Your medical practice is only as good as your weakest link and staff can either make you or break you. So how do you get the best out of the staff who support you in your medical practice?
We’ve put together a few tips on how to motivate and inspire your staff and lead them to better productivity and a happier work environment.
Hire well
There is always one GP and/or practice Manager at each MediGrow CPD course who has identified poor staff as a threat to their viability. It makes it all the more important to hire well. If an applicant isn’t professional, bright, positive, outgoing and efficient they’re probably not going to make for good reception staff. Likewise you don’t was a practice manager who is disorganised and dislikes people. Accurately define your roles and get the best staff available.
Set realistic KPIs
Employees who are performing tasks beyond their job description can generally feel defeated and unappreciated. A good leader will ensure their staff have clearly defined roles, responsibilities and KPIs. It’s hard for staff to feel motivated if they feel like they are constantly falling short of expectations set for them, because the role description and KPIs are unrealistic. Be sure to regularly assess and modify roles for staff to ensure they experience a sense of self achievement through their work.
Celebrate all wins and milestones
There’s nothing more rewarding or motivating than celebrating practice milestones and successes. Not only does it help break up the employee’s day-to-day routine (cake in the lunchroom is always a good incentive), it also helps lift morale. Find reasons to celebrate wins, birthdays and important events at your practice. It also makes each staff member feel like they’re part of a bigger, successful team.
Break the Routine
Midweek team building or social days are a great way to get staff to build relationships beyond the practice. It’s also a fantastic way to break the monotony and routine of their standard working day. For leaders, it’s a great way to show appreciation for staff and it’s a great way to mingle with staff whom you may not connect with regularly in the workplace.
Ask The Questions
Great leaders will always be somewhat accountable for the success and contentment of their staff. Regular one-on-ones in a very casual and relaxed environment is a great way to monitor how your staff members are going with their workload. It is also a good time for them to bring up areas of concerns. Just be sure to provide an environment where they feel like they can speak freely without risk of it affecting their employment.
Career planning and promotion
Having a strategy in place for further training, development and promotion is a great way to motivate, create job satisfaction and increase productivity. Devising an individual plan for each staff member with an eye on upskilling within the practice is one strategy to ensure greater employee satisfaction.
One of the most satisfying aspects of education Doctors and PM’s together in MediGrow events is the collaboration and problem solving during our SWOT workshops. It’s incredibly satisfying to see GP’s and their staff identifying weaknesses and threats and turning them into opportunities and strengths. The connections made at our events have a positive impact well beyond those in attendance.
To find out more visit http://medigrow.com.au
