The Optometric Minute

Tips for Using Practice Data to Motivate Staff

Jan. 31, 2018

The data you track about your practice, such as number of exams per day, how far ahead you are booked, and your usage of instrumentation, can help you motivate staff. Dashboard management systems can make it easier to find and analyze this information, so you and your staff can use it in meetings to continuously improve. Engage employees in tracking and growing your key metrics, and you’ll find a more motivated staff that is eager to help you increase profitability.

How to Use Practice Data for Better Staff Meetings
Using Data to Create Motivated Employees

EMPLOYEES TRACK NUMBERS. Ask each employee to track a specific practice metric.

RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROVEMENT. Each employee can be made responsible, not just for tracking, but improving each metric you track.

MAKE INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE. You can use a Google Document, or another online tool, to make the numbers, and what you discuss in staff meetings, accessible to all of your employees.

CREATE USER-FRIENDLY INFO. Dashboard management systems can easily create graphs and pie charts that allow you, and your staff, to see with just one glance how you’re doing each day.

USE DAILY HUDDLES. In addition to weekly meetings, you can meet quickly each morning to plan how to address areas that need improvement.

 

PEER PRESSURE WORKS. Employees want to do well in front of their peers, and will work to make the metrics they track do at least as well as the metrics which their co-workers are tracking.

RECOGNIZE GOOD WORK. Publicly acknowledge employees at staff meetings who have grown their numbers.

SET GROWTH GOALS. Show employees what you are working toward by tracking and growing the numbers. Explain the big picture you are trying to achieve.

PLAN AHEAD. Use careful data tracking to determine what you need to do for your practice in the next year, or longer. For example, your numbers may show the need for more office space.

OPTIMIZE THE FUTURE. See where the numbers tell you you’ll find the next big opportunities for growth, so you know where to invest in the future.

 

Jeffrey Swafford, OD, is a partner with My EyeXpert in Gurnee, Ill.

Haley Perry, OD, is the owner of Elite Eye Care in Arden, N.C.

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