Does your office feel like a joyful place to work? Or does your dental team drag their heels coming through the front door every day? Fortunately, there are many proven strategies that can give your team morale a boost. If you’re thinking about cheesy “getting-to-know-you” games or forced heart-to-heart conversations, think again. These are team building strategies that work with the most hardened, as well as the sappiest, employees.
At Dental Practice Enhancement, we are experts at dental team building and empowerment. And we know that a motivated team can benefit nearly every aspect of your practice, from communication with patients to overall profitability. Evaluating the current strengths and weaknesses of your practice, we can come up with a plan to take your team to the next level.
Contact us to learn more about our services or to schedule a coaching session.
1. Express Meaningful Appreciation
This one seems like a no-brainer. But employees regularly report feeling unappreciated by their employers. In fact, 44% of those seeking to change jobs report lack of appreciation as the primary reason.
But a cursory or blanket “thank you” at an all-staff meeting is not going to do the trick. Authentic appreciation should be expressed personally and regularly. In a timely fashion, thank individual dental team members for specific achievements.
2. Offer Your Dental Team Incentives and Rewards
This can go hand-in-hand with expressing appreciation. For instance, you could offer financial incentives for continuing education or new certifications. You could also provide small tokens, like a gift card, for a job well done.
But rewards don’t always have to be performance based. Offering more vacation days or implementing a more flexible work schedule can make everyone at the office feel valued.
3. Make Yourself Available for Direct Communication
All dental team members should feel comfortable talking to the practice owner or manager. Make sure that your office has a free and open culture where employees feel comfortable speaking during meetings. Let everyone know that you are always available should they have questions or concerns.
4. Be Aware of Family and Personal Responsibilities
When employees feel like they are being forced to choose between work and family, morale will almost certainly plummet. Be understanding when team members face challenges or changes outside of the office. Offer generous parental leave. Be flexible when parents have to take off work for a sick child. Inquire after elderly parents. And get to know your employee’s families by hosting a practice barbeque or bowling outing.
5. Provide Dental Team Training and Empowerment
Team members consistently report feeling more motivated when they receive good training. Of course, this is true for new hires, but it’s also the case for seasoned veterans, who want to keep up with changes to technology or new protocols. Team training can also improve communication within a dental team, as well as communication with your patients.
At Dental Practice Enhancement, we offer on-site training in billing, collections calls, efficiency, and all other aspects of dental administration. We can also help your administrative and clinical teams to integrate and function as a seamless whole.
Contact Dental Practice Enhancement Today
To learn more about how we can improve your dental team morale, contact our office.
Send us a message online or call 833-DPE-FOR-U.
