Does Your Office Have a Succession Binder?

By Kim Stamp

Most of us have probably dealt with the sudden confusion that ensues when a key member of our team quits unexpectedly, and a few of us may have even weathered the storm resulting from the death of an employee or colleague.

It’s times like these that make you acutely aware of all you don’t know about that person’s job responsibilities. We can mitigate the issues surrounding these situations by creating a short-term succession plan.

Carve out some time in your schedule to create a binder or online folder that includes key roles in your clinic and all the corresponding major tasks for those roles. Begin to build on the framework by adding any pertinent details that go along with those tasks including login information for systems someone would need to access in the event that a team member was suddenly gone.

Be intentional about focusing on daily tasks and processes, as well as reports, systems, and procedures needed to keep things running smoothly. The key here is to give enough details that a person unfamiliar with your work could step in and take care of the most important tasks. The first step? Start by keeping a journal of all you do for at least a week (but don’t forget to include monthly and quarterly tasks). A good succession binder is a great tool to keep your business up and running smoothly!

Kim Stamp is a PPS Certified Administrator and the Regional Business Manager for IRG – South Sound Physical & Hand Therapy in Washington State. She can be reached at Kim.Stamp@irgpt.com.