Are you sure your employees feel appreciated in the workplace?
Are you sure your employees feel appreciated in the workplace?
We all know that there is a shortage of Veterinary professionals in the UK, with many leaving the profession due to poor work/life balance, negative emotional toll and burn out. Having a shortage of staff can put unfortunate strain and pressure on existing employees which is why it is so important to ensure they feel they are appreciated and valued in the workplace.
With today's market conditions, staff retention is even more vital as it can take several weeks/months to find and hire suitable Veterinary professionals and you also want to build a positive reputation of being a great place to work for future hires.
If a Veterinary Surgeon starts to explore other opportunities, they are usually presented with several different practices hiring in their area, so they are not short of options.
So how can you stand out amongst your competitors and offer a positive work environment where your staff feel appreciated?
Here's just a few idea's:
- It can be small things like verbal validation, pulling them aside and telling them how well they handled a certain case or dealt with a certain client.
- Employee of the week or month award with a small prize e.g gift card, food, extra day holiday
- Annual awards such as “Best team player”, “Client's choice”, “Mentorship Award”, “Spotlight Award” etc.
- Having an area service in the practice where clients can write notes of appreciation for staff that took care of their pet.
- Posting on social media to highlight achievements in the practice.
- Having regular 1:1s or check-ins so they feel heard, listened to, and can let you know of any concerns they may have.
- Encourage staff to come to you directly with any problems or issues to help build a sense of trust and respect you have for one another.
- Bring in edible treats for the team every now and again!
- Salary reviews – have you given any your staff a pay rise in the last 12 months?
- Promotions where applicable
- Anonymous staff survey
- Provide opportunities for development – through CPD, active encouragement, tickets to educational events or additional responsibilities in practice.
One of the most common things we hear from Veterinary candidates when asked their reason for leaving is that they do not feel valued or appreciated in practice. It can have a huge impact on Vets, Nurses, and support staff over time. And as one team member leaves, it can create a domino effect of other staff members to follow as the pressure of an understaffed team rises.
By investing in your current employees with some of the idea's above (or some of your own!) you will create a more positive work environment, increase staff retention, save money on the costs to re-hire and build a great reputation in the market for being a great place to work so that if you need to hire your time to do so should be significantly reduced.
If you'd like to discuss this topic further or brainstorm some ideas, please get in touch with one of our consultants on 0333 014 7374.