Put a smile on your patients’ face y training your team happy

Why happiness matters at work

Studies have revealed that a happy employee is more productive and more likely to stay in their current role.

The University of Warwick carried out research which compared happy workers with those feeling unmotivated and undervalued.

The results reveal that happy employees are on average 12 per cent more productive than normal. In comparison, those team members who identified as unhappy proved to be 10 per cent less productive. 

And that’s a big problem in a busy dental practice wanting to grow, or faced with tough NHS targets.

Reduce sick days

It’s also believed that happy, engaged employees take on average 3.9 sick days per year, while disengaged, unhappy employees take a staggering 10.7 days.

Is it worth the risk not to invest in employee happiness?

We often hear a concern that investing in staff personal development is a risk.

Some employers worry they’ll invest in a team member only for them to move on to a competitor taking their skills with them.

But isn’t not training and keeping your staff happy and fulfilled more of a risk?

According to the Employee Appreciation Survey by Glassdoor, 53 per cent of employees admitted that they would have stayed longer in their previous job if their employer had shown more recognition of their work.

The same study found 81 per cent of employees felt a deeper motivation when they received acknowledgement and their careers were developed.

Happiness is infectious. But so is unhappiness…

Happier workers are an asset to any dental practice. Morale increases, productivity goes up and that’s infectious. It spreads through the whole team and is felt by patients.

Patients often come to the dentist reluctantly and some fear what’s to come when they sit in the dental chair.

But being treated by motivated, happy staff can reduce anxiety, provide a more pleasant experience and make sure the patient returns.

A return on investment

Shawn Anchor, the author of The Happiness Advantage, found the brain actually works better when a person is feeling positive. It allows them to be more creative, more capable of solving problems and working as a team.  

The author also suggests happiness can boost a business’ bottom line with increased profits.

Retain rather than recruit

Those questioning the return on investment of training and personal development should also consider the alternative – resignation and recruitment.

Finding the right person for your team can be challenging, especially as we face a national dentist shortage, not to mention a time consuming and costly process, particularly with recruitment fees.

And don’t forget self-satisfaction

Seeing your team grow through investment is something to be proud of. It, of course, gives you a commercial advantage over your competition and helps you expand your offering. But it also brings happiness to you as an owner or manager. And we know how valuable that feeling is.

Add some happiness to your team.  DD offers a wide range of training courses which cover subjects from basic life support and medical emergencies to COSHH and Legionella awareness they are carried out within your own practice to give delegates on-site training in their own environment. All DD Training courses meets one or more of the GDCs development outcomes.

The team also offers more specialised courses and hosts seminars across the UK on topics including dental radiography and radiation protection, safeguarding and clinical record keeping.