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How to Create an Office Manual That Boosts Morale
Morale in the work place can make or break a dental practice. In an environment where morale is high, staff members create strong bonds and are loyal to the practice. Every employee exudes an aura of security that says, "I am valued here. This is a good place to be. I like the people I work with." Motivation and cooperation are high. Job satisfaction and interest are also high. People stick around, joke with one another, help each other, grow professionally and personally, and take care of business.
In an environment where morale is low, the tone is quite different. Humor is often snide and deprecatory. People complain, argue, break things and avoid taking responsibility that lies even slightly beyond regularly assigned tasks. They view helping others as being taken advantage of. The frequency of sick days and mental health days goes up exponentially; employees look for opportunities to leave the office during working hours or quit.
Both good and bad morale are highly contagious. One positive, optimistic, enthusiastic person or comment can brighten up the entire office and the entire day. One negative, pessimistic, or snide person or remark can spoil everything for everyone. Good morale cannot be bought, and yet it is a priceless commodity that can boost productivity. Poor morale feeds on itself, and can infect every aspect of a practice from customer service to employee turnover. It is unproductive and costly.
The dividing line between good morale and poor morale is security. Employees who feel physically, emotionally, financially and socially at ease like coming to work; employees who feel insecure or unsafe about these things don’t. The secure team member says "I know what is expected of me. I know what to expect here." The insecure team member says "I don’t know what is really expected of me. I never know what is going to happen here." The fault lies with management, because management has permitted practice protocol and office procedures that are not clear or consistent.
Any practice with a morale problem needs to assess the consistency and clarity of practice protocol. The first place to look is the office manual. A good manual provides guidelines for appropriate behavior, interpersonal communications, professional conduct and responsibilities, growth and innovation, and what is acceptable or unacceptable. The manual should be written and distributed to every team member. The manual should be reviewed with every new hire, and should be the guidebook to follow whenever something in the practice goes awry. It should be periodically reviewed for obsolescence or sheer impracticality. Business is not inert. Things change and the changes that happen from internal or external causes may alter policy and protocol in your office. If policies are good policies, they should be retained and enforced consistently. If policies are outdated, they should be updated. If there too many rules, petty rules should be weeded out. If the tone of the manual is punitive, it should be changed to encourage and promote enthusiasm. People like being challenged, not controlled.
If no practice manual exists, one should be created as soon as possible. It should begin with management, but should never end there. The entire team should participate in the project. Team members know things about the practice and about the office that may be invaluable in creating a fair and functional manual. Getting the team involved serves other important purposes as well: it will remind everyone that there is an office manual, it will encourage active participation in office policy, and it will show team members that their opinions are valued and respected.
The practice office manual should encourage stability. Its contents should reflect all those aforementioned security features which foster good morale. All of the following components need to be addressed.
Each should be tailored to accommodate the individual practice:
- Personnel Records Policy
- Employee Status (full-time, part-time and seniority)
- Employee and Employer Relations
- Employee and Employee Relations
- Employee and Patient Relations
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Professional Conduct
- Performance Evaluation
- Incentives
- New Hire Orientation
- Mentoring
- Hours (including overtime and flex-time)
- Meetings (attendance and participation)
- Continuing Education
- Professional Enhancement
- Professional Organizations
- Employee Compliance
- Grievances
- Resignation
- Termination
- Confidentiality
- Compensation
- Raises and Bonuses
- Benefits
- Vacations (personal days, sick days and paid holidays)
- Personal Appearance
- Practice Appearance
- Supplies and Equipment
- Telephone (Professional and Personal Manners)
- Safety procedures
- Inclement Weather Policy
- Accidents and Emergencies
- Parking
- Keys
- Access to Premises
- Solicitation Policy
Whether an office manual is being created or redesigned, it is important to provide a rationale for its existence. Team members should be aware that everyone in dentistry has a two-fold responsibility: caring for patients and caring for the practice. Success in providing excellent dental care cannot be separated from professional success. Each of these factors is dependent on the other. The level of achievement in one impacts the level of achievement in the other.
A dental team should have an uncompromising commitment to the patients in the practice. This concept guides the design, implementation and evaluation of all procedures and conduct, both administrative and clinical. The entire team should have this same uncompromising commitment to the practice. Everyone needs and deserves to work in an environment that fosters the professional, personal and economic growth of the practice, doctors and staff members. Creating and maintaining such an environment means a commitment to dependability, integrity, responsibility and pride.
Without exception, the success of the practice depends on the way people deal with other people. Everyone needs to remember at all times that each individual in the practice is important. No person in the practice can function alone and every job in the practice is necessary or it would not exist. Cooperation and mutual support empowers everyone. This can occur only with a sincere commitment to open communication and to positive relationships. It means, above all, practicing environmental control through a positive attitude and a clearly defined practice protocol that is both comprehensive and consistent -- a good office manual that outlines the steps to good morale and good business.
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