Lab owners reveal how they navigate December deadlines, plan for Christmas closures and ensure their teams feel appreciated during the festive season.
Emily Pittard – Hive dental laboratory
If it were up to me and Ella, we would be playing Christmas music and have the lab kitted out like Santa’s grotto in November, but we know we are in the minority with that preference! So instead, we pick a day in early December to have some Christmas nibbles, drinks and music while team members dress the lab as Christmassy as they would like.
We try and maintain our standard turnaround times despite the ‘please can we have this before Christmas’ on the 20 December. This is for everyone’s sanity.
We are also trying something new this year in which we allow people to work a little later in the lead up to Christmas to gather time in lieu, so they do not have to come in on Christmas Eve. The lab stays closed between Christmas and new year, and as a Christmas gift, we give the team the first working day off as paid holiday. We find this usually welcomes back a more energised and happier team.
Both myself and Eleanor come in on that day to receive impressions and prepare the diaries for the following week.
It is a time of year when there’s a lot of added pressure in people’s home-life. This is why we try to be mindful of our team’s ‘stress cups’. Are they too full? What can we do to help? What can they do to help? We find a mixture of the above helps us stay afloat over the Christmas period.
Ashley Byrne – Byrnes dental laboratory
Our Christmas celebrations are the perfect example of our ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos. The first step is always setting the date for our much-anticipated Christmas party – and what a party it is! Held in a charming village hall equipped with a professional-grade kitchen, we take over the space for a few days to create an unforgettable experience. Thanks to a talented team of hospitality friends, we enjoy a bespoke event, complete with a professional chef. It’s our way of saying a big thank you to our hardworking team
One of the highlights is the infamous Byrnes annual quiz, complete with a picture round that always sparks a competitive spirit! For the more adventurous team members, the party continues at my house with an impromptu after-party. More drinks flow, the music keeps playing and we often end up watching the sunrise!
We’re fortunate to receive generous gifts from clients and suppliers, many of which are addressed to me as the lab owner. However, Byrnes wouldn’t be what it is without the incredible team, so we host our now-legendary raffle. We lay out all the gifts, and while we try to keep things balanced, there’s always that one special item – like a bottle of gin – that makes the raffle extra exciting.
Byrnes Dental Laboratory shuts down completely over Christmas, giving everyone a well-deserved break. We run a skeleton team on the final day of the year and the first day of the new year, ensuring that everyone gets a solid two-week holiday. It’s a time for rest and relaxation, so the team can recharge and return with fresh energy for the year ahead.
Shobhna Patel – Turner dental lab
I give three months’ notice in advance for Christmas holidays so clients have plenty of time to schedule their patients and have no excuses to make. We are closed from 19 December and reopen on 6 January.
Over the years, I have stopped working long hours before the holidays and have learned to simply say ‘no’. They have to follow the working days, and they can wait for when the lab opens in the new year. If the patient had time all year through to have the dentures made but left it last minute to get them done two weeks before Christmas, they can wait a little extra until we reopen.
We have to look after ourselves, mentally and physically. The dentists and patients are never going to come and look after us. So, put yourself first where you have to. If you feel like you need to close down for two weeks during Christmas and take a good, solid break from work, then do it. If you want to keep working, running after money, being scared of losing clients if you take long break etc, then it is your own choice.
Actually, I would say Christmas is the best time to take a good break as most surgeries slow down with work and many dentists are off work too.
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