Look around at the people with whom you interact or associate. How many of them are happy with where they work? Sad to say, even with individuals who have “good”, well paying jobs, many of them are not happy. “The ain’t it awful club” has many members. Are you one of them? Are any of your staff members of the club? If so, let’s see what we can do to change it.
In a recent Pew Research Center study, half the respondents rating having a job you enjoy as being “extremely important.” There is a huge shift occurring in our culture 180 degrees away from earlier culture whose manta was “that is why they call it work.” Events that we have lived with in the 21st century has reshaped how many of us are choosing to live our lives. 9/11, the many school, workplace and event shootings, the deepening cynicism about government in general, has caused many of us to question what we are going to do for a living. Money is not, and really has never been, at the top of the list
Okay, we live in the world of veterinary medicine. Money has never been important. However, enjoying what we do has taken on new meaning. Let’s bring this closer to home. Why do you get up in the morning? Why did you become a veterinarian in the first place? Is that fire still burning? Hopefully, you can answer “yes”, and can recite the benefits you receive by showing up for work each day. But now, let’s turn our attention to the people with whom you work? Do they enjoy coming to work each day? Be honest. When was the last time you asked them? I know, we all have, or at least say we have, annual performance reviews or evaluations or whatever you call them. But have you really checked in with your team and asked them about their time at work? And then, by the way, listened to their answers. Not just the words coming out of their mouths, but the body language that they exhibit while they are talking to you. If you don’t like what you are seeing, what can you do to change it? I repeat, it is not about giving them all raises. So many times, it comes down to asking them for their input, listening to their concerns, and simply connecting with your people, just like we strive to connect with our clients in the exam room.
At Strategic Veterinary Consulting we work with our clients to help them reconnect with the reasons why they became veterinarians. We then work to develop a culture that embodies those reasons so that all members of the team can answer “yes” when asked if they love their job.
Elise Lacher, CPA
elise@strategicveterinaryconsulting.com
727-420-0016
Strategic Veterinary Consulting 