Good workplaces

Culture in veterinary workplaces

The importance of workplace culture

Workplace culture is the character and personality of an organisation, made up of an organisation’s leadership, values, traditions, and beliefs, and the behaviours and attitudes of the people in it.

A positive culture can lead to dramatic benefits for employers, employees, and profits. It can make staff feel happier at work, improve health and wellbeing, help the organisation to meet legal requirements, help with recruitment and retention, improve levels of engagement, reduce costs, and improve the reputation of the organisation.

Workplace culture incorporates and underpins all the elements of a good workplace which have been covered in the BVA position on good veterinary workplaces.

How to improve culture in veterinary workplaces

Constant assessment, management, monitoring, and review are essential to make improvements to culture, and drive change where necessary. Workplace culture incorporates and underpins all the elements of a good workplace which have been covered in the BVA position on good veterinary workplaces.

Considering where social responsibility lies within the organisation’s culture may help to attract customers and potential employees who share the same values, and help existing employees to feel positive about their work. It also contributes towards the positive public perception of the veterinary professions

Everyone has a role to play in creating a positive workplace culture. We should all consider what we do personally, professionally, and organisationally to show our values, and repeatedly challenge negative behaviours and processes.

Good workplaces:

foster a positive workplace culture by communicating and promoting shared values and attitudes to improve teamwork, raise morale, increase productivity, efficiency, and enhance retention;
regularly assess, manage, monitor, and review our workplace culture;
are aware of our impacts on wider communities and consider the role of social responsibility in our workplace.

Read pages 57 to 63 in our position on good veterinary workplaces, to equip yourself with a better understanding of how to drive positive changes in your workplace culture.

Webinar

Watch the recording of our webinar with BVA Past President and Chair of the Good Workplace Working Group, Gudrun Ravetz and Head of VDS Training Carolyne Crowe.

BVA past president and Chair of the BVA good workplace working group Gudrun Ravetz, and Carolyne Crowe from VDS Training shared their thoughts on creating a positive culture with shared values and attitudes, monitoring and reviewing culture changes, and how having a positive impact on wider society can help.

watch the recording