How to Keep Your Optometry Staff Engaged and Productive

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How to Keep Your Optometry Staff Engaged and
Productive Good vision is vital. So are the
people who help maintain it. But providing such
assistance can be challenging. A 2022 Women In
Optometry poll found that 53 of optometry
professionals reported declines in their staff
members energy and enthusiasm. Additionally, a
third of the respondents said theyve experienced
lower staffing levels since the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic. To motivate and keep
employees, optometry professionals should
consider taking a few steps. Acknowledging
employees Eye care is more than consulting with
a doctor. Patients often interact with staff
members more than doctors, but doctors typically
receive more attention for their efforts.
Recognizing employees is key. Eye care practices
could display photographs of their employees in a
prominent area, such as by the reception desk.
The pictures could help show patients the
teamwork it takes to keep a practice running
smoothly. Conducting meetings Speaking of
teams, meetings dont necessarily have to be a
dreaded aspect of working in health care or other
fields. Instead, they can serve as touchstones,
areas where doctors and staff members can address
problems and accomplishments. The gatherings
could encourage coworkers to bounce ideas off
each other and challenge them to develop
additional solutions.
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Training staff members Gathering in groups can
also be an efficient way to help many employees
at once, such as conducting clinical staff
training for EHR systems. Employees who have
similar jobs can receive the same type of
training at the same time, saving time and
energy. In addition, employees might have similar
questions and concerns, so group EHR training or
other tutorials could help determine if a
particular system will work for the practice or
if it will need refining or replacing. Listening
to employees In fact, listening to comments and
concerns could help a practice find its best
optometry EHR systemor do anything else, for
that matter. The best EHR for optometry for one
practice might not be the best for another. Staff
members can use their training sessions and
meetings to discuss which parts of their systems
work and which need improvements. This input
could help staff members feel heard and help them
be more productive in their jobs. Treating
employees like adults Hearing and recognizing
employees means treating them like the competent
adults that they are. Receiving a coffee mug or
another trinket for a job well-done can be
insulting, not motivating. Instead, workplaces
might want to take time during meetings to
acknowledge workers achievements, thank their
employees, or post a few words of praise on their
office bulletin boards. This communication lets
employees know that their efforts are
acknowledged and appreciated. Addressing
problems promptly Good communication is also the
key to healthy professional relationships. As
difficult as it can be, addressing problems when
they arise can bolster these relationships and
keep the overall work environment positive. On
the other hand, allowing problems to fester could
mean that a workplace isnt listening to its
employees. The more entrenched problems become,
the harder they could become to fix.
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Asking for outside help Fixing such problems may
require some outside assistance. Technical
problems might need help from IT professionals or
people with EHR experience. For interpersonal
issues, practices might want to consider asking
professionals to talk and work with their
employees either in person or through employee
assistance programs (EAPs). These measures
acknowledge problems and demonstrate that
workplaces want to help their employees address
them. Providing different forms of
assistance Such assistance gives eye care
employees the tools they need to do their job
well. Theyll also appreciate other types of
assistance. Up-to-date computers and other
electronics, current medical equipment, adequate
supplies, and a clean, safe environment all show
employees that they and their needs
matter. Gathering information from employees and
patients Providing other forms of assistance can
help employees help others. By gathering input,
eye care practices can determine the best patient
engagement tools. Input could come from various
sources. Practices could reach out to patients to
see if they respond to various forms of
communication and how they interact with
different messages. Armed with this information,
employees could discuss it within their practices
to decide how to engage with patients in the
future. Keeping the lines of communication
open Communication isnt a one-time occurrence.
Digital patient engagement tools can help eye
care practices start and maintain ongoing
conversations. By exchanging emails and/or text
messages before and between office visits,
practices and patients can share helpful
information. By communicating after office
visits, patients can explain how theyre doing
and prevent workers from being blindsided by
unknown problems. Patients can also use such
conversations to praise workers and practices,
which could give them much-needed morale boosts.
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Backing employees during tough times Of course,
not all patient communication is positive. Many
patients are eager to work with practices to
resolve problems with efficiency and civility.
But there are others who think and behave
differently. If things get nasty, eye care
practices should protect their employees who are
doing the right thing. Employers could vouch for
employees and teach them how to handle difficult
situations that could arise. The customer isnt
always right, and neither is the patient.
Practices shouldnt lose productive employees
because of disgruntled patients. Recognizing
that burnout exists but is also
treatable Despite practices best intentions,
sometimes employees still experience burnout. To
help staff members who lack energy, seem
disillusioned, are making uncharacteristic
mistakes, or arent acting like themselves, eye
care practices might provide access to
therapists, employee assistance groups, or other
health care assistance. They can acknowledge that
health care work is often tough, so they can
praise them for doing it (and for doing it
well). Remembering that were all human Whether
people are struggling, achieving, or somewhere in
between, its important to remember that theyre
usually trying to succeed, despite the obstacles
they might face. The best health care staff
members will make occasional mistakes, but
theyll also go above and beyond to help patients
find the care they want and need. Workplaces that
use best practices and support their staff
members will ultimately help their workers and
patients thrive. For more information on helpful
practices and systems, contact Eye Care Leaders.
We can help you find ways to keep your employees
and patients engaged while youre building a
successful practice.