07 Jan 7 Eye-Opening Ways to Manage Your Eye Care Staff
Your eye care staff you rely on to keep your office running smoothly creates your patients’ first impression of your practice. From scheduling appointments to collecting payments, they’re the face of your brand.
Keeping your staff happy drives patient satisfaction and revenue growth, ultimately helping you run a successful eye care practice. Patient satisfaction begins with employee satisfaction. Here are a few ways to keep your staff motivated, engaged, and satisfied.
1. Recognize your employees
Studies show that nearly 80% of employees would be more productive if recognized more often. There are many ways to approach employee recognition; even the smallest gestures can make a big impact. From thanking them in person to incentivizing performance with gift cards or paid time off, you’ll inspire better performance by expressing appreciation.
2. Mentor new eye care staff
Employees feel more supported and heard when they have a mentor or buddy at work. Studies show that organizations with mentoring programs in the workplace see 57% higher employee engagement and retention. Pairing an experienced employee with a new hire reduces the learning curve and helps the new staff members feel like they belong to the team from day one. Choose a like-minded mentor who will easily establish rapport by relating to their challenges and interests.
3. Commit to staff training and development
Technology, research, and industry best practices are continually evolving. To help staff keep up, it’s worth investing in continuing education. Your plan can include industry or personal development courses, certifications, or professional development to maintain ABO and NCLE certifications. Check in with your employees to see where they want to grow.
Another vital component of staff training and development is customer service. Train your staff to manage patient scheduling, along with how to handle difficult patients and situations. Employees feel less overwhelmed and frustrated when they feel empowered to set boundaries.
4. Improve efficiency with intuitive eye care software
No one wants to spend time filling out pages of paperwork when they arrive for their appointment. Investing in the right optometry software can ensure patient records are complete, providers are prepared, and appointments stay on track.
Engaging patients through EHR patient portals and patient engagement tools makes scheduling seamless and online bill pay more convenient, freeing up valuable time for your staff. An intuitive, easy-to-learn eye care software like MaximEyes.com empowers your staff to serve patients better and faster, with fewer errors and inefficiencies.
Resource: Why MaximEyes.com is the Easiest Eye Care Software to Use and Learn
MaximEyes.com Integrated Learning Center
5. Provide employee perks
Another way to show your appreciation and help retain satisfied employees is to offer complimentary vision exams and discounted eyewear. Showing you care about your staff’s health is a great way to earn loyalty. This perk gives staff a personal experience they can share with your patients, increasing their confidence in your services and eyewear products.
6. Actively engage staff in problem-solving
Managing an eye care practice can be hectic. Front-line staff encounter issues and frustrations daily that can lead to inefficiencies and burnout. One survey found that over half of U.S. health workers are stressed, overworked, and ready to leave their jobs. Meet with staff regularly to discuss problems and share potential solutions. Your staff is in the trenches, and they harbor plenty of ideas on improving patient engagement and office workflow.
7. Evaluate staff productivity levels
Making sure you’re appropriately staffed can go a long way in ensuring no one’s overworked and patients have a positive experience. Take the time to evaluate staffing levels, office efficiencies, and productivity levels. Confirm you’re hiring and scheduling the proper ratio of office management, front office, technicians, opticians, scribes, and medical staff in your optometric practice.
Your Optometry Staff is the Key to Practice Success
Employee satisfaction, patient experience, and practice success are inextricably linked. When you care for your staff, they’ll take care of your practice. With MaximEyes.com, you can remove much of the administrative burden from your employees’ plates, freeing them to focus on what attracted them to your practice in the first place: patient care.