when to give a raise to dental staffs?

[Hugatree]

What should I tell the (dental) employees if I don't want to give them a raise?

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[DrEndo]

Ignore them. If they ask, you ask them why do they think they deserve a raise. If the answer is "due to increased cost of living", say that is not a very good reason. If they have a good reason, say "I'll think about it" then ignore them.

 

[americanpierg]

I've never thought about this before... its an interesting subject. The awkwardness of being a business owner...

 

[baseballjunkie]

Ignore them. If they ask, you ask them why do they think they deserve a raise. If the answer is "due to increased cost of living", say that is not a very good reason. If they have a good reason, say "I'll think about it" then ignore them.

This has to be one of the worst answers I think anyone could have. Nobody will ever want to work with you if you provide this type of environment to work in. It is doctors like that people don't want to work for...

Just like any job, you have to look at 1) what is the market value of the employed position? If the market value a dental assistant is around $18/hr, then they should be paid on merit of that market value. If they are a quality dental assistant and do a much better job than anyone you could hire right away, then you should pay them accordingly. On the other hand, if you hire someone straight out of training, then they should be paid less until they master their trade. If you reward those who are quality, you will create stability and quality within your practice. 2) How long have they worked for you. If an employee has been there a while and has been a productive member of your team, then reward them for being a productive member of your team. The way you create a stable, effective working force is to reward those who have stayed loyal and have produced quality work. Reward those who have, and let those know who have not so they can improve (Not only so they can get a raise, but so you can get increased production out of your office). 3) In the case of front office workers, give them a raise based on their ability to create a full, balanced schedule. If you give them a bonus based on clinic production (i.e. ~1% clinic revenue), then they will have the incentive to fill the schedule (creates a win/win situation: your schedule is filled and creates increased revenue, and they make more money). 4) If they really don't deserve a raise, then tell them what they need to do in order to deserve the raise. For most people, if they have motivation to work harder, they will. If they do not, then they will work less. Just the nature of people...

Raises should be made on the base of merit and productivity. If you treat your staff well, they will treat you well....

 

[NotPennysBoat]

This has to be one of the worst answers I think anyone could have. Nobody will ever want to work with you if you provide this type of environment to work in. It is doctors like that people don't want to work for...

Just like any job, you have to look at 1) what is the market value of the employed position? If the market value a dental assistant is around $18/hr, then they should be paid on merit of that market value. If they are a quality dental assistant and do a much better job than anyone you could hire right away, then you should pay them accordingly. On the other hand, if you hire someone straight out of training, then they should be paid less until they master their trade. If you reward those who are quality, you will create stability and quality within your practice. 2) How long have they worked for you. If an employee has been there a while and has been a productive member of your team, then reward them for being a productive member of your team. The way you create a stable, effective working force is to reward those who have stayed loyal and have produced quality work. Reward those who have, and let those know who have not so they can improve (Not only so they can get a raise, but so you can get increased production out of your office). 3) In the case of front office workers, give them a raise based on their ability to create a full, balanced schedule. If you give them a bonus based on clinic production (i.e. ~1% clinic revenue), then they will have the incentive to fill the schedule (creates a win/win situation: your schedule is filled and creates increased revenue, and they make more money). 4) If they really don't deserve a raise, then tell them what they need to do in order to deserve the raise. For most people, if they have motivation to work harder, they will. If they do not, then they will work less. Just the nature of people...

Raises should be made on the base of merit and productivity. If you treat your staff well, they will treat you well....

Well said! I'd say treat your employees as you would want them to treat your best customers. Happy employees=happy patients=happy checkbook=happy wife=happy life!

 

[SeattleRDH]

What should I tell the (dental) employees if I don't want to give them a raise?

This can't be a serious first post.

 

[sarah_bellum]

What should I tell the (dental) employees if I don't want to give them a raise?

"I don't value you enough."

 

[armorshell]

Now I better understand why so many dental auxiliary staff I've come in contact with over my life have so many stories about awful employers they've worked for.

 

[NotPennysBoat]

It is true that the OP has only one post.. this one.

 

[charlestweed]

I have run my practice for 6 years and none of my current staff has asked me for a raise. If one of them asks me, I probably say what DrEndo suggested. There is no reason for me to raise their salaries when the production/collection stay the same (or decrease slightly due to the poor economy), the office rent increases annually, dental supplies get more expensive. Tax, utility bills, worker comp, property insurance premiums have also gone up. The staff should be grateful that I don’t cut their hours. Big dental corporations, such as SmileCare, BrightNow, Western Dental, have significantly cut their office manager’s, assistants’ and associate dentists’ salaries/bonuses.

The only person that gets a raise every year is my office manager….everyone else can easily be replaced. Our office cannot function without my office manager. If you don’t know how to control your overhead (staff salaries make up 60-70% of the overhead), you fail.

 

[DrEndo]

This has to be one of the worst answers I think anyone could have. Nobody will ever want to work with you if you provide this type of environment to work in. It is doctors like that people don't want to work for...

.....................................

Raises should be made on the base of merit and productivity. If you treat your staff well, they will treat you well....

