Meeting the Needs of Young ASC Business Staff: Q&A With April Sackos of Meridian Surgical Partners

Written by Rob Kurtz | June 30, 2010

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April Sackos is director of business office operations for Meridian Surgical Partners.

Q: If ASCs are looking to hire younger business operations staff, what should they know about the needs and challenges of this generation of employees?

April Sackos: Mentoring and communication is critical. The younger employee has a different work ethic and you may have to be accommodating in terms of flexible working hours. Typically, younger generation staff is looking to move ahead but are not always willing to put in the extra time required. A work/life balance is important to them versus the older thought process of working as many hours as it takes to get ahead. A young employee may require additional training, if they are entering the workforce for the first time.

Since the younger generation's primary source of communication is through e-mail, text messages and social networking sites, verbal communication and customer service skills may be lacking. However, their technology skills are usually advanced. If you want to retain them, provide developmental opportunities that offer growth and advancement and show them a path that will allow them to grow and advance within your ASC. Determine the longevity of the position and make sure that you hire based on qualifications and appropriateness for the position. If you have the time to invest in training a younger, less experienced candidate, this employee can succeed with the right leadership.

Learn more about Meridian Surgical Partners.

Read more guidance from April Sackos:

- 6 Common Collections Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

- 3 Steps to Identify and Reduce Collections Problems

- Two Quick Tips to Maintain an Effective Collections Process

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