3 Ways to Improve Workplace Culture
Finding and keeping qualified dental team members is one of the most challenging parts of the practice manager role. Applicants are expecting more from their employers than ever.
Job jumping and quiet quitting are becoming more common. Additionally, employees are leaving the dental profession. How can we attract more qualified applicants, hang on to the team we have, and create a happier workplace? Culture.
What is workplace culture?
Forbes defines a workplace culture as “the shared values, belief systems, attitudes and the set of assumptions that people in a workplace share.” (Agarwal)
Creating a positive workplace culture is the best way to hang on to the team you have. By improving the workplace culture, many practices see improved teamwork, higher morale, and happier, more productive teams. Here are three ways we can improve our workplace culture.
Create Core Values
What are core values, and how can they change our workplace culture?
Core values are an organization’s (or dental practice’s) fundamental principles. There are all kinds of core values. However, the correct core values will help unify your practice or company. They can help refine your hiring process to answer the question, “Does this applicant match our practice’s core values?”
Core values can also be used during performance evaluations. Does this team member live and promote your practice’s core values?
Core values are fundamental guiding principles of an organization. Because they are essential guiding principles, you must work with the practice owner to establish the core values.
After the core values have been established, roll them out in a big way! Meet with your team and celebrate the core values. Dedicate a page in your employee manual to the core values. Purchase or fabricate custom signs displaying your core values. Use them to guide your decisions and unify your team.
Eliminate Toxicity and Drama
Unchecked team drama is a culture killer. Toxicity spreads like wildfire. Practice politics and gossip will lead to unhappy team members. Constant negativity will destroy team building and make it impossible to keep employees.
No one wants to work in a hostile or antagonistic environment. Eliminate drama whenever possible. Do not allow gossip or rumors. Toxic team members should be replaced promptly, even if that employee is your hardest worker.
Changing your culture means you cannot have toxic team members. Good team members want to work in a positive environment.
Align Your Team
Morning huddles are a common practice in most dental offices. Good morning huddles and huddle leaders use the opportunity to align their teams for the day. Many times, team alignment may require more than a 15-minute huddle.
Not counting the morning huddle, how often do you meet with your entire team?
Many practices are now moving to a weekly meeting. Holding a weekly meeting allows the team to establish a deeper alignment. The weekly meeting will enable us to coach our teams, provide additional training, and address ways we can improve.
When your team is in alignment, they function at a higher level; errors are reduced, and productivity and efficiency increase. If you are not doing it already, have a well-planned and structured weekly meeting to improve your team alignment.
Changing your practice’s workplace culture is possible. Work with your practice owner to establish core values. Use those core values to guide your decisions and processes. Eliminate toxicity, negativity, and drama to create a more harmonious work environment.
Schedule and facilitate regular meetings weekly if possible. Use those meetings to foster and promote team alignment. Making these changes will result in a positive workplace culture.
About the Author
Kari Hicks, DAADOM
Kari Hicks, DAADOM, is managing director of Access Dental Services, LP in Missouri, a growing company with five current locations.
She has worked in dentistry for over 15 years, beginning with on-the-job training as a chairside dental assistant. She has worked as a practice manager for over a decade.
