All bets are off for ideas to keep employees on staff. Consider the hotel chain in Germany that is paying for employee tattoos. Body ink may not be appropriate for your medical practice, but consider these 15 crazy good ideas that other practices have successfully deployed:
Host “Open Door” meetings – give all employees a chance to share their thoughts and ideas
Adopt a Family First initiative – allow flex work schedule or time off for family issues
Share patient and referring physician praise - consider hero award bonuses
Conduct a colleague satisfaction survey – ask employees to prioritize feedback and then take action to improve
Offer a retention bonus with pay-back clause
Keep employees who move (when possible) – regardless of their new location
Have employees develop a focused independent career plan - include short-term and long-term career goals
Allow flexible schedules (including migrating from part-time to full-time – and back again) - work-from-home or hybrid opportunities
Orchestrate team bonding activities
Hold a “Staffle” (staff raffle) - give employees a chance to recognize fellow employees with additional entries into a monthly drawing
Give small, but impactful rewards or giveaways – a roving 'sunshine' cart with treats
Provide a welcome package for new hires and care packages for existing employees
Encourage virtual team games
Conduct a market wage assessment and adjustment, as appropriate
Partner with community colleges and training centers (for externships) - to provide continuing education
Whether it’s one of these off-the-wall ideas, or another that you or your team comes up with, thinking creatively to keep your employees engaged and motivated will undoubtedly help your practice attract, and retain, staff.
Elizabeth Woodcock is the founder and principal of Woodcock & Associates. She has focused on medical practice operations and revenue cycle management for more than 25 years. She has led educational sessions for a multitude of national professional associations and specialty societies, and consulted for clients as diverse as a solo orthopaedic surgeon in rural Georgia to the Mayo Clinic. She is author or co-author of 17 best-selling practice management books, to include Mastering Patient Flow and The Physician Billing Process: Avoiding Potholes in the Road to Getting Paid. Elizabeth is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives and a Certified Professional Coder. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, she completed a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management from The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a doctoral student at the Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University.
The contents of The Sentinel are intended for educational/informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Policyholders are urged to consult with their personal attorney for legal advice, as specific legal requirements may vary from state to state and/or change over time.
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