Employees like bonuses. Who wouldn’t? Bonuses are something you can win with nothing to lose. And when your staff wins a bonus, you’ll win as well, because overall practice performance is guaranteed to improve. Unfortunately, many practices don’t have bonus systems, and others have bonus systems that simply don’t work. The good news is that taking the time to improve your bonus systems can be done with minimal effort and maximum benefit.
Keep the time frame short. Typical bonus systems are based on annual performance. This is next to useless, as very few people can stay motivated for an entire year trying to earn a bonus. Bonuses should be short term. A one-month or two-month goal seems very achievable, and motivation can be kept high, especially if office leadership acts as cheerleaders, encouraging staff along the way.
Don’t forget to measure bonus progress every single day. Practices should have a mandatory, 10-minute morning meeting with a 15-point agenda. One agenda item should always address progress toward the bonus. If you don’t discuss it regularly, people will forget. It also helps to post a sign highlighting the team’s progress on a wall where everyone can view it. Make it big and colorful so it’s noticed every day and serves as a constant reminder to work toward the goal.
Dr. Roger P. Levin is CEO of Levin Group, a leading practice management and marketing consulting firm. To contact him or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit LevinGroup.com or email [email protected].
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