It is important to understand and be able to identify the different levels of engagement.  There are three levels of engagement; Engaged, Not Engaged and Actively Disengaged.

Engaged Employees - are passionate about their work and feel very connected and loyal to the practice.  They are always looking for ways to improve performance and patient care.  They are focused on the big picture of helping the practice succeed.  They base their success on the practice's success!

Not Engaged Employees - are essentially checked out.  They can be difficult to spot.  They are just coasting through their day by putting in time without energy or passion.  They are thinking about lunch, who just called on their cell phone, or what they are going to do when they get off work.    

Actively Disengaged Employees - are unhappy at work and demonstrate it in their words and actions.  They monopolize the doctor/manager's time (always having to issues that need addressing), have more on-the-job accidents, create more quality concerns, are sicker and miss more days.  They undermine what their engaged coworkers accomplish and sabotage the practice. 

In this newsletter I will focus on three strategies

I use to help get teams engaged! 

Clear Expectations

We start with an open and candid conversation clarifying expectations and the results desired.  Go deep enough to explain what, who, when, where, why and how.  So often time's things are left unsaid and assumptions are made resulting in frustration for the doctor, the manager and the employee!  If the employee is not clear on expectations they can't possibly deliver.   If you are thinking, they should just know that, or I already told them once...so I don't need to tell them again...you are setting the employee up to disengage!

 "If you don't ask for what you want

don't be angry when you don't get it."

Appropriate Equipment and Supplies

Next is making sure the team has the appropriate equipment and supplies to maximize efficiency and get better results.  It demonstrates to the employee that their work is valued because you were willing to give them the support they need to do their job.  For example, a specific instrument to aid your hygienist in safely cleaning around dental implants.  It is important to ask employees if they have what they need to be able to do their job efficiently and effectively.  The initial cost is outweighed by the ROI of increased performance, service and productivity. 

I have found men are usually much better at getting the right equipment and supplies whereas women will try to make do.  This summer my husband Steve and I went a little crazy with filling our deck with pots of flowers, succulents and evergreens!  Needless to say it became huge watering chore for me because we did not have a hose up on the deck.  I have been traveling a lot more for business...which means Steve has become the water boy!  Surprise!  I came home to find a faucet and short hose up on the deck.  Watering is now so easy it is actually fun!  What used to take me 1/2 hour or more now takes under 10 minutes!  We have just tripled my productivity and increased job satisfaction by having the appropriate equipment and supplies!   

Strength Focused

We focus on identifying and building on each team member's strengths. This one step alone can change productivity by as much as 12.5%.  The best opportunity for people to grow and develop is to help them discover their innate talents.  It just naturally creates a feeling of wellbeing when we can do something well.  We enjoy our work more.  Focusing on a team member's strengths is a far more effective and positive approach than constantly focusing on their weaknesses.    When employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged, have higher performance, and are less likely to leave the practice. 

Research shows that the management style of focusing on the positive strengths reduces active disengagement to 1%.  Whereas a negative focus management style produces 22% disengagement.  Surprisingly, being ignored causes the most damage at 40% disengagement!  The old saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!" is not a successful management style.  It delivers to the most negative outcome of all.

Which response would your employees say best reflects the management style in your practice?  It's time to ask!

• My manager/doctor focuses on my strengths or positive characteristics.
• My manager/doctor focuses on my weaknesses or negative characteristics.
• My manager/doctor doesn't say anything at all and I feel ignored and invisible. 

Engaging success starts by asking questions!

Tune in again next month for more employee engagement strategies!