From Hiring To Harmony: Strategies For Building Your Eye Care Team

In today's competitive talent landscape, attracting and retaining top-tier team members goes far beyond offering a fair salary and benefits. To truly stand out, eye care practices must become an enticing employer — a place where individuals can not only be productive but also feel a sense of purpose and belonging. The cornerstone of this endeavor lies in establishing and consistently showcasing an authentic brand. 

Your Practice’s Authentic Brand

An authentic brand isn't merely a marketing tagline; it's a genuine reflection of the core values, mission and passion behind the why of your practice. When your brand is authentic, it speaks volumes about how your practice operates and what it's like to be a part of your team. When your practice embodies its authentic brand, prospective hires will be drawn to your vision and eager to join your team. 

Finding The Right Talent

More often than not, the perfect employee will not find you on their own. Be proactive and visit places that you love — the place with the best service in town. Have a conversation with a potential employee about their career interests and values to assess cultural fit. Keep in mind that although a person may not have any experience in a healthcare setting, most clinical skills can be taught, whereas values and character cannot. 

Your current staff is one of your most powerful and often underutilized recruiting tools. Think of them as your living, breathing testimonials, showcasing not just the work, but the culture, opportunities for growth, and overall employee experience. When employees are genuinely happy and engaged, they become authentic advocates for your practice, naturally attracting like-minded individuals to join your team. 

Provide Quality Training 

Once you’ve found team members that reflect your practice’s values and culture, invest in strong onboarding. Taking the time to correctly train people will create high-performing employees and a harmonious work environment, while having good communication and showing appreciation encourages longevity. The effort you put into nurturing each employee today will yield lasting benefits — for your whole team, your practice and your patients. 

Keeping Great Talent 

One of the most effective ways to create an environment that retains good team members is to get to know each employee and know what’s important to them. Translate their values into ensuring they are reflected through leadership, reward systems and growth opportunities. Examples include offering extra PTO in lieu of a pay raise, complimentary practice-branded workwear, subsidized bus/train or parking fees, group health insurance, continuing education allowances or mentorship. 

Hiring the right people is the start to building a team that genuinely reflects your practice's core values — maintaining focus throughout the process, you will attract and retain team members who become vital to your practice's success. If you would like to discuss the culture of your practice or have questions about hiring a new team member, please contact us. PECAA Max members receive expert advice from PECAA’s Business Advisors at no additional cost! Contact us to learn how PECAA can help your practice thrive.