That answer sounds like one coming from an employee not an employer. Employer main job isn't to make staff happy, it is to make sure staff are following the rules. I don't care how my employees are going to treat me as long as they do their job. I am doing dentistry because I like dentistry and not because I like making my employees smile.
Business is business
Treating staff well does not mean you are to give them raises every so often.
There isn't much that a hygienist can do to deserve ibigger paycheck. Everything that is required of a hygienist is stated in a contract. If she, assuming most dental staff is female, wants a raise that will only reduce a clinic bottom line. Will the hygienist bill more?? Unlikely, will she bill less if she doesn't get a raise? Possibly, but that can be easily seen by comparing production values. Then the hygienist have to answer for those lower productions.
The OP already stated there would be no raise. If you do talk about merit and raise then that is open to an interpretation. Still you have to deny the raise despite employee's increased skill, training, speed, etc. Then, YOU look like an as...le, giving empty promises.
Back before I was an owner, the principal gave raises Jan 2 every year. One year the raise was less than previous and the office mutinied.
I give raises at my own discretion. I deny raises often and I yet to lose an employee.

 

[DrEndo]

....................
The only person that gets a raise every year is my office manager….everyone else can easily be replaced. Our office cannot function without my office manager. If you don’t know how to control your overhead (staff salaries make up 60-70% of the overhead), you fail.

Same here. Only office manager deserves a raise and is a golden asset. Rest can quit if they don't like it. There will be 10 applications for anyone that quits. Unless you have an assistant that speaks deutch, espanol, nihongono, pa ruski, because that's what your patient base is. Then it's a good idea to keep that assistant.

 

[jay47]

Same here. Only office manager deserves a raise and is a golden asset. Rest can quit if they don't like it. There will be 10 applications for anyone that quits. Unless you have an assistant that speaks deutch, espanol, nihongono, pa ruski, because that's what your patient base is. Then it's a good idea to keep that assistant.

There was a post on here a few months ago about giving Christmas bonuses (or maybe it was Dentaltown...)and that solidified my opinion about the topic. You should check it out.

The story in a nutshell: employee complains that this year's bonus is too small. The nerve of some people....

 

[DrJeff]

Here's how we do things in my office.

#1 raises can happen for an employee(s) at anytime. (Some offices get in the situation of giving them - if they do - say every January, or every April, etc)

#2 raises are based on an extended level of increased performance, so sometimes the entire staff may get raises, othertimes it might just be a single person

#3 sometimes a raise might not be an increase in actual wage pay, but an increase in benefits

#4 in my office atleast, our entire staff has the potential of getting a cash bonus every month based on collections. My business partner and I, in conjunction with our accountant and office manager have set target collection "bonus" level for each month. If our monthly collections are above the 1st collection level, every employee gets an extra $100 added to their paycheck during the 1st pay cycle after we close the books on the previous month. If collections are above the 2nd cut off, we add an extra $200 to everybody's 1st paycheck in the next pay cycle. It keeps the entire staff motivated on a regular basis to both a full schedule of patients and then to ensure that we collect on that full schedule. When we set those collection levels, we look at the previous 2 years montly collections, and set levels where the bonus would have been achived 1/2 of the time (in this cycle over the last 2 years the 1/2 of the time we hit the bonus level it was the $100 bonus 7 times and the $200 bonus 5 times - out staff, then knowing that the bonus levels are quite reasonable to attain, puts the effort in to reach them) My partner and I find that this (hopefully) regular monetary reminder keeps our staff focused on keeping the practice as busy and efficient as possible. It has worked far better for us than when we just did the "random" raise, and since we implemented this system, there have been less raises given, but our employees have still see their pay increase

 

[NotPennysBoat]

Here's how we do things in my office.

#1 raises can happen for an employee(s) at anytime. (Some offices get in the situation of giving them - if they do - say every January, or every April, etc)

#2 raises are based on an extended level of increased performance, so sometimes the entire staff may get raises, othertimes it might just be a single person

#3 sometimes a raise might not be an increase in actual wage pay, but an increase in benefits

#4 in my office atleast, our entire staff has the potential of getting a cash bonus every month based on collections. My business partner and I, in conjunction with our accountant and office manager have set target collection "bonus" level for each month. If our monthly collections are above the 1st collection level, every employee gets an extra $100 added to their paycheck during the 1st pay cycle after we close the books on the previous month. If collections are above the 2nd cut off, we add an extra $200 to everybody's 1st paycheck in the next pay cycle. It keeps the entire staff motivated on a regular basis to both a full schedule of patients and then to ensure that we collect on that full schedule. When we set those collection levels, we look at the previous 2 years montly collections, and set levels where the bonus would have been achived 1/2 of the time (in this cycle over the last 2 years the 1/2 of the time we hit the bonus level it was the $100 bonus 7 times and the $200 bonus 5 times - out staff, then knowing that the bonus levels are quite reasonable to attain, puts the effort in to reach them) My partner and I find that this (hopefully) regular monetary reminder keeps our staff focused on keeping the practice as busy and efficient as possible. It has worked far better for us than when we just did the "random" raise, and since we implemented this system, there have been less raises given, but our employees have still see their pay increase

A true businessman. This is a really good idea. Obviously way better than "replace your staff if they aren't happy with their pay because they are replaceable *****s.". (paraphrasing )