H.R. Huddle

The Americans with Disabilities Act kicks in at 15 or more workers. Smaller practices still should do their best to accommodate employees’ needs.

Picture this: An associate veterinarian with a good attendance history called off for the third time in two weeks. When she returns to work, the doctor explains that she suffers from clinical depression to the point where she can’t always get out of bed. She also experiences panic attacks. You sympathize with her but aren’t […]

Professional matchmakers can find a great veterinarian for your practice, but be sure to scrutinize the contract and fee structure before signing it.

Not so long ago, industry observers debated whether we had an oversupply of veterinarians or excess capacity. Over the past few years, though, the profession has undeniably suffered from a shortage of veterinarians. So, how can clinics find enough qualified professionals to serve clients and their pets? One solution is to use a recruiting agency. […]

The veterinary profession has made great strides in employing women and millennials, but determined practice leaders can accomplish much more.

Veterinary practices reap numerous benefits when employing a workforce diverse in age, gender, and racial or ethnic background. These team members, naturally enough, tend to brainstorm a greater range of solutions to problems and demonstrate deeper creativity and innovation in managing and growing the practice. A McKinsey study — visit mck.co/35JFSKP — determined that businesses […]

A request for a pay hike can come at any time. Employees must be prepared when asking for one and managers need to know how to respond.

Veterinary practices, like many other businesses, often award pay raises during annual employee reviews. The timing is logical because it’s a moment for performance-related feedback. But what if you’re a practice team member who thinks you deserve a raise outside of the normal timeframe? For example, you’ve taken on extra duties during the pandemic and […]

When done properly, exit interviews encourage departing employees to give valuable feedback and inform practice leaders about underlying issues.

Among the most valuable assets at your veterinary practice are your employees. A team member’s permanent departure can present both a challenge for a clinic as well as a silver-lining opportunity for management to gather insights through an exit interview. To help your practice extract maximum value from the situation, I’ll address the who, what, […]

Some people are career-oriented while others place greater value on time away from work. Practice leaders can support both.

We have all heard about work-life balance. Over the past few years, though, a new phrase has been tossed into the mix: work-life integration. Is there a difference, or has the old phrase been given a fresher name? The short answer is that the idea of work-life balance has evolved into the more holistic concept […]

Recognizing signs of mental distress in team members is the first step in getting them the assistance they might urgently need.

On the day your practice hired Maria as a veterinary nurse, you were thrilled. Not only did Maria have plenty of experience, but she was compassionate and caring, too. A win-win. Nowadays, though, you notice that Maria is on edge much of the time, experiencing what seem to be panic attacks. Some days her anxiety […]

Team members and job candidates desire more than a paycheck. Benefits such as flexible schedules, paid CE and mentoring can produce happier employees.

Team members and job candidates desire more than a paycheck. Benefits such as flexible schedules, paid CE and mentoring can produce happier employees. Veterinary practices have found that they need to make the workplace as appealing as possible if they want to recruit and retain quality team members. In the past, clinics could simply advertise […]

As employment laws change or are enacted, practice owners and managers need to be cognizant of all the twists and turns. An array of online resources is available to explain the details, or you might want to consult an attorney.

Keeping up with evolving employment-related legislation can be difficult for small business owners, and COVID-19 made the situation even more problematic. As laws containing new and sometimes confusing information are rapidly passed, a veterinary practice owner’s compliance with the legislation might lag, which can have consequences as serious as litigation. As a general approach, gathering […]

Workplaces thrive in a culture of gratitude and when teamwork and collaboration are encouraged.

Studies have shown that positive leadership leads to positive work environments. The concept is so logical that you probably don’t need to review stacks of employee survey results to accept the notion that leadership has a real impact on work culture. Just as negative people can create a negative work environment, positive leaders can create […]