Can you imagine your dental clinic without your dental hygienist, dental assistants, receptionists and office managers? You most certainly cannot. A dental practice cannot flourish without a team working together in coordination. Employee engagement and motivation are important aspects of every business but when it comes to dental practice, you need to be more careful with your dental team. This is because they will personally communicate with the patients from time to time and reflect on your business and work culture.
Healthy work culture is greatly associated with the efficiency and calibre of a particular business. A team working collectively reflects positively on the image of you and your business.
No business is without its critical times. There will undeniably be times when your team feels dispirited, underconfident, frustrated, indolent, and so on. Working in a healthcare facility can be demanding and it is very common to feel all of the above. At such times, you can’t just give up and let go. How can you bring up the zeal of your team and motivate them?
1) Communicate
“Communication is the key” is not a lie. Maintaining constant communication with your team is very important to motivate them. An honest and open conversation at the start and end of every day or a weekly meeting can be held to converse about the functioning. You should promote speaking about the drawbacks and the experiences of individual team members.
If there are grievances, you must solve them together. This will enhance oneness within your team. Additionally, you must keep them informed at all times so their productivity at work increases and they feel involved.
A few topics you could discuss include new equipment, best practices, changes in office or procedure policy, problems and potential solutions, staffing changes, holiday schedules, industry advances and so on. This will foster a sense of involvement and give your dental team the opportunity to express their views and perspectives.
2) Listening
Listening is a part of communication itself, but due to the great role that it plays, it needs to be discussed separately. Listening to your employees implies you genuinely care about them and value their presence in your organization.
If your team member approaches to talk about a workplace issue, or personal life or wants to make suggestions, make sure you give them an active ear. Prove that you are actually listening by giving cues. For instance, ask a question, make insights, mention what has been said before and so on. This will make the team members realize their worth and encourage them to work better.
3) Focus on Training and Growth
The expertise and performance of your dental team depend entirely on their training. You can always grow and learn. The best way to grow is by focusing on employee training, continued education, advancements in opportunities, performance improvement, and individual job growth. This can be done by identifying training opportunities that will benefit the team, providing reinforcements in the form of bonuses or raises to the team members etc.
4) Provision of Tools
Even if your team is highly proficient, there are several tasks that cannot be carried out with perfection without peculiar tools. Outdated or dysfunctional tools can be a powerful determinant of demotivation. Pay heed to the needs of the team and restock the requirements timely. Stay updated with the recent developments in tech and try to get those for your team.
If your practice provides dental subscription plans, keeping track of the new members, their accounts, bills, subscriptions etc can be challenging. Provide your team with software that will streamline your membership plan workflows while reducing their stress.
5) Create a Healthy and Appealing Work Environment
The environment you work in has a great impact on your mood and productivity. Dull colours, crammed settings, lowlights and so on can take the life out of a person. An easy way to motivate your dental team members is by creating an environment where they would like to work.
You could do this by painting the walls in welcoming colours, maintaining the decor, maintaining a comfortable temperature and so on. Give the non-public areas the same time and attention that you give the public-facing areas. Let in as much natural light as possible, add plants to the office setting, and encourage your staff to take breaks during work.
6) Engage in Team Building
Spending time outside the work setting can bind people better. Research upon exercises that help people connect with each other. Allow them to relax and have fun together. Try to incorporate team-building exercises, or even a group lunch on a frequent basis. This will create a better association within the dental team and make them more effective and efficient.
If you follow everything mentioned above, your team will probably always be high-spirited and give you the best output. Show your team you care through small efforts like bringing in treats, celebrating birthdays etc. Recognize, praise, and honor their achievements from time to time. A satisfied team is capable of rendering satisfying services, and you have the power to make it happen!
Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.