There is a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and patient satisfaction. Happy staff tends to drive happy patients ~ and happy patients drive higher profits!
Unhappy workers are 10% less productive than other employees, while happy workers are 12% MORE productive than other employees. (Source: Adecco Staffing, June 2017).
Additionally, studies show that engaged employees miss less work,are more supportive of changes, and are more willing to make [changes] happen. (source: Dr. Donna Lamar & Betsy Laney, Noria)
This said, doesn’t it make sense to create an environment of contentment & happiness in the office if it makes staff more productive, resulting in happier patients and higher profits?
Here are 14 ways to create or maintain employee satisfaction within your practice:
- Ensure staff has the tools they need to succeed (i.e. training, equipment, physician & managerial support, a clear vision of the practice goals, mentorship)
- Provide public acknowledgement of achievements ~ aka: “Social Currency”
- Develop staff career paths
- Encourage employee feedback
- Create employee recognition programs
- Offer monthly or quarterly outings to promote staff bonding
- Give additional time off
- Offer paid attendance to a society meeting
- Prepare a special parking space for an Employee of the Month
- Provide a catered lunch or treats for the breakroom
- Promote fully-paid continuing education courses
- Foster a platform staff can use to contribute to the overall goals of the practice
- Consider an end-of-year trip upon reaching an annual financial goal
- Prepare monetary incentive plans
For financially motivated employees, I particularly like Employee Incentive Plans (EIP). If crafted correctly, EIPs can be a key driver toward the practice’s financial growth. A formal incentive plan allows staff to receive additional compensation by meeting certain revenue or conversion goals.
When creating a staff incentive plan, start with the business’ financial goals in mind and develop the staff incentive around it (i.e. start with the end in mind).
There are many incentive plan options to choose from, with the most popular being a reward-over-growth model. In this instance, staff members would receive a percentage of incoming revenue once an overall practice financial or conversion rate goal has been met.
Because most EIPs are tallied on a monthly basis, yourstaff has the opportunity to reap additional income on an ongoing basis throughout the year, fostering ongoing motivation for practice success.
What are successful ways you have found to keep and motivate happy employees?
To Your Success!
