Managing the Chronically Overworked Team: Twenty Strategies

Overwork, at first glance, seems like a problem that affects only the employee. But for medical practices and those who manage them, the problem is far greater than that. Chronically overworked employees may not be meeting their goals. They may be making more mistakes and letting things slip through the cracks. Ultimately, patients may have less-than-ideal experiences in a practice where the employees are stretched thin. And turnover may skyrocket in practices where employees are chronically overworked. This article offers practice managers 20 practical and affordable strategies they can use to manage a chronically overworked medical practice team. It suggests an effective technique they can use to tell their bosses that their employees are overworked. This article also suggests the costs to the practice of a chronically overworked staff, including a hidden cost many people overlook. It provides four coping strategies practice managers can teach to their overworked employees. It summarizes research exploring how overwork affects employees' sleep and eating habits, and additional research linking long hours of overwork to diminished productivity. Finally, this article provides five strategies practice managers can use to make their overworked employees feel valued.