‘More must be done’ to create happy workplaces says BVA

A newly released survey may help veterinary employers to make the changes necessary to keep current staff or recruit new workers, according to the head of the BVA.

Figures from the group have indicated that fewer than one-third of vets feel they consistently enjoy a good work-life balance.

Meanwhile, just 38% of participating vets who work in clinical practice said they always took daily food and rest breaks.

The figures were published ahead of this week’s London Vet Show, where several sessions in both the BVA Congress and Career Development streams were due to address the topic.

‘Unsupportive’

More than 1,000 clinicians took part in the survey in spring, in which 11% of respondents described their workplace as “unsupportive” of staff and 12% said their workplace was “not a good place to work”.

While more than half (54%) of respondents said they “sometimes” have a good work-life balance, only 31% said that was “always” the case, while 15% felt they rarely or never did so.

BVA president Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “Clearly, more needs to be done if we are to create healthy, happy working environments that support the whole team.

“This is not about employee needs versus those of the employer, but about creating positive working environments where vet teams thrive.”

Communication

The survey also highlighted effective communication by leaders, commitment to staff’s physical and psychological well-being, effective management of work-related stress, commitment to career development and mentoring plus work-life balance as the five most critical aspects of creating a good veterinary workplace.

Those issues were rated as extremely or very important by 93%, 87%, 86%, 85% and 84% of respondents, respectively.

Although the survey findings pre-date the launch of its new Great Workplaces accreditation scheme in June, BVA leaders hope both projects can help to inspire change.

Dr Mullineaux said: “There has been a lot of conjecture over the years about what is causing so many vets to leave their employers and even to leave the profession.

“This data gives us great insight into where many veterinary workplaces are getting it wrong and what changes might make the difference in terms of retention and recruitment.”

Praised

The accreditation process has also been praised by senior figures from the Westport Veterinary Clinic group in southern Scotland, which was the first to receive the designation.

Practice manager Fiona Leathers said: “Don’t be afraid of what the process might uncover. It’s a great way to truly understand your team’s needs and to continue building a workplace that supports everyone. We’ve seen real benefits from it.

“You’ve got to create the practice you want to work in. We spend so much time at work; you have to make it a place where people want to be.

“You don’t want to cling on to people due to adversity. Looking after your team is tantamount to having a great workplace.”

Listening key

Senior vet Stuart McMorrow added: “Listening to your team and encouraging people to speak up about what they do and don’t like is key.

“I’ve found over the years that the team usually have better ideas than I do, so if I don’t listen to them, I will miss out on making my practice as good as it could be.”