WANT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST EMPLOYEES?
GRATITUDE CREATES LOYALTY
Social media does more than attract patients to your practice. It also has the power to tell potential employees what you are like to work for. GlassDoor.com, for instance could discourage your ideal dental assistant from scheduling an interview. That site posts employee (and ex-employee) reviews describing everything about your practice, – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Showing appreciation is one of the easiest ways to create a culture where anyone would want to work
A recent report showed that 82% of workers wished they were recognized more. Often, getting that pat on the back on a regular basis is more important to them than an annual raise. And yet, managers (that’s you) are often so busy, that authentic expressions of gratitude get lost in the rush.
I am so grateful for the professionalism, great patient care and hard work of my incredible staff
What I have learned is that a simple ‘thank you’ does wonders for morale. So does sitting down with a team or individual employee to talk about a job well done. It costs nothing, takes only minutes, and makes them and me feel so connected.
Here are a few tips for showing gratitude:
Frequently recognize your employees. No need to save your comments for a staff meeting. When someone does a particularly good job, goes above and beyond, or solves a difficult challenge, say so.
Don’t delay gratitude. Acknowledge achievements in real time. If you wait, those words may come too late and feel less valuable.
Be specific. A general comment cannot feel as good as a detailed one. “Great job” is not as meaningful as “Great job putting the nervous patient at ease.” If you recognize a specific action, that action is likely to be repeated.
Be public. When you recognize someone in front of their peers, it encourages them to show appreciation of one another.
Think about the times you felt genuinely appreciated and what that felt like. It’s only human nature to want to be thought of positively so be generous with your compliments.