AVMA News
Preliminary results from studies on veterinarian burnout and leveraging veterinary technicians discussed at AVMA Veterinary Business and Economic Forum
By Malinda Larkin, AVMA News October 10, 2024, Updated October 17, 2024
Two issues the profession continues to contend with are veterinarian burnout and better leveraging veterinary technicians. Tese topics interrelate more than expected, according to researchers with studies looking at both areas.
Tese investigators presented preliminary findings at the 2024 AVMA Veterinary Business and Economic Forum, held virtually October 8-9. Tey say it all boils down to how the work environment is structured and helping employees reconsider their roles.
“Teams can work together to reshape roles in ways that play to each person’s strengths. Tis approach can help ensure that everyone finds more meaning in their work,” said Brittany Bond, an organizational theorist and economic sociologist. “Our research shows that when employees are able to re-imagine their jobs in this way, it can lead to significant reductions in emotional exhaustion, stress, and conflict between work and family life, all of which are major contributors to burnout and turnover.”
Burnout intervention study
Bond is an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. She has been researching personnel management systems, including talent recruitment and performance assessment, which shape careers and impact the long-term performance of organizations. Her current interests center around what leads high performers to grow dissatisfied with their jobs and look for new employers.
Bond and her team at Cornell are conducting a clinical trial, funded by the AVMA and the Zoetis Foundation, to help address the issue of burnout in the veterinary profession.
She said veterinarians are more vulnerable to burnout than many other professions because of factors such as excessive workloads, limited job control, and the imbalance between job demands and available skills. Brittney Bond Brittany Bond is an organizational theorist and economic sociologist who is investigating organizational interventions to address burnout in veterinary clinical practice. Early results show a reduction in the voluntary turnover rate of veterinary and administrative staff in participating clinics with these interventions.
Brittany Bond is an organizational theorist and economic sociologist who is investigating organizational interventions to address burnout in veterinary clinical practice. Early results show a reduction in the voluntary turnover rate of veterinary and administrative staff in participating clinics with these interventions.
“When they are less satisfied with work, engagement drops and this impacts performance when they reach burnout,” she said. “We need to transform the workplace itself, not just address individual symptoms. Many current interventions focus on reducing burnout symptoms. Tey don’t tackle the root causes of burnout. It starts with the understanding that for real and lasting change, both the structure and mindset around work have to change.”
Te burnout intervention study provided some participating veterinary practices with tools and skills to help reduce burnout and increase profitability while others received no interventions. All practices received staff training for free as part of the study.
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