How Disorganized is Your Addictions Staff?
How Disorganized is Your Addictions Staff?
Whether your addictions staff consists of a large rehab facility, a recovery house, or a small counseling practice, some form of organization is a must for the wheels to keep turning efficiently so that services are provided with the level of care that they are intended. When most get into business, organizing staff isn’t at the top of the list, yet many successful businessmen and women will tell you that this is one of the most important things that needs to be considered as your people are the heart and soul of your organization.
Addictions Staff Organization
Most people, in the workplace at least, thrive better with some form of structure. If management or leadership expects something from their staff, it would be a great start to let them know what those things are. In turn, employees may have needs that they wish their employer would meet. These sorts of things can also be communicated if the right structure and organization is put into place. This all sounds like fairy-tale land to some, so just how does one even begin to “get organized” with their addictions staff? Here are a few points to get you started:
- Create an organizational structure – Yes, make an actual chart with job titles, boxes and arrows showing who reports to who. This is important so that people know where they are in the organization and
understand the chain of command. - Have written job descriptions – Every staff member should have a written job description that includes qualifications for the job, responsibilities and relationships with other positions in the organization. A good job description takes thought but should be kept to about one page in length if possible.
- Regular Reviews – Each staff member should have an annual review, at the very least, that they fully participate in. This means that they are given the opportunity to write down how they think they are performing, how they can improve and what their goals are for the coming period. This should never be a one-sided meeting with the “boss” telling the employee how they’re doing and then having them sign on the dotted line.
- Regular Staff Meetings and Communication – Communication is key in any successful organization and one of the best ways to facilitate this is with regularly scheduled staff meetings. Most involved groan at the thought but, if they are done right, with a clear agenda, these can be painless and very productive. It also helps if management keeps an “open door” policy with it’s employees and that they be encouraged to approach with any problems or ideas for improvements or expansion of services.
A Common Goal
Businesses exist for one reason only – to solve a problem. However, unless you have a cohesive team working efficiently towards the same goal, sometimes the business ends up creating more problems for itself than it solves for others. That would be a shame. If your addictions staff is on the disorganized end of the spectrum, take some steps to bring everyone together towards that common goal by implementing some of our suggestions.
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