Creating year-end goals as a team is a great way to motivate staff as a new year begins. The reason: Working as a team creates staff buy-in, thereby increasing the likelihood of the success of the goals.
Here, I discuss some ways you can get staff involved in the process.
Set aside dedicated time for planning
For staff to feel involved in the practice’s goal setting, you need to set aside time to discuss and brainstorm with the team.
I have found that planning an office meeting outside of patient care time (such as at lunch or at the be-ginning or end of the day) allows for focused planning as a team.
Pro tip. Consider making this meeting fun by bringing lunch or playing a quick game, such as office trivia or “two truths and a lie,” with the staff.
Ask for their input
Before the planning meeting, gather metrics for the office’s current year. These can include optical sales, appointments (total number, new patient appointments, etc.), miscellaneous item sales, such as ocular nutraceuticals, and any other benchmarks pertinent to practice growth.
Next, review these metrics with the staff and ask them what areas of the practice they feel can grow in the new year and by what means. Note: Encouraging the staff to be thinking of growth areas prior to the meeting will help them feel prepared and more engaged in the process. These goals can be yearly, quarterly, or even monthly.
Consider setting goals for the office as a whole and for individuals or small groups (e.g., optical team). Doing so allows for more personal investment from employees, as these investments may result in smaller, individualized rewards vs. just addressing the staff as one.
Pro tip. Make sure to get staff feedback regarding realistic growth metrics, and set up times throughout the year that they will evaluate the progress of the goals. Note: I recommend quarterly review meetings. Doing so allows you to gauge the realistic progress of the goal and to adjust as the day-to-day life of the practice changes, increasing the likelihood of success at the end of the year.
Create incentives
Motivate staff through incentives. These incentives do not have to be large or even monetary to increase staff buy-in. As examples, I’ve found that extra paid time off, gift cards, and recognition (in office or on social media) work well.
Review end of year
Now, schedule an end-of-year follow-up meeting during which the status of each goal is reviewed as a team and achievements (big or small) are celebrated.
During this meeting, have a conversation about why one or more of the year-end goals were not met. Maybe the goal was unrealistic or maybe unexpect-ed changes within the practice, such as staff or doctor changes or switching product vendors, impeded achieving the objective.
Pro tip. Encourage feedback from the team, as they are often aware of challenges that management is not. When appropriate, you may want to reestablish that goal, alongside new ones.
A productive process
Involving staff in year-end goal setting makes them feel valued and a part of the success of the office. This can increase their motivation for future successes. OM
