Improving your Veterinary Practice through Flexible Working

Flexee

Synopsis

With 74% of veterinary professionals concerned about stress and burnout, and where the number one thing they would change about their current job is the ‘working hours’, workload and flexibility is a factor to consider. Paying attention to this is even more critical now that the UK government announced, on 5th of December 2022, its intentions to introduce changes to the right to request flexible working legislation with the aim of “making flexible working the default”. Flexible working is one of the dimensions commonly stated to influence workplace well-being. However, flexibility means something different to everyone and the only way to make flexible working work is to work together as a team and embrace the give-and-take mentality. How can we facilitate effective conversation about flexible working within a team? How might we create a more proactive approach that works for the individual, the team, and the business?

Flexible working offers a myriad of benefits and becoming a locum should not be the only option to achieve workplace flexibility in the veterinary industry. Offering options to everyone is a significant factor in attracting and retaining talent, promoting inclusivity, and sustaining strong and high-functioning teams. However, it is a team effort. Why? Because flexibility means something different to everyone, and only when a team works together, can we find ways to satisfy the needs of most people most of the time. For this we need the team to start from the same page – understand some basics around ‘flexible working’, decide what it means for us individually, and then decide what flexibility means to the team and to the business.

Learning Outcomes

1. The following three videos give an introduction into why flexible working is important, what actually is flexible working, and how flexible working benefits the veterinary profession.
2. The static resources attached are conversation starters to aid team conversations, find out what others think about your future workplace, and brainstorm solutions.
3. Find what needs to be done and take the FREE flexible working practice self-assessment: https://myflexee.com/assessment-tool/

Flexee is also offering SPVS members a 50% discount on the Flexee Hub subscription for the first year. The hub is a one-stop-shop toolkit to help implement flexible working in a veterinary practice. Go to: https://myflexee.com/accreditation-scheme/ under “click here to enter discount code” and use the code: SPVSTAKE50

Session run time: 15minutes