Incentivizing staff is adopted by many corporates and for all levels and types of staff. Incentives are of various types.
Any economic downturn is usually reflected immediately in a dental practice. However the outgoings in a dental practice remain the some even if there is a reduction in professional receipts. Staff salaries are a major outgoing in any mature dental practice. In a period of low professional receipts due to any reason or even otherwise staff salaries can be source of financial stress for a practice.
The main advantage of the incentives are :-
1) It reduces financial stress on the practice. Staff are paid according to the quality and quantity of clinical work in a particular time frame.
2) It makes the staff aware and sensitized of outgoings of the practice. This is the first step in an effort to minimize the outgoings without affecting the quality.
3) It motivates staff to take over patient counselling.
4) Promotes team spirit .
So dentists can consider incentives for staff .Incentives for staff can be of various types. Here in I will describe a few :
1) Incentives for regularity
2) Incentives based on the footfall and the number of procedures
3) Incentives based upon profit margin ( total or partial )
1] Incentives for regularity :- Staff can be paid a small amount every month if they do not take any leave or are on time daily .
I would not actually recommend this. To be punctual & not to take leave & be regular in your work is expected of every individual .
Incentives should be for some good work done by staff which help the practice .
However ,giving a small incentive to staff if they are regular not absent & punctual can be used sometimes in facilities where there are many staff . Usually one or a few are truant . Staff can be given a small incentive if EVRYONE is on time & there is no absenteeism by anyone . What this may ensure is that clinician is saved of counseling & explaining the wayward staff . This will be done by other staff or matron . Also the other staff will report to the clinician if there is an incorrigible employee.
2) Incentives based on the footfall and the number of procedures :
Incentives are to bring out the creativity in your employees . So ideally incentives should be given of if employees do something good for the practice which is translated into ( amongst other things ):
1] Increased patient satisfaction & delight
2] Increased professional receipts & footfall.
Increased patient satisfaction & delight is measured in some numbers . They could be as follows
1] Brand new patients in a particular period .
2] The number of cases of a particular procedure in a particular period .
The number of brand new patients in a practice is the best measure of practice growth & success . The issue is dealt in some more detail elsewhere in the book .
The staff can be given an incentive when the number of new patients crosses a pre- determined limit in a particular time frame .Similar formulae can be applied for number of procedures done in a particular period .
3) Incentives based upon profit margin ( total or partial ):
The best form of incentives is the one in which the component of outgoings , either fully or partially are incorporated . Ideally ,incentives must always be based on the bottom line& not on the top line.
So every clinician must decide which form of staff incentives is best for his facility . The aim is to keep staff motivated & sensitized to the needs of patients as well as the need to reduce the clinic outgoings without affecting the quality of the care delivered .
If the incentives plan is well thought of & implemented it will soon start producing results. Evaluate the plan once in an year. However , give the staff sufficient time to get to work & produce the desired results.
If the incentives plan is implemented & is not producing the requisite results you will need to evaluate the plan after some time.
So to develop the best incentive plan which actually produces results multiple factors need to be taken into consideration.
Every dentist must define his professional aim . The professional aim must be according to the circumstances of the practice . The staff must be incentivized based on the business aims defined for the practice .
How to develop business aims will be covered in a separate section .
Also incentivize the staff for something that is within their limits & capability . It must stimulate their creativity & bring out the best in them .What you expect out of them must be achievable by them based on their expertise, education, communication skills , capability etc.
Ideally incentives must be based on factors which can be controlled or modified by staff.
For e.g staff has no control over lab charges but they have control over electricity bills & equipment maintenance .So these entities can be incorporated in calculation of incentives. Also it would not be a good ideas to base incentives on the overall profit margin .
Conclusion :- Incentives are an excellent way to keep staff motivated and motivated staff are an asset to any dental practice & are necessary for continuous growth of the practice. The main advantage to the dentist is the he can pay the staff according to the professional receipts of that particular time period.
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