Keeping your team allows for a steady increase in practice production. Furthermore, staff longevity is the best strategy to avoid all the factors of recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training. While those will be necessary from time to time, and there will be team members occasionally lost for reasons beyond anyone's control, you want to work to increase team longevity every year.
Be positive. All too often dentists and office managers come across as negative, critical, or inconsistent. Leaders need to behave in a highly consistent manner. We counsel our clients to be positive motivational coaches to the team, which builds the foundation for the environment where team members want to stay. People are attracted to positive people.
Don't forget to make it fun. Fun is not something most dentists think about regarding staff longevity. But day-to-day fun can be powerful and increase staff longevity. Fun can come in many forms such as surprise lunches, gift cards, or sporting event tickets. Creating fun is a proactive activity, but one that pays back over and over with team loyalty.
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.
