As mentioned in previous blog posts, it is very important to utilize the fact that employees can be advocates for your practice. An engaged employee will be able to convince potential patients that your practice is the best choice for the services they need. They achieve this by relating to the patients as people – not merely patients. This connection is something that must genuinely be earned, which is why it is important to have employees who are invested in the growth of the practice.
Although there are strategies for keeping employees engaged, it is also important to incentivize employees. Here are three ways to incentivize employees.
1. Create special events for achievements
A great incentive is creating special events for the practice whenever it achieves a goal. For example, if the goal of a particular month was to see 100 patients and that was achieved, have a celebration with employee families at a picnic or bowling. Let employees have a say in the selection of the reward for their achievement and you will have much greater buy-in.
2. Institute various levels of service providers
If your practice has room for employees to grow, add various levels of employee position. For example, at an optometry practice, create a lead position for an optometric assistant that employees can strive for.
3. Provide a means of furthering education in their field
An esthetician working at a plastic surgeons office will need to renew their licensure periodically. A great way to motivate employees is give a certificate to high performers and those who have been loyal to the company for a period of time.
4. Encourage peer to peer rewards
By encouraging your employees to notice and acknowledge the performance of their peers, a healthier work environment is created. Your employees will have a greater incentive to do good work at all times rather than just when the boss is watching.
Engaged employees are happy employees who advocate for the practice. An incentive here and there is a great way to motivate employees and grow your practice. For help implementing a good incentives program, contact Mindstream Creative today!