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Do you ever walk into the dental clinic and smile enthusiastically at your team, greet them all with a hearty “hello” and feel as though you didn’t quite receive the same amount of eagerness as you gave? The culture of a workplace takes more than just greeting staff cordially and “high five-ing” everyone into being cheerful. It takes emotional acumen, listening skills and a business vision that is transferrable and meaningful to others.
"The threat of disengaged or ever-changing staff is a HUGE risk to stability, income, patient satisfaction, and reputation within a dental clinic."
So, how do you motivate and engage your team?
You can start by:
Consistently providing pertinent information on the organisation's risk management system through system-specific induction and orientation, education, and training. Reporting of all risk assessments and outcomes for improvement are vital to undertake.
Regularly assessing the organisational 'climate' in risk, safety, and quality areas using validated survey tools. This must include psychosocial risk, and this must include a team cultural analysis.
Repeatedly reinforcing information regarding the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of managers, clinicians, and other workforce members. This may involve using tools such as screensavers on the clinic computers, the Intranet, or an internal newsletter communication.
Establishing an appropriate organisational monthly meeting that involves clinicians, other workforce members, and managers at all organisational levels.
Offering planned opportunities for workforce members to identify and discuss clinical safety concerns during operational meetings.
Regularly incorporating questions related to the patient safety and satisfaction climate in employee culture surveys.
Clear communication means that staff need to understand the 'why' behind the goals. This also means creating opportunities for the team to voice their opinions, ideas, and concerns, and actively listening to and acting upon their feedback.
Empowerment of teams means providing them with opportunities for professional development, encouraging them to take on leadership roles within the team, and actively listening to their ideas and concerns.
Recognition and appreciation mean much to staff whether it's a simple 'thank you' or public acknowledgment of their achievements, feeling valued and appreciated can go a long way in motivating the team. This could involve anything from a simple acknowledgment of a job well done to more formal celebrations or rewards for achieving significant milestones. Be sure to celebrate success.
Setting achievable goals by breaking down larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks, the team will feel a sense of accomplishment as they make progress towards the overall goal.
Leading by example includes showing a commitment to patient care, professionalism, and continuous improvement, by YOU!
Dream of a dream team? We can put systems in place to help you stabilise your team and maintain the equilibrium of your income. Call Jo 0414 989 628