Putting a Wrench in the Cog: Practical advice for managing productivity (Part Two)

Life is a negotiation

Last week I addressed how to manage your time with a “manageable” productivity requirement. “But George, my productivity levels are above 90%. What am I supposed to do when I have to sacrifice using the bathroom in order to maintain these crazy requirements?” Everything is a negotiation. No matter what anybody tells you. This is true when you’re buying a car and it’s even true when you’re buying jeans at a retail store. There are many theories as to how to best negotiate, but it really all comes down to understanding your value, how that value fits in with the manager’s wants, and how to communicate that fit to get what YOU want. Once you can put these pieces of the puzzle together, you can make a case for a more flexible productivity level to fit your schedule.

You are valuable (in more ways than one)

What is the value you bring to your organization? Some hints: Quality care, customer service to enhance patient/family relations, and financial profit. I put financial profit last for a reason. While profit has a direct relationship to productivity levels, it can also have an inverse relationship if the productivity requirement is too high. This is because productive time (or in the case of the SNF setting, time with the patient) can take away from other things we need to do to best care for our patients: chart review, communicating with the IDT, and educating/training staff to name a few. If we don’t do these things then quality care and customer service are going to disappear faster than a CF job opening in May. Without quality care and customer service, your manager may have to start worrying about bigger issues than your 89% productivity (like not having patients to see). 

Understanding what your manager wants 

Every manager is different. Yes, there are overarching themes for most managers based on corporate goals that need to be met, but all managers bring a unique perspective and expectations based on their specific values. So what are those values? That’s for you to find out. What’s the best way to find out? Ask them. Get to know them. Build a rapport so they trust you and you can trust them. And trust ME, I know this is harder than it sounds, but it’s worth it. And the more you do it, the better you get at it. Feels fake? It’s not- it’s building influence. And knowing your manager better will mean you’ll have a better overall relationship. Which will help with EVERYTHING. 

Don’t feel like you have the confidence to advocate for yourself? Don’t worry because you’re not doing this for yourself. You’re doing it for your patients who deserve high-quality care. And it’s hard to give high-quality care when you’re hopping up and down in their room because you don’t have time to use the restroom. 

If you can’t break it, bend it

Once you know your value and you know what the manager wants, it’s time to ask for what YOU want: A more reasonable productivity requirement. These requirements can and SHOULD be more of a guideline and less of a law. While most managers may be hesitant to completely break the requirement (as this is usually a standard rule across the board), they may be open to making it more flexible for you. Making a case is going to take some work though. 

Keep a record of the days you are less productive and have a good reason why. Remember to try and gear this in the direction of the manager’s values. For example…

Tuesday you had to research some technologies for your boss who is really excited about innovating the rehab department: Maybe a less than ideal productivity level will be accepted on this day.

Wednesday you had to spend 25 minutes on the phone calming down a disgruntled family member by clarifying the plan of care. Your manager has communicated that these conversations are a time suck for her so she appreciates you taking the initiative and showing good customer service.

Friday you had 3 screens, which your manager highly values in order to comply with the new PDPM requirements. While those screens took up extra time, you created a digital checklist system that has automated the process so now each one only takes 10 minutes vs 20.

Don’t forget to clearly and regularly communicate to your manager all of the great things you are doing to improve efficiency. The more you show that your values and the organization’s values align, the more flexibility your manager will be with that 95% productivity level. 

You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here

Sometimes you do everything, EVERYTHING, and nothing is budging. The manager isn’t responding to your requests, there doesn’t seem to be any room for flexibility, and you feel deep down in your heart that you can’t do right by the patients with the current productivity requirements. Then it might be time to go. There are tons of facilities of all kinds that have flexible productivity levels. I know this from experience. If you’re not working in one, then go out and try to find one. Finding another job isn’t easy, but neither is working one you can’t stand. 

Making it work

None of this simple. And none of it is fair. But the effort you put in can be worth the benefits. Benefits for your patients, your facility, your department, and your bladder. Our patients deserve high-quality care and excellent customer service. Many have spent their whole lives providing high-quality care and excellent customer service for other people. They don’t care how far behind you are on your 90% productivity. They only want your best. And by advocating for yourself, that’s exactly what you’ll be able to give them. Good luck!

Liked it? Why not share it?

Thoughts? Comment below!