Have you ever thought of the staff at your ophthalmology practice as a team? Much like your favorite sports team, your staff performs unique roles that all function together to serve your patients. Like any successful team, everyone in your practice needs to share a clear vision and feel motivated to provide their best work day in and day out. While everyone is motivated by different things, these are just a few proven ideas you can try to keep your team motivated.
Provide benefits
No matter how passionate you are about your job, benefits never hurt. Think carefully about what benefits make the most sense for your ophthalmology practice depending on your services, such as discounted or at-cost eyewear, eye exams, etc. To make your practice a cut above the rest, consider offering unique benefits such as flexible hours, childcare, or more paid time off, especially in a post-COVID world. Find out what your employees would actually benefit from rather than following cookie-cutter benefit plans.
Positive feedback
Encouragement is one of the most effective forms of motivation, and the best part is—it doesn’t cost you anything! You know that every team member is essential to your ophthalmology practice’s success, so make sure they know it too. Weekly or daily meetings can allow you to highlight team successes and draw clear lines between good patient outcomes and the good work your team has done. Make it a practice to provide a positive word of encouragement for a job well done to at least one employee every day if possible.
Invest in your team
If you have an exceptional team, this is likely a combination of their own expertise and competency and the investment your practice has made in them. Retaining good employees is usually a much wiser investment than hiring new employees for less pay, as quality employees will likely take their training and expertise elsewhere. Be ready to provide regular pay raises and make changes to ensure a fair working environment and provide incentives and opportunities for continuing education.
Consistency is key
Finally, as with most things, consistency is the key to keeping your team motivated. If the changes you make do not continue consistently over time, they will have no lasting effect. Ensure that you continue to provide improved motivation over the years by getting regular feedback from your employees and co-workers regarding what would make their jobs more rewarding.
