Corporates or independents? What are the factors to consider?

Like most industries in this day and age, corporate businesses are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the veterinary world. Gone are the days where all vets were independent practices, run by someone who grew up in the same town or city.

These days, it is more likely you’ll find a veterinary practice inside a large pet supermarket or, if there is another locally, it may be a part of a corporate group.

Of course, plenty of independent vets are still out there, so are there benefits to seeking a role in one type or practice over the other?

Corporate practices tend, by nature, to be more homogenous than independents. The reasons why are fairly evident in that they are striving for an identical staff and client experience, regardless of location.

These types of businesses pride themselves on their ability to provide a very similar service for all who walk through their doors and have created a formula by which this can be recreated time after time.

Although this sounds like a winning plan, it could potentially mean several things for someone working in a corporate practice:

• In general, the sheer size and scale of their operations mean they have buying and negotiating power that smaller independents can only dream of. Their ability to source things such as drugs is unparalleled, which has the potential to direct the possible treatment options that are available to clients. This doesn’t, however, mean the level of care is less in an independent practice.

• The benefits staff receive could be better in corporate practices. The number of employees in these corporations lends itself to needing a slightly more enhanced benefits package than smaller outfits can usually offer. Although not everything may be better, such as maternity/paternity leave, holiday allowances or CPD funding, sick pay is a benefit that corporate staff tend to receive over and above that of independent practices.

• Things could take longer in corporate practices due to their hierarchical structures. The many levels of management serve to compartmentalise decision-making, meaning different people hold the responsibility for different functions and/or budgets. The person with both the permission and power to ultimately make certain decisions may be many layers away in the structure, requiring several conversations and justifications to take place through both your direct manager and, possibly, their managers, too. Alternatively, independent practices usually have less “red tape”, so decisions can be made more readily and quickly. However, it is possible that smaller practices have less scope to change their operating procedures, benefits packages or offered treatment options.

• In addition to the decision-making abilities already outlined, corporate practices often employ, either internally or externally, a human resources function. Although this can, in certain cases increase red tape and lengthen the time to resolution for action, it also creates separation between the avenues for work management and work-related complaints. In independent practices, or those without a separate HR function, potential exists for the person responsible for handling internal complaints also the target of the complaint, creating a potentially impossible situation for all parties.

• Conversations with clients around the cost of treatment can be one of the most difficult parts of the
  day-to-day job, which can be made more difficult if the bill is higher than expected. Client interactions and conversations around the cost of treatment may be easier in independent practice, especially if they have experienced higher bills elsewhere in the past.

With all of this being said, it is important to remember that each practice, regardless of the ownership structure, is an individual place to work with its own dynamic.

The factors listed here are to act as a guide for those seeking the difference between working in a corporate or independent practice, and this list is, by no means, exhaustive.

Nothing is a replacement for seeking to understand the working dynamic of a practice, being aware of the benefits that you will receive as an employee and understanding how the business is structured.

At the end of the day, there will be pros and cons to whichever path you choose. The most you could hope is to fully appreciate these before you sign on the dotted line.