communicating, educating and showing your team HOW to do the things you want them to do (70%)
- Dealing with it when they don’t do what you expected them to do (10%)!
The percentages may vary, but in my 30+ years management experience the components remain the same.
Treating your staff with respect, decency, fairness and honesty should be a cornerstone of one’s management style. If you provide staff with appropriate supervision/training, clear objectives then staff should excel in their professional roles. This enhances your clinic and pays your organisation the dividends that come with excellence in your field. As the old saying goes, “You are only as good as your staff!”
With that in mind, let’s take a look at recruitment.
Recruitment advertising
Firstly, prior to recruitment of new staff, it’s worthwhile taking the time to think through the day-to-day responsibilities and line management. A word from the wise here, don’t waste your time and money composing a generic job advert cobbled together with management speak!
Here is a bad example:
“You will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of administrative and support staff. Ensuring the highest quality of service is provided for customers, whilst improving staff performance and driving the team to hit targets.
You will monitor progress and analyse data to assess revenues and performance. You will devise strategies to boost efficiency and profitability and ensure customer care remains at a high standard. You will be responsible for ensuring that all activities and facilities are in line with both organisation protocols and regulatory guidelines.
You will oversee the hiring and training of admin and support staff, and you will motivate and coach the team to hit targets. You will provide an excellent service, and meet all necessary standards. You will manage performance, monitoring staff KPIs and address any issues that arise.”
Can you guess the job? It’s actually for an IVF clinic manager, but it could be for just about any middle/senior manager in any business organisation on the planet!
Senior supervisor in a sandwich-making factory? Check.
Sales director of a commercial spray-painting unit? Check.
Team leader in a call centre? Check. You get the picture!
This is a waste of space and words to sound sounding professional. Far better is to actually list the day-to-day duties and responsibilities:
Try something like this instead:
“To assist with all aspects of data collection, audit entry and review for quality assurance and submission to the relevant accrediting authorities. To have knowledge of, and to comply with, all relevant legislative frameworks regarding assisted reproduction technologies.”
It goes without saying that an advert will need to state the salary, qualifications, experience and eligibility to work. With this in mind it is worth stipulating that applicants should demonstrate their suitability in writing. This will avoid wasting time by interviewing unsuitable and under-qualified candidates.
I don’t want to say too much about where advertisements might be placed because this will vary according to several factors. However, avenues for advertising might include specialist websites, blogs and online international job search agencies.
Once responses to the advert have been evaluated the process of interviewing can begin. One thing to remember, it is common decency to reply to ALL advertisement responders. Too often nowadays one sees disclaimers on adverts saying, “If you do not hear from us please assume you have been unsuccessful!”
I don’t know about you, but personally, I wouldn’t want to work for such an organisation! Such statements are usually an indication of the working environment once you are employed!
Also, people who are unsuccessful applicants now, may well become eligible and desirable employees in the future when they have a few more years of experience.
Interviewing
It is a good idea to convene an interview panel. Ideally this should be the same people to ensure consistency. It is good practice for a member of the human resources function of the clinic to be part of the panel. The panel should meet prior to interviews to discuss the job description, organisation requirements and suitability of candidates.
First interview – for each candidate the following should be at hand for each of the panel:
- Applicant CV
- Applicant response to advertisement
- Checklist
The checklist is simply a list of pre-agreed criteria on which the candidates’ responses are judged. Headings can include things like flexibility or ability to work as part of a team or ability to make independent good judgement. Answers to questions around these headings can be scored with a simple tick, or notes based on the candidates’ answers. This ensures a level playing field for all candidates in terms of the kind of questions they are asked during the interview.
It is usually helpful to ask ‘open questions’ as these give the candidate more scope for providing useful information to the interviewer and avoid the dead end of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.
Types of open question might include things like:
- Why do you think you are suited to this position?
- Outline a situation where you had to use good communication skills in the past?
- What do you know about our clinic?
- How do you think good teamwork is necessary for this position?
Be prepared to manage the answers by moving the conversation along in terms of the time available for the interview. Some candidates are more voluble than others!
Nowadays, first interviews are not always face-to-face. Skype and other types of teleconference are possible, particularly in the case of international applicants. This doesn’t affect the interview process outlined above, even if only one member of the interview panel conducts the first interview.
Once first interviews have been held the interview panel should convene to rate the candidates according to the panel’s completed checklists. Then shortlist candidates for second interview. Ideally, assuming ten or so first interviews, second interviews, which are should be granted to only two or three candidates. Unless first interviews produce only one outstanding candidate.
Second interviews should always include the prospective line manager of the new employee and at least one director level member of the organisation.
It is also helpful, to include informal meetings with other members of staff with who the new employee will be working. Meetings with other members of staff can often be incorporated into tours of the premises and facilities.
At the end of this process, it is the responsibility of the HR function to coordinate the decision-making process and manage the job offer to the chosen candidate.
At this stage, and as part of the second interview process before any job offer is made, it is imperative to seek the following from the candidate:
- Proof of identity
- Proof of qualifications
- Referees (minimum of two): responses from referees are not necessary in order to make a job offer, but the candidate should be aware that the job offer is conditional on them.
Generally, the job offer is made in writing, and the candidate is expected to formally respond by return. Once a positive response is received, the employment contract can be sent along with other details such as the induction plan, initial meetings with colleagues and introduction to facilities.
Recruitment might be more of an art than a science, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a random process. Bringing some rules and standard operating procedures to the table makes the whole affair less hit-and-miss for all concerned! This saves time and money and ensures that your staff reflect the excellence of your vision for your clinic from the moment they start as a new employee.
To follow next week Part 2: staff contracts, induction process, training and appraisals.
Neil Madden, Editor, The Fertility Hub
