Hire The Smile

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline are joined by Dr. Bob Van Der Heijden to discuss a new and exciting method of staff training called Gamification. Gamification focuses on improving team performance through online and offline activities with added game elements to encourage behavioural changes in the workplace.

Learn more about our Gamification services: https://www.oculusinsights.net/staff-training

In today’s episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss what your vet practice can do to keep the team you have, rather than find new staff members by managing workload and client expectations.

Articles Mentioned:

The Customer Is Not Always Right: Here Are Five Reasons Why

HR Wins:

Iceland tested a 4-day workweek. Employees were productive — and happier, researchers say.

Tour de France 2021

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss why staff are hesitant to give feedback and what you can do to get employees to be more open to providing feedback.

Articles Mentioned:

The Courage to Be Candid

How To Encourage Candid Employee Feedback: 14 Tips For CEOs

The ROI of Anonymous Employee Feedback

Build Your Reputation as a Trustworthy Leader

Productivity Hacks:

Reminder App - remind by location

Regular exercise time

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline address the unwillingness of people returning to work and the impact that minimum wage rates have on this. Following many articles, we discuss work environment, living wages, how other industry rates impact the veterinary profession and the importance of respect, stability and meaning in a job.

Articles Mentioned:

Those $300 pandemic checks aren’t the only reason restaurant employees might not want to go back to work

What Your Future Employees Want Most

What Matters More to Your Workforce than Money

Dan Price announced a minimum salary of $70,000 to all of his 120 employees back in 2015. It paid off big time

How poverty changes your mind-set

HR Wins & Fails:

Toronto E-commerce company Knix Wear raises $53-million after CEO nixes involvement of any investor who questioned her pregnancy

Made-in-Canada solution: 'Hockey hub' vaccine clinics are getting the job done faster

• Blinkist

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss five tips that will help your veterinary staff and practice as everything begins to reopen. We will be discussing leadership, communication, appreciation for staff, workload and future thinking.

HR Wins & Fails:

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss a common challenge in many vet practices, dealing with a high performer colleague that is also disruptive or difficult to handle. We discuss tips for dealing with this type of personality, why this person is this way, and methods to ensure you are hiring people that align with your workplace culture and core values. Stay tuned for the end of the episode, where we share some productivity hacks that can make your life easier.

Articles mentioned: 

Productivity Hacks:

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss how to properly set attainable soft skill and hard skill goals based on performance reviews.

Articles Referenced In This Episode:

Why We Set Unattainable Goals

HR Wins:

HR Fails: 

Referencing Forbes article A Psychologist’s Secrets To Holding Tough Conversations by Kevin Kruse and the book Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss the elements of having difficult conversations and what you can do to make them easier and more effective. 

Fails:

Wins:

In this episode, Dr. Mike Pownall and Katie Ardeline discuss how to receive feedback as an employee and as a leader. Following the book, Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen, we discuss the three triggers that govern how we react to feedback and how to change behaviour on a surface level vs. changing your overall mindset. We also refer to the article, How Leaders Can Get Honest, Productive Feedback by Jennifer Porter where we talk about the importance of modelling the behaviour you’d like to see from your team, how to receive feedback to better ourselves and lastly, how to ask others to help you make the desired changes based on the feedback given.