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All bets are off for ideas to keep employees on staff. Consider the hotel chain in Germany that is paying for employee tattoos. Body ink may not be appropriate for your medical practice, but consider these 15 crazy good ideas that other practices have successfully deployed:

1. Host “Open Door” meetings – give all employees a chance to share their thoughts and ideas
2. Adopt a Family First initiative – allow flex work schedule or time off for family issues
3. Share patient and referring physician praise - consider hero award bonuses
4. Conduct a colleague satisfaction survey – ask employees to prioritize feedback and then take action to improve
5. Offer a retention bonus with pay-back clause
6. Keep employees who move (when possible) – regardless of their new location
7. Have employees develop a focused independent career plan - include short-term and long-term career goals
8. Allow flexible schedules (including migrating from part-time to full-time – and back again) - work-from-home or hybrid opportunities
9. Orchestrate team bonding activities
10. Hold a “Staffle” (staff raffle) - give employees a chance to recognize fellow employees with additional entries into a monthly drawing
11. Give small, but impactful rewards or giveaways – a roving 'sunshine' cart with treats
12. Provide a welcome package for new hires and care packages for existing employees
13. Encourage virtual team games
14. Conduct a market wage assessment and adjustment, as appropriate
15. Partner with community colleges and training centers (for externships) - to provide continuing education

Whether it’s one of these off-the-wall ideas, or another that you or your team comes up with, thinking creatively to keep your employees engaged and motivated will undoubtedly help your practice attract, and retain, staff.