How to staff your temp jobs during a pandemic
Happy December! It is finally here! The season of dental temps! Historically December to March is the busiest time of the year for dental temps. And it makes sense.
All your patients are in their end of the year rush to use their benefits and then after January they are in a rush to use them. In the past I have offered many tools on how to increase production during the holidays, as well as everything you need to know to have success with your dental temp, how to pay them properly, and how to onboard them.
All of these tools are excellent and still relevant, HOWEVER, we now have Covid lurking around and we are still in a shortage of dental professionals in the field.
So this post aims to give you tips on having success with dental temps this season during a pandemic.
#1 Use the tools I already gave you.
I linked them above, so please click and read. To truly have success with your dental temps communicate with them and pay them properly. The offices that follow all the advice I give have the most success with temp because their temps keep coming back to their office. It’s glorious. So read these and put them into action.
Dental Temp Onboarding Checklist
How to have Success with a Dental Temp
#2 Make sure your temp assignment is competitive
Some of you wont like me for this, but… supply and demand, baby. With a shortage of dental professionals come an increase in their hourly rate. Below are the pandemic hourly wages for all positions.
Dental Hygienist: $45 to $50/hr
Registered Dental Assistant: $24 to $27/hr
Dental Assistant: $17 to $21/hr
Front Office: $18 to $24/hr
Office Manager: $25 to $30/hr
Since March, 2020 we have seen a $3 to $4 increase in hourly wages in all positions.
Now I am not saying you have to pay this, but if you want to get your temp job filled, those are the rates I would recommend using.
#3 Be aggressive BE Be aggressive.
The glorious thing about DirectDental is that you have total control in staffing your office. No more calling a temp agency and then patiently waiting and hoping they fill your job for you. And if they do, then just hoping it is someone decent.
With DirectDental you post your job right away, search our temp database and pick the ones you like based on what you see in their profiles.
Our search algorithm is designed to show you the most active temps on our site. These are candidates and temps that frequently log on, update their availability and reply to their messages. You can read more about that here.
Here is my recipe for success when I request a temp.
- Post your job as soon as you know you need it filled. I find I have the most success when I post my job 4 days prior to the shift I need filled.
- Send your request to as many temps as possible. You can use the “Request All” button as the top of your search results page. The more people notified the better.
- Keep an eye out for applicants. Temps you didn’t request for the job can still apply to work it. Keep an eye out in your dashboard for those applicants and call them right away if you want them to work your job.
- If after 48 hours the job isn’t filled, clone and post again. No you aren’t bugging our temps, you are reminding them you have work for them. Oftentimes they see your request, go to check their calendar and get distracted. Pinging them again usually gets your job filled.
- Call them as soon as they accept your shift. Make sure pay is agreed upon and you inform them of any info they may need (attire, parking, your Covid protocols, etc.)
#4 Keep the info of your favorite temps.
With DirectDental you don’t have to notify or ask our permission to keep using the temps you like. If you like them, mark them as a favorite on our website and keep having them come back to your office as often as you need them.
#5 Start searching for dental temps today
We are still offering 14 days free to try out our service. Come see why Kaylee, a clinical director for a multi location Pedo practice said “I am overly excited to say I’ve had amazing results with amazing temps that are compatible with my office needs!”
She said it! We have some amazing temps who are looking to work with you!
Smiles,
Holli
