03/06/2024

TPMA Footnotes - April

Staff Retention & Appreciation

Results of Happy Employees!
-Increased productivity
-Happy customers
-Better collaboration among the team
-Increased staff retention
-Attraction of new employees
-Word of mouth referrals
-Increased revenue

The question is how? How do we provide a positive workplace culture to achieve staff retention?  Yes, we need to set goals and expectations, a mission statement for our office and the values that we have.  Also giving employees autonomy, flexibility as well as transparency all count.  The most important and the biggest factor is staff appreciation and here are some ideas:

• Company Brand Welcome Kit- This is a welcome packet that you provide to your new hires. It gets them excited about work, it makes them feel valued, but it also gets your name out there in front of their community, their friends, and their family.  Items can include things such as: Snacks, maybe a gift card for a coffee shop, and items with your logo such as a coffee or a wine bag, or a tote bag.  The possibilities are endless!
  
  
• Let them get what they want and let them decorate their workspace-This can apply to your current employees as well as your new hires. Provide them with a $50 budget. This can be via cash or gift cards from places such as target, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Amazon, etc.  This will allow them to get the things that they want and feel comfortable in their workspace daily.  It also allows you to really recognize their personality.
  
  
• Make a Photo Wall- Take candid photos of your employees and dedicate a wall in your office that’s also in sight for your patients to see. (Be aware that in time, they will also be taking photos of you). It’s a great conversation piece but it also shows your patients your staff’s personality and it helps get them feel connected.
  
  
• Have an about page to highlight the staff on your website- This makes your staff feel valued, gives them a sense of belonging and longevity once they are on your site. In turn your patients, especially those looking for a new physician/doctor shopping truly appreciate and love this.  They will love to see your staff’s kind and friendly faces and feel more comfortable when coming in for their first appointment.
  
  
• Order in a treat on a busy day- Everyone knows food equals love. This is great for a day when you have add-on patients, in office procedures, or on a day when your staff has had to deal with a difficult situation or patient.

• Share your personal side with them and be vulnerable to them- It’s true that you are the boss, however, staff love feeling close to you, seeing you as a human who deals with life and real problems. They love to feel friendly to you and perhaps offer a piece of advice.  This is so beneficial for you as well to have that support group daily.  This was crucial for me in the past couple of years while I was going through a difficult time and divorce.  Coming into work was my happy place, there were tears, laughter, and times of seriousness, but through it all we all got closer.

• Counseling Services- I have not started to offer this yet, however, I know of a few colleagues that do and they highly recommend it. Everyone is stressed in our world today and having this available to them makes them feel more supported.  They may never use it, however, having a few free counseling sessions a year available to them, makes them have comfort in your support.

• Donate to a charity of your team’s choosing-This can be a vote where everyone agrees on one charity per quarter or even a year. Patients can donate to it, and the office matches the donation. 

• Volunteer together-This is great for team building, the staff bonds together and with the physicians at the office. They are also able to share this with their family and friends.

• Mail a Thank you note-Snail mail for the win. This is unexpected and will be mind-blowing to your staff. They will love getting home and seeing a handwritten thank you note from you appreciating them for their hard work and the time that they went above and beyond for you and your company.