Staffing is a continuous challenge, especially in eyecare. Office culture can be a major influence when it comes to retaining employees. “Culture” encompasses many different aspects of an office, but Bethany Fishbein, OD, shared 6 ways to build a winning culture specifically by investing in your staff.

Use Your Time Wisely but Generously.

As a practicing OD, your time is incredibly valuable, and your team knows it. So, what kind of message are you sending if you’re using your time to complain about the negatives? It can be a knee-jerk reaction to complain about the under-performing staff members, saying things like,

• This person doesn’t “get it.”
• This person isn’t fulfilling their duties.
• This person is always late.

However, is this the most productive use of your time? Dr. Fishbein doesn’t think so. She believes this energy should be focused on supporting and acknowledging employees that are doing well. Shifting the spotlight to your top performers recognizes them for a job well done and encourages the behavior you’re looking for.

Performance Meetings

Are you spending time brainstorming ways to improve poor staff performance? If so, you’re like many other eye care professionals who are trying to run a thriving practice. Dr. Fishbein understands that this is a necessary requirement of managing people, but she recommends a focus shift here, as well.

If you’re not already, make sure you meet with your top performing employees, as well. Understand what motivates them to do such a great job, what causes hurdles in their day-to-day, and what their goals are, both professionally and personally. As we mentioned, your team knows your time is valuable, and spending time with your best demonstrates what you value most.

Celebrate a Job Well Done As Publicly As Possible.

Like taking the time to encourage actions that you want to see in your team, you should also celebrate the wins within your team. Celebrating “wins” can often come in the form of “team” congratulations. “What a great team effort!” or “Thanks for a job well done, everyone!” However, recognizing an individual’s contribution to the practice can go a long way in boosting morale and setting an example for the rest of the team. Examples include:

• Dane is the King of Second-Pair Sales!
• This office lunch wouldn’t have happened without Amelia’s hard work!
• Thanks to Jordan’s strong customer communication, we’ve reduced no-shows!
• There’s no frown that Taylor can’t turn around!

Simplify Their Days.

As we talked about in the first section, understanding what hinders your best employees from doing their best work can be a great step in creating a “winning” environment. Beyond removing “demotivators,” you can look for ways to support productivity/ease like keeping a favorite snack stocked in the break room, making sure the office coffee maker is always fresh, or purchasing an ergonomic keyboard.

Make a Career Plan.

Once you understand what your top employees’ goals are, you can start to develop a plan to help them achieve them. Developing growth plans in your practice is one of the clearest ways to demonstrate your commitment to your employees. It’s a financial and time investment that can pay dividends for your practice and your staff. Dr. Fishbein recommends looking for opportunities to invest in:

• Extra or specific training
• Continuing education
• Certificates that could benefit them

Sharing specifics regarding what the future could look like at your practice reinforces your commitment to them as individuals and as part of your practice team.

Listen to Your Staff and Act Where Possible.

Your top performing staff members often have the best handle on the day-to-day and where the efficiency challenges/opportunities lie. After establishing your weekly/monthly/quarterly meetings, you can start to ask these team members for suggestions on improving practice flow or office culture or any projects they think could benefit the practice in general. While you can’t act on all of them, listen intentionally and identify what you can do, and then establish what it takes to accomplish it.

Once you understand the necessary steps, determine whether the staff member who made the suggestion is able to take the reins on the project. Allowing them to take on this new responsibility reaffirms your trust and commitment to them as a team member, but you must provide the support they need to succeed. Dr. Fishbein also recommends regular check-ins to share feedback (positive and constructive) both ways and identify any hurdles that you need to handle.

Dr. Fishbein also stresses the need to let them manage setbacks (as much as they’re able to in their current role). It’s a chance for the employee to learn resilience, critical thinking, and problem solving. Of course, she also maintains the stance that support should be provided to ensure success, so if that means you need to step in, then do it! Finally, if there is a suggestion made that you must handle, make sure you tell everyone whose idea it was. They don’t have to own the project to get credit for the good idea!

Pay Them Fairly.

Dr. Fishbein finished her recommendations with this: compensation matters. With the investment in their development and additional responsibilities, their compensation should “keep pace.” Dr. Fishbein suggests considering acknowledging a job well done with a gift card to their favorite spot or a monetary bonus. She also said offering individual rewards for accomplishing goals or reaching profit-based targets can be an effective method of compensation.

When you shift your focus from “who needs improvement” to “who’s working hardest,” you start to create an office culture invested in its best team members. This creates a ripple effect that encourages excellence, rewards hard work, and creates opportunities for growth. This environment cultivates loyal employees who not only want to work, but who are as invested in the success of your practice as you are.