Veterinary Voices

The step-by-step framework that's guaranteed to help you live the life you want.  

Using the SMARTER SWOT framework I designed about 20 years ago to help clients live their lives to the full contributing their special difference to the world - at work and at home. 

If you’ve set New Year's Resolutions before and failed – this is for you – because we’re not going to be setting NY resolutions.

If you’ve set goals before and feel like you’ve failed and they’re a waste of time – then this is for you too - because if you implement this framework you'll succeed.

And if you’re sick of living or working or being the way you are – whatever that looks like for you – then this is for you too - because this shows how you have the power to change.

These two frameworks can be used in pretty much any situation where you want to go from place A to place B.

The first framework - the SWOT analysis with a twist that makes success possible:

Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

followed by SMARTER goal setting:
Specific
Measurable & Meaningful
Achievable
Realistic
Exciting
Rewarding

Backed up with simple post-it sticky notes!

If you'd like a copy of the template referred to please get in touch with me at PawsClawsWetNoses.fm

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

A vet clinic's workplace toxicity negatively impacts a clinic’s ability to ever become an Employer of Choice.   

10 things - 10 warning bells - to look out for at the vet clinic job interview

Vet Clinics need to deal with what’s not working first in order to become a Vet Clinic Employer of Choice.

Here are 10 questions to ask and the answers you're looking for:

1. Does the leadership team inspire trust or does it rely control?
2. Why is the position vacant?
3. What were the warning signs at your last clinic?
4. What initial impressions did you have at the interview?
5.  What are your values?
6. Does your personality fit into the team?
7. Do the people – the leadership team and/or the influencers there – practice what they preach?
8. What’s their onboarding process?
9. Do you like what you see?
10. Could you see yourself working there?   

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Episode 37 - 15 signs it's time to look for another veterinary clinic job

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

How to become a Vet Clinic Employer of Choice so that you create your own clinic's wait list of highly engaged and motivated top performers. 

In today’s job-seeking world, job interviews are just as much about the clinic doing the interviewing as about the clinic being interviewed.

Recruitment – as we know it today - is a reactive process.  It’s the thing – the hunt - that follows an event – the resignation.   

And it’s the hunting that’s hard work.  

Because hunting is usually done under pressure, against an ever fast-ticking clock:  the resignation period.

The hunting ground of today’s recruitment process is the jungle we know as social media and the internet.  

The external forces are Facebook’s and Google’s algorithms, organic search rankings and ever-increasing digital advertising costs.  

I believe recruitment is a reactive thing – a reactive process… 

Taking the reactive thought one step further, surely that means if something is reactive, it must have a proactive opposite somewhere.

Right?

I’ve spent this year unpacking that a bit more … asking myself what can be done to pre-empt the reactive, high stress, pressure-cooker recruitment process?

What if vet clinics could be proactive and preemptive instead…?

To me, when I think about it, I see recruitment as being a bit like the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff … don’t get me wrong, I love rushing in and saving the day … but not all the time … sometimes I imagine that the pressure Isobel, Kajal and I work under is high stress, high adrenalin – just like working in an emergency and critical care clinic … 

It’s great when we’re able to save the day … just like when you’re able to save a GDV or a hit-by-car … you feel great … but those times when you can’t, when we don’t … those are hard days and hard weeks … 

When a clinic has left it until the very last minute because they’ve DIY-ed their own recruitment and with only a month to go until the departing vet’s or nurse’s last day with no prospects on the horizon, they call us … sometimes we win but in today’s market, not always …

So what if there was a different way…?

I fast forwarded and started to ask the question what difference would the fence at the top of the recruitment process make …?

What would it look like…?

How long would it take to build…? 

Who would build it…?    Do they have time to build it…?

Now, I’m not saying that having a fence at the top of the recruitment process would mean that vet clinics won’t lose staff … they will … but I do, hand-on-heart, believe that those clinics that start building their fence at the top of their own little cliff face will discover it’ll make a huge positive difference to a multitude of different parts of their clinic – and one of those things will be the bottom line...

