Your dental team is the backbone of your dental practice, and you should never take them for granted. They are the people who ensure everything runs smoothly and do a lot of the grunt work, helping your dental practice run like a well-oiled machine and providing your patients with impeccable service. So, like any other great boss, you should show that you appreciate them and their hard work – showing your gratitude and approval is an excellent way to motivate them and inspire them to do better.
While the daily obligations may leave little time for anything else, you should find the time to leave a positive message and create a positive, comfortable work environment that will make people enjoy coming to work every day and giving 110% to the job.
A great reason to focus on expressing employee appreciation is to increase productivity and retain your dental team. You don’t want to have people leaving your staff because they feel underpaid or unappreciated – keeping your dental team happy will make your practice more successful. By keeping your existing dental team happy and appreciated, you are saving a lot of money to find, hire, and train new employees in the long run.
But showing your employee satisfaction is not simple or straightforward, as you must incorporate various tactics – predominantly low-cost and high-reward strategies that will pay off in the long run. Here we share with you the top ways you can show your dental staff that they are appreciated and respected:
Pay Increase & Bonuses
While you may feel this is the only way to show appreciation to your dental team, it is essential but not the only way to show your acknowledgement to your team. Suppose your dental practice has had a particularly good month, and you have a significant income. In that case, you can afford to give a bonus to your employees, which is an excellent way to show them you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Think of regular bonuses as incentives, as sometimes even a €100 bonus can significantly impact someone and land you the role of being a super boss.
When we are on the subject of financial compensation, another excellent prize to show your regard for your dental team is to award paid time off. It can be another vacation day or letting them go home early while still getting a full day’s wage.
Regularly Say Thank-You
A thank you note is not something that should be reserved for the retiring staff member – quite the opposite. A thank-you card or handwritten note adds a personal touch, telling your staff member that they’ve been outstanding and they should continue their hard work.
Remember to tell your dental team that you treasure them, and you can also do this with a simple “Great work with that patient” or something in that aspect.
Free Company Apparel
Ensure your employees are supplied with company apparel: make sure you choose high-quality items that fit them perfectly. Add great swag that features the dental practices’ logo: apparel like t-shirts and hoodies, water bottles, stickers, notepads, backpacks, phone covers, etc.; these will simultaneously serve as advertisements for your practice, and you’ll show your employees you appreciate them.
Free Lunch for all
Taking your dental team to lunch is a proven method to recognize your employees and show them that you care. Take them to their favorite lunch place, run an office poll, and take your team to lunch once a month in a different restaurant so everyone’s wishes will be appeased.
You can also organize a social event several times a year, like taking your employees to a nightclub or another fun event where everyone can let their hair down and enjoy some fun without worrying about paying the bill.
Update the Staff Room
The dental reception area and the actual practice space are where your dental team spends most of their time, but there is also the staff room where everyone takes their break and goes for coffee. So, to show your dental team you appreciate them, you can update the staff room. If it is within your budget, you can overhaul the staff room with new décor and amenities they’ll enjoy. This can range from a new coffeemaker to a better fridge, a small kitchenette, and comfy seating areas where they can take a breather from the patients.
To further show appreciation, you can stock up the employee staff room with healthy snacks everyone likes. We are talking about adding small perks for your employees that they’ll enjoy, and you’ll show your value.
Provide Mentorship and Educational Programs
Providing your dental team with educational opportunities and mentorship programs is an excellent way to show that you appreciate them and want to invest in them. You can create mentoring programs where senior staff mentors the junior staff members. Another way is to enter your employees in educational conferences where they can learn new skills; this can be a once-a-year event where you provide your dental team the chance to learn new things and do vital networking.
Ask them about some online educational classes they’d like to attend and enter their names. Even if the educational course is not directly linked to their current job, you can still pay for the class to show your employees you are invested in them and that they are not working a dead-end job.
The Bottom Line
Having a happy dental team you can rely on is crucial for the smooth-less operation of your dental practice. So, heed our advice and suggestions above and show appreciation to your dental team – it will return to you tenfold. It is easy to show employee appreciation, and even small changes focused on recognizing the employees who work for you can go a long way.Also, please follow our blog for regular info and articles that can help you with anything dental practice related. Plus, check out the demo for Great and learn how you can get impressive high-tech equipment and education for your dental practice and stand above the competition.
