21 Sept 2020
Good Veterinary Workplace Voluntary Code, based on a new policy position, sets out clear criteria for practices to follow on supportive environments.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
The BVA has today (21 September) launched a comprehensive policy position of 64 practical recommendations to help practices create supportive and welcoming workplaces.
The association is now hoping individual practices and vet centres across the UK will commit to creating their own better workplaces by signing up to the Good Veterinary Workplaces Voluntary Code.
Coinciding with 2020’s International Week of Happiness at Work, the BVA has set out a code with clear criteria on what makes a good workplace, and has based it on its new evidence-based BVA policy position.
Its policy position documents 64 recommendations covering seven key areas:
The BVA has also produced a workbook to guide employers and employees on how they can meet the stipulations of the code, and a poster that can be signed by all team members and displayed to show commitment to maintaining its standards.
The position policy was developed off an extensive body of work that looked at recruitment and retention issues, lack of diversity and stress and burnout.
Gudrun Ravetz, chairman of the Good Workplace working group, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see the launch of our valuable and comprehensive policy, which sets out a vision of the good veterinary workplaces that we should all be striving to create across the profession.
“This vision has been shaped by valuable contributions from across the veterinary community, and it’s also been really useful to draw on good practice in the wider world of work.
“By setting out the steps that all veterinary workplaces can take to offer a more welcoming and inclusive environment, with measures in place to help them address issues and continue to improve, we hope to see more workplaces where staff can thrive and enjoy a fulfilling career.”