I honestly believe that what I’m proposing will make a difference that will be far bigger than just making recruitment a whole bunch easier when the time comes.

The three things you need include:  

1.  Having a clinic culture of employee appreciation and empowerment, 
2. Having a strong and respected employer brand, and 
3. Being regarded and known as an Employer of Choice 

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Vet clinics experience high staff burnout, high staff turnover, some (sadly) have reputations for allowing toxicity within the team to continue, infect and affect everything that happens inside that clinic.

Constructive Dismissals

• What conditions need to be met for the Employment Court or Tribunal to confirm constructive dismissal took place,
• Two questions that need to be answered,
• What remedies are available 
• A couple of examples of Constructive Dismissal which have been upheld in court and
• What being "disadvantaged" at work means
• Triangular situations

Employment Personal Grievances

• What a Personal Grievance case looks like
• The process for initiating a personal grievance (PG)
• Mediation - where to get it for free and what to do if it doesn't work

Workplace Bullying

• Different types of bullying and what they could look like
• Employer's responsibility to keep employees safe from harm at work
• What workplace bullying is and what it's not - direct
• What workplace bullying is and what it's not - indirect

Safety at work is everyone's responsibility

Links mentioned in today's podcast

Worksafe NZ Reporting and Assessment Forms

TWO BELIEFS THAT GOVERN EVERYONE AT VETSTAFF

That all VetMed professionals deserve to work in the clinic of their dreams where they're respected and valued.

That Employers of Choice deserve to attract and have the best highly-motivated, proactive, enthusiastic and engaged professionals working for them.

There are some recruiters who’d sell their own grandmother to an employer that’d make her life miserable – that’s not VetStaff – believe it or not there are, sadly, vet clinics in NZ that we won’t work with – no matter how much they paid us – because of how they treat their teams.  Unfortunately, that list is growing. 

We'd love to chat with you if you like our two beliefs too!
[email protected]
0800 483 869 (NZ only)

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Lately I’ve seen a few vets and clinics get caught out by believing one of the many urban myths that surround employment law in NZ so today, we’re going to put 11 of them to bed so, hopefully, YOU don’t get caught out by them too.   

We’re going to look at the employment law myths that I’ve heard in relation to:

·       Written contracts – or lack thereof

·       Getting fired and how many warnings are required

·       References – what’s required / obligatory / nice to have

·       What an employer can and can’t deduct from an employee’s pay

·       What “authority” employers have over an employee’s social media account

·       How annual leave is calculated in relation to returning from parental leave

·       And restraints of trade – this one I hear just about every.single.week!

Remember – I’m not an employment lawyer – the small print in this episode is always consult with your trusted legal advisor because your situation will be unique.  If you don’t know who you can call, then I’m happy to point you in the direction of a few employer lawyers I know and trust.

Over the next few weeks we’re breaking these myths into bite size pieces on VetStaff's Facebook and Insta pages.  Please - if you haven’t already, like or follow VetStaff there for our easy-to-use employment and recruitment tips, hints and hacks.   

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Reference checks - check out episode #13
The Small Business New Zealand Fact Sheet 2020 (published by MBIE)
Legislated High Risk Sectors or Industries (NZ Government Legislation website)

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

This is the fourth episode in the sustainability series and today we’re with Sophie Kennedy of The Strand Veterinarian in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sophie is the dedicated receptionist at The Strand Veterinarian who’s just recently been charged with the responsibility of project managing the clinic’s sustainability initiatives.

As you’ll hear – unlike many clinics where reception duties form part of a vet nurse’s responsibilities, at The Strand Veterinarian, Sophie’s sole focus is customer and support staff care.   

If you haven’t listened to episode 30 yet I recommend you do – that’s where Dr Megan Alderson of The Strand Veterinarian shares some of her goals, as well as trials and tribulations towards having a healthy and sustainable workforce.   

