Running a successful eye care practice requires more than clinical expertise. Practice owners must also lead teams, manage performance, communicate expectations, and build a workplace culture where employees can thrive—often without formal training in human resources. Dr. Alanna Wilson shares how her two-location practice is building a more proactive approach to HR, while Olivia Leduc, manager of strategic HR services at Kleinman, explains how employee feedback, clear expectations, performance management, and core values can help eye care practices strengthen their teams before problems arise.

One of the first steps was an anonymous employee engagement survey. More than 80% of the team participated, giving practice leadership insight into what was working and where improvement was needed.

Communication emerged as a key theme. With four owners and two locations, consistent messaging could be challenging. The feedback encouraged leadership to communicate more clearly about changes and explain why new initiatives were being introduced.

The survey also revealed that employees wanted more feedback, recognition, and one-on-one time with leadership. That insight led to a greater focus on acknowledging employees in the moment and creating a more consistent performance management process.

Many HR challenges begin before a problem becomes visible. Practices may expect employees to follow standards that were never clearly defined or consistently communicated.

Olivia Leduc, manager of strategic HR services at Kleinman, emphasized the value of moving from reactive HR to proactive HR. Updated employee handbooks, clear job expectations, regular one-on-one meetings, and structured performance conversations can create a stronger foundation before challenges arise.

Even 15 minutes of dedicated one-on-one time each month can give employees a consistent opportunity to discuss concerns, professional growth, expectations, and feedback.

Dr. Wilson’s team also participated in developing the practice’s core values. Instead of leadership simply choosing words and presenting them to employees, team members contributed ideas based on what they believed represented the practice.

That involvement created greater participation and helped employees feel connected to the business. Clearly defined core values can also guide hiring, performance conversations, marketing, and the patient experience.

Perhaps the most important management lesson from Dr. Wilson was the value of honesty and transparency. Employees want to understand why decisions are made, where they stand, and how they can grow.

For eye care practice owners, proactive HR management is not simply about hiring, firing, or solving problems. It is about creating the systems, expectations, communication, and culture that help teams succeed before problems arise.

The strongest practices do not wait for a crisis to build better systems. They create the foundation while the business is growing.