Staff Development

[eric1980]

My lab conducts lunchtime talks every Thursday. Each staff take turns to present, and they can present anything under the sun. Sadly, attendance has always been little as compared to those who are having lunch at that time.

And I do not have to mention the number of colleagues who ever use their own time to attend seminars and workshops.

In my opinion, supervisors should find out who are those who are willing to sacrifice their own personal time to develop their knowledge, and to give them more responsibility and thus, more chances for promotion/pay-rise (they deserve it!). If there still are those who aren't willing to work a little bit harder, then nothing will make them willingly do it, and we shouldn't try too hard to make them.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Does this also mean that after we retire- there will be no one left to sort out serological problems or anamolous group results by tube techniques?Will labs will be run by folk who will depend solely on automation with no problem solving skills whatsoever??

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

My lab conducts lunchtime talks every Thursday. Each staff take turns to present, and they can present anything under the sun. Sadly, attendance has always been little as compared to those who are having lunch at that time.

And I do not have to mention the number of colleagues who ever use their own time to attend seminars and workshops.

In my opinion, supervisors should find out who are those who are willing to sacrifice their own personal time to develop their knowledge, and to give them more responsibility and thus, more chances for promotion/pay-rise (they deserve it!). If there still are those who aren't willing to work a little bit harder, then nothing will make them willingly do it, and we shouldn't try too hard to make them.

Excellent thoughts.

[mwilde]

I'm sure all of us have had employees who are ROJ (Retired On the Job according to a human resources person!) and others who only want to spend their 8 hours with no extra duties. For those who show a glimmer of interest and desire to learn a former BB manager of mine assigned them "Special Projects", consisting of duties that supervisors/ managers don't have time to get to such as compiling data, taking on training plans/ projects, validating procedures/ forms/ what-have-you, etc. I've borrowed that concept and used it for employees of my own. It gives that person the ability to learn and to make suggestions about improving processes and keep them interested in the job. It also helps develop them to go further in their career, be it in laboratory management, another branch of healthcare or administration. I'm always excited (and a bit sad....) when I help someone to advance their career!

Margaret Wilde

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Good for you! That is a great attitude.

[RR1]

I agree with eric and Margaret, but this is how we have always dealt with enthusiastic staff, by giving them additional responsibilities, in fact this is how most of us obtained more senior posts.

The worry lies with what to do with staff already in these posts, but who may not want to progress or take additional responsibility to continue developing their knowledge and skills related to their profession outside of working hours. I have to say there are probably quite a few Blood bank managers in the UK who do not attend meetings or participate in any form of networking or discussions, this is not a good example to set staff.

Edited November 11, 2009 by RR1

[mwilde]

Good for you! That is a great attitude.

I forgot to mention that a former BB Supervisor of mine required her employees to join the MABB (Michigan Association of Blood Banks) and developed many of her employees into future SBB's! By serving on committees for the MABB we started networking early on and learned a lot about the exciting world of Transfusion Medicine. I wonder if that would work these days.....?

Margaret Wilde

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

I have to say there are probably quite a few Blood bank managers in the UK who do not attend meetings or participate in any form of networking or discussions, this is not a good example to set staff.

[RR1]

Equally sadly, there are some who regularly turn up to meetings, but never seem to benefit in terms of putting new knowledge into practice (the "bums on seats" syndrome).

:(:(

This can also be seen with participants in this forum. It would be very helpful for all of us if others that visited BBT actually posted questions or replies or even shared documents. We all need to carry on learning and this is much easier to achieve by sharing this information.

I think folk need to stop being shy/ scared of being perceived as being 'stupid' because they may post a reply or question that others may disagree with or is controversial- and just go for it. Many of the questions i've asked have been a bit silly, but hey- that's the way I learn.

[eric1980]

I forgot to mention that a former BB Supervisor of mine required her employees to join the MABB (Michigan Association of Blood Banks) and developed many of her employees into future SBB's! By serving on committees for the MABB we started networking early on and learned a lot about the exciting world of Transfusion Medicine. I wonder if that would work these days.....?

Margaret Wilde

If I am in your country, I would apply to work in that BB.

[AndyMiller]

I have to say there are probably quite a few Blood bank managers in the UK who do not attend meetings or participate in any form of networking or discussions, this is not a good example to set staff.

It is a sad indictment of our times, but very definitely true.

There are, of course time and financial constraints to take into account, but some never go to any meetings whatsoever.

Equally sadly, there are some who regularly turn up to meetings, but never seem to benefit in terms of putting new knowledge into practice (the "bums on seats" syndrome).

:(:(

[AndyMiller]

Hi Rashmi

It may be worth pointing out to them that they have sigened and returned their HPC Registraion renewal form and signed to say that they are keeping up-to-date. Ask them to prove it - the HPC could ask exactly the same question.

Or you could ask them what they actually signed when they returned the form - I bet half of us couldn't answer that!

I've found this wakes some of them up

Andy

[Eagle Eye]

I'm sure all of us have had employees who are ROJ (Retired On the Job according to a human resources person!) and others who only want to spend their 8 hours with no extra duties. For those who show a glimmer of interest and desire to learn a former BB manager of mine assigned them "Special Projects", consisting of duties that supervisors/ managers don't have time to get to such as compiling data, taking on training plans/ projects, validating procedures/ forms/ what-have-you, etc. I've borrowed that concept and used it for employees of my own. It gives that person the ability to learn and to make suggestions about improving processes and keep them interested in the job. It also helps develop them to go further in their career, be it in laboratory management, another branch of healthcare or administration. I'm always excited (and a bit sad....) when I help someone to advance their career!

Margaret Wilde

Do you ever run in to a situation where other techs feel neglected and do not perform their duties without extra push because you are not giving them any importance. And when you give too much attention to one or two they think they are the only one running the lab and you will not be able to function without them. Basically " they think that they can walk on water!!!!!!".

[irshadaad]

some people bother only about how much monetory benifit will they gain they dont bother for refresh their knowledge,

RR1 is very right....we dont need to be shy in this forum to ask or to comment this how we can learn from each other.

im so delighted and benifited since i have joined here..i feel it quenches my thirst...cose in my setup i dont have access to new additions of books and other materials....so this has come to me as a blessing....and i thank malcolm personaly the way he is keeping this site alive with his contributions

Edited December 9, 2009 by irshadaad

[rennijohn]

Staff development is very good. I think all the institute have to do the staff development. It is the great idea to do staff development.

[pluto]

Interesting thread – don’t know how I missed it 1st time around, pleased it has been bumped up

Also got to consider other path disciplines , you would be amazed what fuss there would be if staff in transfusion got 1hr a week , other disciplines would state I do this in my own time etc etc we want 1hr also , with I suspect resulting pathology management meeting where 1hr is pulled as it discriminates against other disciplines.

We have regular sponsored lunch time meetings with sandwiches provided even cakes on occasions but as you are expected to go in your own lunch time they are not well attended , I could guarantee if same meeting was in works time and not your own attendance would increase

pluto

[KKidd]

Budget cuts have not only hurt attendees. There are fewer seminars, audio-conferences that are within a day's travel and attendance window. I have not been to the AABB meeting in 2 years because of the cost. I don't understand that attitude of " Give me some time and I'll do it". I do have one tech who is active in the AMT and attends all of their meetings - she uses PTO and pays for everything.

:boogie::boogie: