If you want your dental practice to thrive, you need an engaged, motivated, invested dental team rather than employees just going through the motions. Employee empowerment is the key to stronger job performance, improved loyalty to the practice, and higher levels of client satisfaction.  

Where should you start? Learn how to empower employees in six effective steps.

1. Improve Communication 

Healthy dental office communication helps empower and motivate employees. You’ll gain a stronger, more driven team when your workers know they have a safe and well-ordered way to communicate difficulties, share goals, and offer useful feedback.

Regular in-person meetings will help you foster team cohesion, but you also need an efficient communication platform like the Team Chat tool by Dental Intelligence. Ensure your entire staff stays on top of what’s happening in the clinic. 

2. Encourage Growth 

Empowerment in the workplace is a two-way street. If you want to see more motivation and initiative in your workers, invest in them by helping them reach their full potential. 

Professional growth for dental employees can take various forms, from mentorship programs to online courses, training to use innovative equipment, or even encouraging employees to pursue an MBA. You’ll gain a much better chance of hiring and retaining valuable employees if your dental practice is a place where workers can nurture their skills. 

3. Delegate Responsibilities 

If you’re wondering how to empower employees in your dental clinic, delegating responsibilities is one highly effective step. Your staff members will get a powerful motivation boost when they know you trust them with important tasks.

To assign responsibilities successfully, ensure the team member to whom you’re delegating a task has enough skills and knowledge to perform it well. You also need to communicate exactly what you’re expecting and what the employee should do to accomplish the task on the best side. Finally, when the task is complete, review it and, if necessary, offer constructive feedback for even better performance down the road.

4. Reward Top Performance 

Your employees will feel empowered and important when they get kudos for their hard work. Let your team members know you see and appreciate their efforts. 

A direct pay raise is one obvious way to show your employees you value them. You may also consider a bonus system to reward staff members for meeting weekly, monthly, or quarterly goals. A bonus can be a set amount, an employee’s salary percentage, or a small part of the clinic’s net profits. 

Apart from monetary rewards, ensure you acknowledge your top employees’ achievements verbally: “We know your efforts helped us double the number of new patients this month. We value having you on board and hope we continue growing together for years to come.”

5. Keep Your Team Involved

Empower your team members by involving them in the macro goals your practice aspires to, not just day-to-day tasks. This ensures they know just how valuable they are to your practice. Map out your objectives, from specific (“We’re aiming for X new patients this quarter”) to general (“We’re upgrading our equipment as we strive to deliver the best orthodontic care in this area”), and share them with your team. 

Your employees will work extra hard when they feel like a cohesive team promoting a common goal. Let them know you’re counting on their skills to help the practice succeed and specify how you plan to reward the entire team once you reach your targets. 

6. Promote a Positive Office Culture

While you play a major role in team empowerment, you should also pay attention to office culture in general. Does your dental clinic foster positivity, collaboration, healthy feedback, and mutual support? Do all your staff members feel safe in the workplace? Are they comfortable communicating with the entire team, including their direct supervisors? Do they enjoy coming into the office every day?

It pays to make your practice a supportive, employee-friendly place. Prioritize employee wellness, aim for a healthy work-life balance, and celebrate milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries. Also, be ready to recognize and address toxic inter-team dynamics or practices that make some employees feel out of place.

Achieve Seamless Teamwork with Dental Intelligence

Did you notice you have unproductive staff members? Are you unsure how to empower employees in your dental practice? Sharing information, delegating tasks, and exchanging feedback is easier with efficient communication tools by Dental Intelligence. Request a demo today and take the first step toward a stronger, more cohesive dental team.