There is no doubt about it: your chiropractic practice wouldn’t operate without your employees. Your employees are your most valuable resource, but they can also drain your time and energy. That means properly managing your workforce in a way that promotes employee engagement is critical, and it can have a direct impact on your bottom line.
A report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that 40 percent of employees surveyed said their work was either very or extremely stressful, and more than a quarter reported frequently experiencing burnout at work. In order to get the most out of your employees, start by looking at the factors you can control. Management can be stressful, but if you pay close attention to the culture you are creating, you can make lasting improvements in the lives of your employees. Here are our suggestions.
Encouragement is Essential
Your team members should have goals at work, whether it is client satisfaction ratings or performance review metrics. Goals can motivate people and keep them productive and engaged. It’s also important that your employees have goals outside of work.
Maybe one of your employees is running his or her first 10K. You could rally the rest of the crew to sign up and participate or cheer from the sidelines. Perhaps another employee is looking to lose 15 pounds. Maybe join him or her in bringing salads for lunch or by doing a weight loss challenge. Whatever steps you take, show your team that you support them in their efforts, whether they are centered on work or not.
Show Your Appreciation
Your employees have goals both in the practice and outside of it, so celebrate their accomplishments when they achieve them. Instead of doling out a vague award for employee of the month, get specific. What did they do that is worth celebrating, and why should the rest of the team acknowledge this?
Pointing out the successes of your employees is important to building a positive culture in your practice. While handing out awards every now and then is important, it is even more beneficial to show your employees you appreciate them and the work they do when you walk past them in the office.
Do Good for Yourself and Your Community
It’s not hard to imagine that well-rounded individuals are happier people, and happier people make happier employees. When your team is in a more positive mindset, they will be more productive. One way to live a fuller life and help the community is by volunteering. Because effective leadership is leading by example, find ways to volunteer in the community and show your team how meaningful it can be to give back.
If you don’t know where to start, reach out to your Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, or civic action groups that can help connect you with volunteer opportunities.
Avoid Micromanaging
You aren’t a private eye, and you trust your employees. You are the one who hired them, after all! Each individual team member is at your practice to accomplish a specific job, and they can’t do that if you are constantly micromanaging them. Trust that your employees can get their work done, and more often than not, they’ll do just that. if they constantly feel as if they are being spied on, they will grow resentful and unproductive.
It is important to understand what “productivity” means. When your employees have clear objectives, it eases their minds and yours. Vague notions of what they are supposed to accomplish and subjective metrics for determining success are a hotbed for disagreement when it comes down to performance time. Avoid this by getting everyone on the same page. Your employees should be able to track their own performance, and this will give them the opportunity to come to you if they are experiencing issues.
Remember that the lives of your team members can be stressful both at work and at home. You can’t control that, but you can control the empathy you show and the culture you build. Follow the above steps with an open and empathetic mind, take part in our e-learning or attend one of our seminars, and your management worries will be a thing of the past!