Building wellbeing in veterinary teams – practical steps that work

Citation Podcast

Building wellbeing in veterinary teams – practical steps that work

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Wellbeing isn’t a perk. It’s what keeps good people in veterinary practice. 

In high-pressure clinical environments, wellbeing often gets pushed aside when there’s time, which there rarely is. 

But ignoring it has real consequences: exhaustion, turnover, declining performance, and teams that can’t sustain the work they trained for. 

In our latest podcast, Adrian Brine, Partnership Manager at Citation, is joined by: 

• Emma McGrath, Professional Support Solicitor at Citation 

• Chris White, Operations & Development Director and Board Chair at VMG 

• Steven Goodear, SPVS Board Member and Practice Owner at Black Sheep Vets 

They explore what wellbeing means in veterinary practice and the practical steps that make a difference. 

What you’ll learn 

1. What wellbeing looks like

• The difference between fulfilment and comfort. Your best days might have been stressful but still rewarding. 

• How wellbeing connects to autonomy, relationships, and making a difference. 

• Engaged, productive teams still experience stress but have the coping mechanisms to handle it. 

2. Normal stress vs burnout

• Work-related stress is inevitable in veterinary practice. That’s not always a problem. 

• Too much stress, too often, for too long leads to burnout. 

• Recovery time matters, even when you love your work. 

• Sense of achievement and recognition matter alongside managing pressure. 

3. Spotting the red flags

Managers don’t need to diagnose, but they do need to notice changes, such as: 

• Attitude shifts 

• Performance patterns 

• Appearance changes 

• Social withdrawal 

• Behavioural changes 

Understanding your team well enough to notice when something’s different is the key. 

4. Practical tools that work

Our panel shares what’s made the biggest impact in their practices: 

• Personality profiling to understand how different team members process stress, communicate and respond under pressure. It’s not about labelling people; it’s about de-escalating conflict and creating better working relationships. 

• Opening conversations early matters. Don’t wait until someone’s in crisis. “Are you okay?” can be the start of meaningful support. 

• Manager self-awareness means assessing how leaders behave under stress, not just employees. 

• Creating feedback loops means recognising good work, even during high-pressure days. 

Why this episode matters 

Veterinary teams face emotionally demanding cases, unpredictable workloads, and the weight of life-or-death decisions. 

Wellbeing isn’t about eliminating stress. It’s about creating environments where people can do challenging work without burning out. 

The practices that get this right build teams that thrive, support each other, and stay in the profession. 

This episode is packed with honest, practical insight from people who’ve managed wellbeing challenges in real veterinary settings. 

Listen now 

If you’re a practice owner, manager or clinical lead who wants to build a team that lasts, this episode is essential listening.