Employee attrition can be detrimental to any business. But it can be especially damaging in the health and dental field, as gaps in staff can result in rescheduling, longer patient wait times, and a poor patient experience. 

We’d also be remiss not to mention the costs of hiring and training new employees. Jobvite suggests that it can cost almost two times a worker’s annual salary to replace them if they leave. Since most employees leave because of poor management or leadership, the best strategy is to create an environment where great dental team members want to stay.

Building a supportive work environment for great dental team members.

Employees stay in places where they are treated like humans, providing with respect, and given an opportunity to learn and grow. In fact, and by no means are we suggesting this be your strategy, many employees will stay with an employer who pays less than the competition but offers a great environment. 

For many dental practice owners, creating a supportive work environment comes naturally. But for many, despite their best efforts, the demands of the job result in a work culture that is subpar to what they intended. This said, the first thing to do to create a great work place is to ensure it is a supportive environment. So, what does that mean?

• Promoting open communication: Encourage team members to express their ideas, concerns, and suggestions without fear of retribution. Implement regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins to ensure everyone feels heard and valued. To be clear, this is the best way to create a positive work culture.
• Recognizing achievements: Make it a priority to celebrate small victories and major milestones within the team. Recognition can be as simple as a “thank you” note or as elaborate as an employee of the month program. 
• Encouraging professional development: Offer continuous education opportunities, employee training, and resources to help dental team members grow their skills and advance in their careers. This demonstrates the practice’s commitment to individual success and improving the collective capability of the team. And rest assured that the majority of employees choose to stay with employers who help them grow their careers, rather than pursue outside opportunities. We’ll talk about this more later in this article.
• Creating a respectful work environment: Ensure all interactions within the practice are based on mutual respect and professionalism. This is a non-negotiable, as it helps respect personal boundaries and encourages a team-oriented approach to solving challenges.
• Supporting work-life balance: Recognize the importance of personal time and provide flexible scheduling, job-shares, or telecommuting options where possible. While this can be more challenging for dental practices where an in-person presence is a must, offering flexibility where you can be appreciated.

Help your team members grow professionally. 

You may have heard the famous quote from Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company—“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave, is not training them and having them stay.” Let that sink in for a moment before reading on.

Many business owners, including dental practice leaders, worry about providing continuing education opportunities for their team. They worry that the cost of the investment, plus the time and training put into the employee so far, will be lost when the employee finds employment elsewhere. And while this is always a risk, it has been our experience that employees who receive the opportunity to participate in training and continuing education, actually choose to stay!

While we’ll discuss the importance of compensation and benefits in the next section, if you manage that piece well and let employees participate in training, especially on the company dollar, you’ll be sure to reap the rewards.

• Grows loyalty: Offering training shows you value your team, making them more likely to stay.
• Increases skills: Education helps team members do their jobs better, improving the whole practice.
• Attracts talent: A commitment to training makes your practice a more attractive place to work.
• Improves patient experience: Better-trained employees can provide higher-quality care to patients.

Provide Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Last but not least, let’s talk about pay. Back in 2008, Warren Buffett said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” So, think of this in terms of an employee and the compensation and benefits you offer them. 

Pay employees what they’re worth. Even more so, pay them to achieve the goals that you have outlines for the practice. When you look at it that way and apply that approach, the chances are that not only will you be offering competitive wages, but you may even come out ahead of some of the other dental practices in your area. And that’s not a bad thing. Your employees will appreciate it, and by the very nature of being well-compensated, they’ll work harder. 

Consider benefits, too. While the money in their pocketbook is where it starts, the package needs to include more. 

• Retirement programs: Offer plans like 401(k) or other retirement savings programs to help secure employees’ futures.
• Generous time off: Provide ample paid time off, including vacation, sick days, and personal days, to support work-life balance.
• Continuing education allowance: Allocate funds for courses and certifications that enhance professional skills.
• Health benefits: Include comprehensive health insurance that covers dental, medical, and vision care.
• Performance bonuses: Reward employees for meeting or exceeding practice goals with financial bonuses. Consider additional pay increases as employees reach certain milestones or achieve various performance goals.
• Flexible scheduling: We mentioned this before, but we want to reiterate it here. Where you can offer flexible work hours or remote work options, be sure to do so.

Create a great environment, and you’ll create great dental team members who want to stay. 

One of the things that dental patients appreciate is getting to know the dental team in your office. When they return every six months for their professional cleaning, or when they come in for a special treatment, they may feel reassured to see staff that they already know. This is simply one more reason to create a great work environment. Trust us, your patients will feel it, too.

Take some time to reassess your employees’ work conditions. If training is a gap, consider looking for team training options through Jameson Grow. And if you need help, request a virtual consultation with one of our team members. You may benefit from some of the broader services offered by our dental training consultants. Contact us today.