Sophie's 8 Vet Clinic Sustainability baby steps anyone can take

1. Turn off the lights when you don’t need them on.   
2. Bring your lunch in a recyclable container.  
3. Use a recyclable coffee cup or stainless steel water bottle rather than keep buying 750ml bottles of water.   
4. Switch to compostable dog pooh bags and courier bags.   
5. Where possible go paperless – email information to clients.   If you must print, then use sustainable paper.
6. Apply pressure to your suppliers to improve their packaging.
7. Ask who else at your clinic is interested in being more sustainable – see what pickup you get.
8. If you’re in a retail complex see whether you can join forces with other businesses – maybe share collection bins and/or encourage them to join your efforts.

LINKS SOPHIE MENTIONED

The Strand Veterinarian's PPE recycling is through TerraCycle .  You can get zero-waste boxes.

Soft plastic recycling - The Strand Veterinarian takes their own bags weekly to the local places that do it like Countdown and Pack'N'Save and its through https://www.recycling.kiwi.nz/

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

In 2019, Zoetis NZ set up a new internal group to examine environmental, social and governance aspects of its business, with a focus on driving long term business sustainability. 

In practice, Large Animal Veterinarian Kristen Baxter’s responsibilities have been primarily focused on improving the environmental footprint and looking at all areas of the product life cycle - from packaging, to transport, and to then managing product waste. 

Wearing her sustainability hat, Kristen looked at the human contribution, including air and vehicle travel, and office management. 

Last year – in 2020 Kristen set up the first progesterone device waste management programme in the North Island, and this year – which Kristen talks about today, the first teat sealant tube collection and recycling programme – which aims to collect back millions of tubes from farmers and vet clinics.

Kristen has a Bachelor or Science – Agriculture – cum laude from McGill University in Montreal with a major in animal and molecular biology, she’s a graduate from Massey’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science class of 2007, in 2017 she was selected to participate in Zoetis’ Leadership Development Programme.

Kristen said she found the programme provided a sound basis for personal growth, and feels it’s increased her emotional intelligence. The prog required a project – Kristen created a technical induction and training programme, which is in use in New Zealand today.

And because she has an appetite for learning, development and the environment, in 2018 Kristen embarked on a Masters of Environmental Management at Massey.  

For her thesis she thinks that sustainability of our food production systems in the future is critical, but to make important environmental decisions, we need them to be based on science. 

Kristen's focus in this study has been to look at environmental policy and decision making and how life cycle assessment can be successfully integrated into those systems, particularly within the animal health industry. 

As you’re about to hear – as well as being a mum, wife, large animal veterinarian and sustainability lead at Zoetis, Kristen has also been a kiwi farmer.


Links mentioned in today’s episode

Zoetis New Zealand email

Fonterra sustainability programme:  The Fonterra Co-operative Difference

Sustainability courses: 
Sustainable Business Network

Climate Action Toolbox

AgMatters

Ministry for Primary Industries – MPI

NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Dr Paulo Lencioni – a companion animal vet turned computer coder turned practising accountant specialising who now works with vet clinics to grow their practices answers the question “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?”

If you haven’t listened to the first part yet, then I recommend you do because it gives context to today.   

We continue with the findings in the report commissioned by Profit Diagnostics – one of Paulo’s businesses – together with Virtual Vet Nurse – one of Dr Steve Merchant’s  initiatives.  [Dr Steve Merchant founded IndieVets]

The report’s entitled “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?”

You can get your free copy of the report here.  

Today we talk about:

•  what Paolo’s most profitable client clinic is doing that others aren’t which includes removing psychological ceilings and judgements on what clients will spend;
• some easy to deal to in-clinic inefficiencies that will help improve both profitability and reduce stress for nurses and vets
• and something totally left field – how doggie dancing helps calm reactive and angry dogs – I never knew doggie dancing was such a thing but Paolo and his wife take on problem dogs and turn them around – he shares what that looks like for the dog and them.

