Do’s and don’ts for retaining your team

The longer your staff is with you, the more likely you are to have higher production and gain higher practice profit. Unfortunately, we are in an era where staffing is particularly challenging. The best way to avoid having to recruit, interview, hire, and train new staff is to keep the team you have in place and grow their skills and capabilities.

Create a positive culture and environment. Staff members today will not stay with a practice that is not positive. People are more willing to resign positions and change jobs than ever before, and in dentistry, they can find a new job very quickly. Negative environments, criticism, unpleasant days, stress, and frustration will gradually drive some of the best staff members to seek employment in other practices. A positive culture starts with the leader being positive every day and viewing every option or challenge from a positive lens of “What are our options for solving this issue?” 

Don’t forget to be a consistent leader. Staff members dislike inconsistency and it breaks down trust. If you decide to demonstrate punctuality and you follow through for two weeks and then become late for one week, you are basically stating that the team cannot look to you as a leader to determine how they should act and behave. 

Dr. Roger P. Levin is CEO of Levin Group, a leading practice management and marketing consulting firm. To contact him or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit LevinGroup.com or email [email protected].

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.