Veterinary workplace wellbeing culture

WSAVA guideline

Key findings

• Ten workplace factors (p.23): fairness/equity/inclusion; emotional & physical safety; feedback + clear terms; workload & flexibility; professional growth; autonomy; role clarity; significance; fair pay; relationships (managers, peers, clients). Four social factors (p.24): perceptions of the vet's role; political stability; public safety; support (physical/social/professional).
• Organizational approaches (p.37): growth discussions; open work-life-balance talks (scheduling, workflow, flexibility); anonymous culture surveys + regular check-ins; teach staff to recognize/mitigate stress; self-care/mindfulness culture; mentorship + debrief forums for difficult cases/client interactions.
• PWG 6 key steps (Tips, p.1): (1) destigmatized mental-health talk with psychological safety, boundaries, protected off-duty time; (2) collaborative teams, recognition, case debriefs; (3) exercise as stress-buster — facilities + a "quiet room" separate from the staff room; (4) up-to-date HR with diarised 1-to-1s; (5) buddy schemes for new graduates + mentoring; (6) helping others — paid charity day/year, charity of the year, fundraising.
• Suicide-risk context (Bartram & Baldwin 2010, appendix): UK vets' suicide PMR ~4× general population, ~2× other health professions; self-poisoning 76% (male)/89% (female) of vet suicides vs 20%/46% generally; career-course model: self-selection, work stressors, access to means, euthanasia attitudes, stigma, isolation, substance misuse. Global (p.14): ~800,000 suicide deaths/year.
• Resources named by PWG (p.33): AVMA My Veterinary Life (self-administered ProQOL; myvetlife.avma.org); THRIVE (AVA; ava.com.au); Vetlife Helpline (free, confidential UK); NOMV — Not One More Vet (hotlines, Ambassador Program, Lifeboat anonymous peer-to-peer support).
• Four program types (p.32): training/awareness for undergraduates; support/training for professionals; workplace enhancement; support/intervention. Three goals (p.9): awareness; remedies; support individuals/teams/associations.
• Positive aspects (p.25): working with/helping animals and people; realizing potential; meaningful work; belonging; mental stimulation.
• Mentoring evidence (appendix): AVA Graduate Mentoring Program — 851 graduates mentored Oct 2015–2019; 12-month matches with ≥3-year mentors ease new-graduate transition.

Recommendations

• Design jobs around the 10 workplace + 4 social factors (p.23–24)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Run anonymous culture surveys + regular check-ins; open scheduling/workflow/flexibility talks (p.37)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Provide mentorship + debrief forums for difficult cases (p.37)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Implement the PWG 6-step culture programme — psychological safety and true off-duty time first (Tips, p.1)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Provide exercise facilities and a quiet room separate from the staff room (Tips, p.1)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• HR processes with diarised 1-to-1s; buddy schemes for new graduates (Tips, p.1)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Offer structured mentoring (AVA: 12-month matches)

  Supporting evidence (appendix)

• Associations/educators: deliver the 4 program types (p.32)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Signpost AVMA ProQOL, THRIVE, Vetlife Helpline, NOMV/Lifeboat (p.33)

  Expert consensus (PWG)

• Restrict access to means; reduce stigma/isolation (appendix)

  Supporting evidence (review)

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