Turn around your turnover rate

This therapist could be leaving for a variety of reasons- higher pay, a shorter commute, a change of pace, or a promotion. Although zero turnover may be an unlikely goal, you can work to improve your retention rate through a variety of monetary and nonmonetary perks for your employees.

The rehab industry, for physical therapists in particular, has been opening up, says Rick Gawenda, PT, director of outpatient rehab at Detroit (MI) Receiving Hospital.

"There are more jobs for therapists out there due in part to the vast opening of physician-owned clinics and baby boomers who need more therapy services," says Gawenda.

Add this to the increased demand by patients for therapy services and you'll find it may be harder to keep therapists.

Although an increase in salary is a surefire way to make an employee think twice before walking out the door, not all facilities have the funds to fatten a therapist's paycheck. But there are other ways to make employees feel more valued and less likely to leave.

Cover relicensure fees. In Michigan, therapists must pay $110 for relicensure every two years. Gawenda's facility covers this expense.

"It's a small perk, but we do it," says Gawenda. "And if the hospital had a bad year, we could probably still afford to do it."

Pay for continuing education. Another benefit facilities can offer is helping defray the cost of continuing education. Not only will therapists have these expenses covered, but the facilities they work for will benefit from the knowledge gained.

Some employers worry that if they spend money training employees, these workers may leave anyway and take their newfound expertise with them. But according to Harvey Schmiedeke, president and coowner of Survival Strategies in Burbank, CA, this is a risk facilities should be willing to take.

"If you're worried that you might train them and they might leave, think about what could happen if you don't [train them] and they stay," says Schmiedeke.

Providing a stipend for continuing education also helps employees feel like their facility is invested in their professional development.

"We try to promote continuing education because it creates better employees who can serve our patients better," says Brian Monty, OTR, CHT, outpatient clinical coordinator at Kaweah Delta Health Care District in Visalia, CA. "This leads to higher customer service, which brings in more patients." Offer seminars. If you work in a large facility, consider hosting speakers or seminars on behalf of your employees and other local therapists, suggests Gawenda. Often, in return for providing a presentation space, tables, and chairs, your therapists may be able to attend free or at a reduced cost.

"If you can bring in a couple [of speakers or seminars] a year, it saves the therapists money, time, and traveling costs," says Gawenda. He also suggests speaking with your staff to determine the topics that would be of most interest to them, and research speakers in the field to determine who would be the best fit for your facility.

Verbal recognition. Recognizing the accomplishments of therapists is also a way to increase morale, especially if your facility can't afford more expensive perks. Announcing improvements in their productivity, a new certification, or even a new baby in a therapist's family can create more of a team atmosphere. You can pass this type of information along at a staff meeting, via e-mail, or through a facility newsletter or other publication.

Make use of connections. Your facility's affiliation with local colleges or universities may produce employment opportunities for your therapists.

For example the chance to lecture therapy students in the academic setting. Some therapists may also want to begin teaching careers.

This affiliation can also develop into future potential recruitment opportunities. "Now my staff is out there representing us and talking about what we have to offer," says Gawenda. "Maybe come graduation time, [those students] will remember us." Be sensitive. Creating a supportive atmosphere for therapists can be as simple as acknowledging when they are having a bad day. "I watch the interaction between colleagues and if someone is having a rough time, I'll try to soften their load," says Maggi Leise, PT, manager of physical therapy for Women Serving Women, a division of the Athletic & Therapeutic Institute in Joliet, IL. "The other therapists are willing to help because we all have bad days." Whether you offer productivity or longevity bonuses, don't forget others in your facility who help keep it running smoothly. From clinical to administrative to marketing staff, all employees play a part in providing your patients with the quality services they deserve.

For example, a low cancellation rate may be due in part to the front desk staff's ability to explain to patients the importance of attending their therapy sessions.

Likewise, a clean and welcoming waiting room courtesy of the maintenance staff may improve the likelihood that patients keep their appointments and even refer family and friends to your facility.

"The bottom line is, if you make your employees feel like they're part of a team, they'll stick around a lot longer," says Schmiedeke.

Don't wait until your stellar therapists start to leave before you adapt a retention plan. Organize a focus group to determine what the most important perks are to your staff and how you can incorporate them into your current benefits package. "[A retention plan] should be formal and discussed," says Monty.

"It should start from the top down, but it's important for the individual managers to make it happen." Loyalty doesn't just happen, you need to cultivate it at your outpatient facility. "Recognition makes employees happy," says Leise. "Employees need to feel it coming from the management." Editor's note: This article is part two in a two-part series on employee recruitment and retention. Read the June issue of BRRR to learn how to find quality therapists to fill your facility's vacancies.