Five Tips for Motivating Medical Practice Staff

Between packed days, angry patients, evolving technology, and other daily challenges, motivation can be hard to come by. So how do you motivate staff and encourage productivity through this daily upheaval and change? It’s a huge challenge, but the good news is, many factors can be useful in motivating staff. Keep reading for five creative ways to keep your team motivated and on their game.

Nurture a team environment.

Studies show that your staff will work more productively if they feel like they’re part of a team. Set aside some time to arrange an office outing; whether it’s a holiday party, a happy hour outing, a painting party, or a hosted potluck. Acknowledge and celebrate staff birthdays and other special occasions. Making an effort to organize team activities shows you care that your staff and allows them to get to know each other more.

Provide feedback.

Let your employees know what you think about their work performance. Praise is an excellent motivator, but constructive criticism is effective as well. It can push employees to make improvements in areas that could use a little more attention. But don’t wait for scheduled reviews, frequently praise and critique because it communicates that you care about your employees, their tasks, and your business.

Ask for feedback.

If you give your team feedback, you have to be willing to receive it. Let employees offer their ideas for improving processes that may not be working. Challenge them in assisting in making business even better, which leads us to our next tip – communication.

Communicate often.

Sometimes the best solutions come from the employees you’ve got working in the trenches. Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep everyone informed about problems that may arise. Managers and staff members must have a trusting relationship and can communicate openly. Managers have to resist the urge to protect employees from issues, as they can often be the ones that help you through situations.

Offer opportunities.

A progressive career path should be part of your team’s organizational plan. Titles, promotions, and professional growth are great starting points for opportunities in medical offices. Career growth can be as substantial and motivating for staff as it is good for the bottom line. Offer courses, training, or other educational events to inspire your team and keep them progressing.

Hardworking and happy employees are essential to medical practice success. A motivated team can improve patient satisfaction, productivity, and employee retention.

Ultimately, employees bear much responsibility for staying motivated and challenged within their positions. But as the boss, your job is to create a positive environment that encourages and rewards innovation and hard work.

 

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  • As a speaker at the first ad hoc meeting of rheumatology practice managers gathered in a single small room at its infancy a decade ago, I’m amazed to see how NORM has blossomed into a high energy organization of depth and professional meetings with parallel break-out symposia between plenary sessions. NORM has truly come of age. This is where the “business” of rheumatology gets learned. The ”guildmanship” for rheumatology practice management is now strong.- Paul H. Caldron, DO, FACP, FACR, MBA, Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates
  • In a time of demanding changes in the management of medical practices in the US, NORM has been a lifesaver to the community of Rheumatology practices.  NORM has allowed our practice to stay ahead of the many demands of CMS and others payors and has ensured that our practice remains cognizant of new issues that arise in HIPPA compliance, human resources and medical billing to name a few. Sending our Practice Manager to NORM's conferences has been cost-effective and beneficial to our practice because she returns to our office with an abundance of information that otherwise would have taken months to compile. Every Rheumatology practice that wishes to stay on top of emerging issues in practice management should consider sending a member of their staff to NORM's conference.- Michael S. Rosen M.D., Chester County Rheumatology PC
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