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How to attract and retain top talent at your practice

A happy, smiling oral surgery assistant

Your practice is only as strong as your team. How can you attract, hire and retain the best employees in a tight labor market? While offering a competitive package matters, there is more to the equation than money.

Provide opportunities to grow

Just as you want to grow your business, employees wish to grow their careers. If your practice does not offer professional development, learning and advancement opportunities, your top talent will eventually look elsewhere. Employees need to be challenged at work to feel engaged.

Values and community

An employer’s values are more important to employees in 2023 than ever. Candidates want to know what your company stands for and how you are giving back to the community. Providing opportunities for employees to volunteer or fundraise for causes they believe in can solidify their feelings of purpose in their work. Being part of a team that helps patients improve their oral health is great and expanding the impact of their efforts is a great way to take job satisfaction to the next level.

Act on employee suggestions

Everyone wants to be understood and have their voice heard. Your team will take notice if you ask for input and put some of their ideas in to action.

Keep an eye on burnout and mental health

Prioritize well-being as part of your practice culture. Every job requires difficult periods and stretches of hard work, but burnout is real and once it sets in, it’s difficult to reverse.

Understand why your employees are leaving

Every practice is different and there are countless explanations for staff turnover. Don’t guess the reasons that might be causing staff to leave. Conducting exit interviews can be a valuable resource, but more importantly, gather feedback from your team before they quit to identify opportunities for improving job satisfaction and work/life balance.