Webinar Recap: 7 Proven Employee Retention Strategies for Optometry Practices

Your best employee just handed in their resignation. Now what?

If you’re like most practice owners, you’re not just losing a skilled team member—you’re losing time, momentum, and money. Staff turnover isn’t just inconvenient. It’s costly. 

That’s why RevolutionEHR recently hosted a can’t-miss webinar: “Turnover-Proof Your Practice: Employee Retention Strategies,” led by seasoned optometrist and former AOA President Dr. Dory Carlson. 

Dr. Carlson’s North Dakota practice has maintained a low turnover rate for decades—and in this session, she shared exactly how she does it.

Whether you’re building a team or trying to retain your rock stars, here’s a look at the seven key strategies Dr. Carlson swears by.

1. Build Culture from the Top Down

Every practice takes on the personality of its leader. If a team feels unsupported, disconnected, or undervalued, leadership plays a critical role. One of the most important things a practice owner can do is commit to developing their leadership skills—through books, podcasts, peer groups, or coaching.

Great leaders create strong cultures by setting the tone, defining expectations, and showing appreciation consistently. 

“People don’t quit jobs—they quit bosses.”

2. Prioritize Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Hiring for technical skills alone isn’t enough—especially when you’re managing a multi-generational workforce.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s one of the most important drivers of retention—especially when managing multi-generational teams.

EQ includes self-awareness, empathy, communication, and the ability to resolve conflict effectively. And it’s not just about leadership. When teams understand and practice EQ, workplace stress decreases, collaboration improves, and people feel more understood and supported.

High-EQ practices experience:

• Better communication
• Reduced conflict
• Increased team cohesion

3. Hire for Attitude, Not Just Experience

Hiring experienced candidates may seem like the fastest route to productivity, but experience alone doesn’t guarantee long-term success. 

Attitude, personality, and cultural fit are often more predictive of retention.

Successful leaders prioritize positivity, adaptability, and team-first thinking over years of optical experience. Tools like DISC assessments can help identify personality traits and team fit. 

4. Offer More Than Just a Paycheck

Competitive pay is a given, but it’s only one part of the retention equation. Employees increasingly value flexibility, stability, and work-life balance.

Key benefits that drive loyalty include:

• Health and dental insurance. Even partial coverage shows commitment.
• Retirement plans. Simple IRA options with matching contributions are powerful retention tools.
• Flexible scheduling. Especially for employees balancing caregiving or secondary jobs.
  Profit-sharing or quarterly bonuses. These build a sense of ownership and team alignment.

5. Give Employees a Path to Grow

The fastest way to lose a good employee? Let them stagnate. Practices that retain top talent make growth part of the culture.

Consider these strategies:

• Setting clear job descriptions and expectations
• Creating role progression paths
• Delegating meaningful responsibilities
• Offering CE or industry event access to team members (not just doctors)
• Holding annual development meetings with each employee

Good leaders make sure every team member knows how they can grow in responsibility and compensation. That includes ongoing education, cross-training, and participation in events like Vision Expo and AOA meetings. 

When employees see a future in the practice, they’re more likely to invest in the present.

“People want to feel like they’re going somewhere. Even if that place is right where they are—but more skilled and valued.”

6. Make Weekly Communication Sacred

Want a team that runs like clockwork? Start with consistent communication.

Hold weekly staff meetings where every voice is heard. The agenda should include:

• Practice updates
• Wins and shoutouts
• Challenges and feedback
• Brainstorming on workflow improvements

This rhythm builds transparency, alignment, and trust.

7. Build a Culture Employees Don’t Want to Leave

When your team feels like a family, retention takes care of itself.

Dr. Carlson’s staff has stayed with her for decades. Why? Because they feel valued—and they value each other.

Simple but powerful culture boosters:

• Celebrate birthdays and anniversaries
• Create shared rituals like “Friday Fun Day” or quarterly outings
• Ask for feedback regularly—and act on it
• Make the workplace feel safe, inclusive, and energizing

Key Takeaways: What Optometry Leaders Can Do Today

Here’s how you can start reducing turnover this week:

• Assess your leadership style. How are you contributing to your culture—positively or negatively?
• Start an EQ book club. Invite your team to read Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and discuss takeaways.
• Revisit your benefits. Even one new perk—like flex hours—can improve retention.
• Create a growth plan for every role. Meet with each team member to map out their future in your practice.
• Commit to weekly meetings. Make communication non-negotiable.

About Dr. Dory Carlson

Dr. Carlson is a practicing optometrist and co-owner of Heartland Eye Care in North Dakota. A former President of the American Optometric Association, she’s passionate about helping practices create thriving cultures where team members grow, stay, and succeed.

Watch the Webinar

The webinar is full of actionable insights for optometrists. Watch it on demand here to catch Dr. Carlson’s full insights and downloadable tools.

Looking for More Ways to Support Your Staff?

RevolutionEHR was designed by optometrists for optometrists. Our all-in-one platform streamlines workflows, boosts efficiency, and frees your team to do their best work. Plus, our integrated tools like RevEngage and RevBilling help support staff across the patient journey.

Schedule your personalized demo today.