Certification: a noun: “validating the authenticity of something or someone.” That’s the definintion according to Webster or at least my iphone dictionary. Why is that important? I don’t believe it is.

Like most of you, I work for someone else. I wish that I didn’t, but I do. The company that employs me is saturated with people in management that have no clue to the skills really necessary to run a successful business. Customer service means nothing; employees run amuck, coming in late and going home early; their children flood the work site; poor work habits are ignored (therefore encouraged) rather than thwarted; office rules once established to increase professionalism or production are ignored.

Our managers’ workdays are so enundated making sure that “everybody looks good on paper”-as I heard one person put it, that no real business is ever completed. And the funniest thing? Management complains all the time about the lack of production.

Our staff received a notice yesterday that it is time to complete their annual, that’s right, their annual recertification that verifies they understand the HIPPA laws and the consequences that will be meated out should they share patient information with someone other than the patient. Death by hanging!  

Now, how much time is going to be spent over the next few weeks making sure everyone in the office is certified accordingly? A better question might be how much time is not going to be spent taking care of patient needs or practicing business because everyone is running around making sure “everybody looks good on paper?”  

And worst of all, someone in upper-level management will be rewarded for getting this task accomplished. Go figure.