How to Let Your Practice Know You're Leaving
Recently we’ve received this question from a friend, and wanted to include our response here since we’re sure other hygienists are experiencing similar situations! It has definitely been a weird year for dentistry and as a dental professional. Just know that we are here to support you through this crazy time!
Question: When you’ve had to change offices how have you found it goes best when you tell them you’re going someplace else?
Answer:
This is a great and very tricky question! We all go through this situation at least once in our career, and it is never an easy conversation to have. But, you can do it! The buildup to having the conversation is usually worse than the actual conversation.
Here are a few ideas and questions to think about to help make the best decision for you and your employer:
1. What are your states labor laws? Do they require a 2 week notice, 1 month, or doesn’t require any? Even if you state doesn’t have an labor laws with needed time after submitting notice, you’ll want to feel out the relationship between you and your office. If you have a good relationship with your office, at least 1 month notice would be great for them to find a replacement for you.
2. How does your office usually communicate? Through email? In person meetings? Messages? You can mirror the same communication styles for your news of leaving. However, in person is always the most professional.
3. Set up a time to meet with the HR manager, dentist, or office manager who is over the office staff. Take the time to sit down and let them know you’re leaving your office, instead of hoping to have a second to fit it in. Nothing is worse than having a serious chat in sterilization in the middle of a busy day with everyone, patients and employees, listening in.
4. Try not to tell anyone in the office or patients you’re leaving until you tell your manager/dentist. Good word travels fast, especially in a small office. It is better to hear the news of you leaving than hearing it through the grapevine. Keep it profession and respectful by waiting to spread the word until the proper people know.
5. Be open to the fact that they may have you not work your last 2 weeks/1 month/4 months/whatever. Changing employees, especially in a small business, can be stressful. Don’t take it personally if they let you know they found a replacement before you were ready to leave. Business owners can sometimes be fearful of not having the proper employees, and go into survival mode when someone quits. They quickly try to find the best replacement for you, and may forget proper communication in the process.
Have you left an office before for a new opportunity? What worked for you, and what didn’t?