The importance and Benefits of Teamwork in the Office
In an earlier post, which you can read here: https://maxidentsoftware.com/were-all-in-this-together-4-ways-to-best-unite-your-team/, I talked about how leaders can better unify their team. But teamwork is so much more than pulling a team of coworkers together. Teamwork won’t just help you and your team to more effectively manage the workload in the office, but it will have a significantly positive impact on your patients, your reviews, and the world around you.
The benefits of teamwork, of being there for one another and working together towards a common goal can have long-lasting effects and will, in turn, be a positive to your bottom line. Here are just a few ways teamwork in a Dental office, Hygienist Office, or Denturist office can make all the difference:
Higher morale
Have you ever worked with a staff of people that were only in it for themselves? I have. And the morale in that environment was downright toxic, with staff going behind others’ backs to gossip, and other staff refusing to help because what they were being asked to help with ‘wasn’t a part of their job description’.
If you’ve worked in an environment like that, you know what I’m talking about. If you are currently working in an environment that lacks teamwork, it’s time to make some serious changes. Once everyone on your team is working together and helping each other, the morale of the office will get a boost. You will see a lot happier staff, enjoy friendlier conversations, and see even more satisfied patients as a result.
Increase in productivity
When everyone is working together and morale is higher, so is productivity in the office. Team members who feel like they are a part of the big picture work harder to reach that big picture goal.
Lessens the workload on others
In an office where everyone is only out for themselves, no one helps anyone, which can make workloads that much bigger and heavier than they really should be. If you’re an Office Manager juggling an enormous amount of duties, of course, it’s going to feel like every day is a struggle for you. Why would you even want to come to work when it feels like you’ll never be caught up?
I’ve felt that way — so tired and so stressed by such a heavy workload that it was starting to affect the way I saw my job. But it shouldn’t be that way. You shouldn’t feel like you can’t handle it all and like the workload just keeps getting heavier.
Teamwork changes that. In a healthy team environment, everyone works together to lessen the heavy workload. And even if you do struggle, someone is there to volunteer their help.
I do it all the time for my coworkers. Whatever I can do to lessen the load of others, I will do, no questions asked, just as I know they will do the same for me if I’m struggling. Teamwork is also an unspoken agreement everyone has made that helping your team means your team will also help you.
Makes it feel a lot less busy
Now, with offices occupying fewer people, it might make the day seem a lot busier But, I’ve learned that on a busy day, teamwork can make it feel a lot less so, even with less staff.
I used to work retail at Walmart, and on Boxing Day and days leading up to Christmas, I always worried that I’d be overwhelmed. I used to have nightmares about the workload. But I found that working as a team made those days feel like regular weekdays. If everyone is working together, helping each other out, taking on duties that maybe might not be part of their job description, everyone wins, including the business.
Reduces stress
Stress is a common issue in any job, but it is a lot more prevalent in the dental industry. Whether you’re a Dentist, an Office Manager, an independent Hygienist or a Denturist, stress can creep in and ruin what could’ve been a good day for you and your team.
Working together as a team minimizes stress and reduces the number of stressful situations because everyone is on the same page, working like a well-oiled machine. We all play our parts, but we should also be flexible enough to help others with theirs.
Brings an air of positivity into the office
In a post I wrote about a few years back, I discussed how important it was for an office to maintain an atmosphere of positivity (found here: https://maxidentsoftware.com/8-ways-to-unleash-the-superpowers-of-positivity-on-your-practice/), and how to do that effectively. That is as much the case now as it was then, and maybe even more so with the high stress and fear as a result of the pandemic.
Teamwork fosters that positive atmosphere with the staff feeling more unified and everyone working together towards the same goal, eliminating unwanted and toxic gossip and backstabbing that comes from not utilizing teamwork.
Maximizes case acceptance and patient retention
With a positive atmosphere, stress reduction, and higher morale in the office, patients will respond in kind. They will feel comfortable, not so stressed and terrified, and will be more inclined to remain with and trust your office as a result.
It’s all about how your patients feel. It doesn’t matter that you’re a great Hygienist or Dentist or Denturist with all the credentials to back you. If the atmosphere is wrought with anxiety and high stress, the patient will feel it and will most likely not want to stick around.
I am very sensitive to changes in the atmosphere. I can feel when the air around me reeks of stress and anxiety, and that makes me stressed and anxious, too.
Teamwork changes the atmosphere and releases a sense of calm and positivity into the air that patients will feel the minute they walk through the door. Patients, in turn, feel calmer and more positive about their experience and about returning.
Conclusion
Teamwork is one of the most crucial facets of a successful business. If you don’t have teamwork, there is a good chance, you won’t be as successful as you could be. The benefits of teamwork in your clinic are many, and the ones mentioned above are only just a few.
Teamwork effects all areas of your business – from the morale of your staff to the atmosphere in your office to online reviews and case acceptance. It allows for a lessened workload and higher productivity.
In addition to teamwork’s positive effect on your staff and patients, teamwork is also crucial to the success of finally tamping down the pandemic and allowing us all to get back to some semblance of normal. The guidelines and rules put in place are meant for us all to follow. Coming together as a team to wear masks, stay six feet apart, and wash our hands regularly will minimize the risk and eventually flatten the curve. One person can’t do it, a few people can’t do it, everyone must do it. As a team against this virus, we should do all we can to protect each other.
For more information on teamwork in the workplace and how it can be implemented, check out the resources below.
Resources:
https://blog.jostle.me/blog/creating-a-culture-of-teamwork-in-the-workplace/
https://hbr.org/2015/01/help-your-overwhelmed-stressed-out-team
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/work-effectively-team-environment-57331.html
