Embracing Team Turnover in the Orthodontic Field

As an orthodontist, you understand the importance of having a great team. They help you provide your patients with the highest quality care and ensure that your practice operates efficiently. However, in today’s competitive environment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain team members for a full career. Turnover can be a challenge and can be costly. Yet, this is not necessarily a bad thing. In today’s labor market, it helps to accept, embrace and seek opportunities when employee turnover is much more common than ever before. The turnover of your team members can be a positive step towards growth and improvement. Let’s explore why team turnover can be beneficial, how to develop amazing recruitment strategies, and how to create a learning organization that hires for attitude and embraces training.

The Benefits of Team Turnover

While most managers and business owners associate team turnover with adverse effects, there are numerous benefits associated with a rotating staff. Here are a few after-effects of team turnover:

1. New talent and fresh perspectives. New employees bring their skills from previous experiences, education, and training. With new talent, we set the stage for new ideas and opportunities for growth.
2. Cultural expansion. As you bring in new employees from diverse backgrounds and experiences, it expands the culture of your practice.
3. Continual improvement. Team turnover provides an opportunity to analyze current processes, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments.

Recruitment Strategy

The first step in developing an excellent recruitment strategy involves being clear about your values and mission. You want to ensure you hire people who fit well with your organization. Here are a few tips for creating an unbeatable recruiting formula:

1. Communicate well. Consistently and honestly communicate with potential hires on what to expect during the recruitment process and as a team member.
2. Establish clearly defined job descriptions and expectations. Prospective applicants should understand from the beginning what we expect regarding work hours, job responsibilities, roles, and performance objectives.
3. Offer growth opportunities. Offer candidates growth opportunities in training, education, and certification so they see the potential for long-term career growth.

Develop a Learning Organization

The challenge of team turnover is its impact on the bottom line and the patient experience. Developing a learning organization and investing in culture elevates patient care and employee engagement, reducing the turnover rate. Here are a few ways you can build a learning organization:

1. Use modern training techniques. Leverage multimedia, learning applications, and other interactive methods to make training more exciting and effective.
2. Set small, attainable performance goals. When employees have clear, specific, measurable goals, they are more motivated to achieve them.
3. Foster teamwork. Encourage cooperation, collaboration, and effective communication among team members through team-building exercises. A-players within your team should be able to recruit and train more outstanding team members as they share best practices and work together to build a strong and effective team.

Implement Top-notch Training Techniques and Resources

Investing in quality training resources ensures that your orthodontic team has access to the skills and knowledge necessary to offer top-notch patient care and improve employee satisfaction. Here are a few training techniques to consider:

1. E-Learning. Develop e-learning programs to allow for convenient and accessible training for employees.
2. On-the-job training. Encourage on-the-job training, which allows for practical, hands-on instruction and mentorship.
3. Continuing education. Offer continuing education that lets your employees stay abreast of changes, developments, and trends in their field.

Conclusion

Team turnover can be a positive aspect of growth and development for your orthodontic practice. Building and implementing better recruitment strategies, investing in training and development, and establishing a learning culture can help mitigate costs and improve patient outcomes. By embracing these tips, you can create an environment where we turn a negative into a positive with team turnover. Managing outside influences with internal systems for team building can help your practice grow and ensure strong talent density within your orthodontic practice.