Team management is all about people management and is one of the key duties of a dental practice manager. You need to be able to demonstrate patience and understanding around the issues that arise during the day-to-day running of the practice, and there are a number of strategies that you can implement to help you in creating a harmonious and effective working team.
- Build a strong team. Effective team management begins with hiring the right individuals who have the necessary skills and qualifications. It is vital to understand that we are not just talking about clinical or practice skills; dentistry requires teams to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, empathy with patients and a passion for patient care. After all, Principle 1 in the GDC Standards is: ‘Put patients’ interests first’. Consider your recruitment and retention processes – are they working? When you are identifying appropriate people to expand and develop your team, are you asking questions around behaviours, communication skills and how challenges or conflicts with team members would be handled?
- Establish roles and responsibilities. Giving team members clearly defined roles and responsibilities is essential. Individual team members should have a clear understanding of their own duties and how they contribute to the overall aims of the practice. This will create an environment of accountability, enhance the team’s overall effectiveness and minimise confusion or misunderstandings, reducing the risk of team conflicts.
- Encourage open communication. Whilst this may seem obvious, it is interesting how often practices do not establish open lines of communication with and between team members. One way to achieve this is through regular team meetings within a safe environment where everyone is comfortable to express their thoughts and opinions in a respectful manner. This will allow for collaboration, boost morale, create trust and help to identify and address any potential issues before they become significant problems.
- Implement performance reviews and feedback. It is important as a practice manager to have regular performance reviews to monitor individual performance and team progress. Conducting performance reviews and providing feedback is an area that many practice managers struggle with, in particular when the feedback needs to be constructive rather than positive. Ensure you conduct objective evaluations and provide feedback on strengths but do not avoid looking at areas that require improvement; offer and discuss ways in which you as a manager can support someone in their development. Recognise achievements and set clear goals for team members to work towards. Remember that it is important for team members to also provide you with feedback so that you can understand their needs and concerns and create a culture of continuous improvement for the practice as a whole – not just for the individual.
- Promote work-life balance. As a people manager, it is important to prioritise a healthy work/life balance for your team members. Encourage them to take breaks, provide support during stressful times and establish a supportive and positive work environment. It is vital that you are seen to be ‘fair’ in how you treat team members; do not appear to be giving preferential treatment to one over another, as this is not creating a healthy work/life balance then for all. By valuing the wellbeing of your team, you will enhance overall job satisfaction, improve retention of staff and provide a high standard of patient care.
So, which day-to-day tasks that you face as a team or people manager may need to be considered in relation to the above strategies?
- Rotas – ensuring that you have deployed your staff fairly and to the best of their abilities, so that their skills are fully utilised and all staff share the same responsibilities, where appropriate. This includes covering for any understaffing issues, either by providing cover yourself or sourcing a locum.
- Conflicts – in-house conflicts can be expected, and it will be up to you to help resolve them in a fair and timely manner, with no bias or discrimination, and with an understanding and empathetic attitude. It is important for your team to feel heard and for a resolution to be reached, and it is vital that you support those involved without causing unnecessary delays or showing favouritism.
- Complaints – regardless of its nature, a complaint is an opportunity to learn and grow, both as an individual and as a team, so you need to be able to take them on constructively, with empathy and understanding, and find a resolution that is fair for those involved while following your company complaints policy. Complaints, like conflicts, cannot be ignored, and instead must be treated with respect and importance.
- Development – it is not uncommon for a dental nurse to grow bored and restless in their role, and so it is vital that you use regular one-to-ones, annual appraisals, review meetings and staff feedback forms to enable team members to discuss their goals and PDP. This will help to ensure they maintain job satisfaction. Listening and (where you are able) implementing their suggestions can do wonders for staff morale and confidence, and it can help to improve the practice, too. If you can’t implement a suggestion, then take the time to sit down and explain why so your team still feels heard and important.
It is through your organisation and support that you will develop a happy and satisfied team that achieves the goals you put in place as a dental practice.
Written by Natasha Garthwaite and Stephanie Carter
Edited by Karen Atkinson PhD, MSc, LLB, CIEP.