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Veterinarian Dr Paolo Lencioni - co-author of September 2021 Vet Clinic Practice White Paper “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?”

Today is part one of a two parts where I caught up with Dr Paulo Lencioni – a Companion Animal Veterinarian turned computer coder turned practising accountant specialising in vet clinic practices - mostly in Australasia but spanning a few global continents.

If you’ve been listening to Paws Claws & Wet Noses for a while, you may remember that back in April I had the pleasure of catching up with Dr Steve Merchant of IndieVets in episode 25.

Steve and I talked about IndieVets – where independently owned vet clinic can go, for, among other things, collaboration.

In September Steve sent me a white paper report that was commissioned by Profit Diagnostics – one of Paulo’s businesses – together with Virtual Vet Nurse – another of Steve’s initiatives.  

“The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?”

The report is entitled “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?”

If you haven’t read the report and you’d like to, then here's where you can find your free copy.

The way the pandemic has played out in vet clinics - so far

In Q1 last year – 2020 - when COVID-19 first emerged, veterinary clinics throughout Australasia (and indeed, the world) were apprehensive.

As with all businesses, no-one knew how the pandemic would play out – or how it would affect our communities, our society, and our livelihoods.

Within the first 30 days, it became clear that veterinary businesses weren’t being negatively affected – at least, not financially.  Instead, they experienced a noticeable spike in demand for services.

This trend has continued, to varying degrees, during the ensuing 2020/2021 lockdown periods in Australia and New Zealand.

Key questions raised 

• What’s driving the increased demand for veterinary services?
• How long will the trend continue?
• What are the in-clinic impacts of increased levels of busyness?
• What’s the correlation between revenues and profitability?
• What’s the impact on clinical standards and patient advocacy?
• How can clinics address this to create a win-win situation?

That’s what this episode and next week’s looks at – the results of these findings plus the answers to other questions I asked Paolo.

IndieVets webinar

You’ll hear Paolo mention a webinar that he and Steve did together.   If you’d like to watch that webinar please get in touch with Steve as that was an IndieVets webinar.   

Profit Diagnostix webinars

Paulo also mentions other webinars his consultancy firm does – the last one he held was with approximately 50 vets across Australasia discussing environmental and pandemic issues and strategies.    It’s well worth listening to.   You can attend by donating a few dollars for Paolo to plant a tree.

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics

Sustainable Vet Clinic Practice - CeeJay Donovan of Massey Vets in Palmerston North - chats about her 6 in 6  - six easy to implement sustainable practices she implemented at Massey Vets in six months and the differences she noticed.

For international listeners that’s the on-campus clinic of the Veterinary Science Faculty of New Zealand’s Massey University.

CeeJay has a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology from Massey, a Certificate in Science and Technology from Massey as well as a Certificate in Captive Wild Animal Management from Unitec in Auckland.  

If you’ve listened to the previous two episodes on sustainability, you’ll have heard CeeJay’s name mentioned a few times – especially in relation to the social media initiatives she’s kicked off Sustainable Vet Practice – NZ communities on both FB and Insta – so go follow and connect there.

We also talked about some of her big picture goals such as 

• finding a way to compost cat poop without exposing the environment to toxoplasma; 
•  is there a way you can capture and reuse your anaesthetic gas, 
• and what’s she doing in regard to responsible antimicrobial disposal.

 As you’ll hear her say more than once – one person can make a difference!

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE:

it’s critical that vets with visas can get into NZ without having to play the MIQ lottery game of chance – you can sign it at Get2VetsNZ at Facebook or via tinyurl.com/get2vetsnz -  thanks heaps!

Stay tuned right to the end - if you’re interested you can listen into the after we wrapped everything up chat that CeeJay and I had.

Sustainable Vet Practice - NZ - Facebook
Sustainable Vet Practice - NZ - Instagram

Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?

A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.

Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.

Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics