The College of Optometrists

As you've all been discussing salaries, I have a OA who can dispense reliably, has many years experience and who I'm paying 12,900 per annum. She is complaining that this is not enough.

Any comments?

depends where in the country and how good she is, why not set her up on an individual bonus scheme?

doesn't seem that much... what value does she add to the business?

Sounds low - You get more in M&S for stacking shelves

I have often wondered what introducing a bonus scheme would do to the staff? We have always come to the conclusion that its not worth it and pay high salarys. This its seems is not a motivator either though!

Maybe sugest an optical assistants course distance learning from anglia, boosts staff self esteem makes them feel valued and gives a formal quailfication and then you can up her salary a bit more everyones a winner!

We recently introduced a bous scheme whereby the staff get points for different dispensings.

As the points mount up they get a bonus,this makes the staff compete with each other a bit and seems to motivate them.

It also allows you to see who is doing the best dispensings!

If she's a good dispenser, and can do easy & "medium" difficulty jobs with few mistakes, then £12900 seems a little low - presuming you are fairly busy and she is generating a substantial proportion of your practice sales.

If she went elsewhere, how difficult would it be to replace her? How long would someone else take to get used to your practice? Would you have to train them up from scratch, or would you offer more for experience?

Personally, I have always opted for a pretty decent salary level, with a minor bonus system that rewards particularly busy weeks. (If Turnover reaches a certain level, all the staff get an extra£ 10 that week. If T/o gets to a certain higher level, they all get £25 extra that week. If T/o reaches a certain, highest level, the individual weeks bonus is £40.) I opted for a "team" bonus to recognise that all jobs are important, so that even if a member of staff stays away from dispensing for a while, to e.g. get on with the reminders, they are still rewarded for contributing to a busy practice week.

the salaries of OA in my Area is £10500-£14000. Depende of Experience, Flexibility,How good she Dispense, How good She deal with problems,Etc. It's up to you!!! Think if she goes who will replace her?? It's worth it? Having a new member( cheaper )from scratch??

Cheers

How bout talking her into doing the DO course and subsidising this?Its the only way she should be payed more! Personally I dont think a bonus system is a good idea- you start seeing -2.00's going through in 1.67 just cos its worth money to the dispenser!

Cheers guys, I was thinking she was just moaning.

It's good to have a unbiased second opinion sometimes.