Though many veterinarians around the country blame burnout and stress on increasing caseloads and overbearing clients, one veterinary practice manager questions whether these feelings are actually new.
Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM, suggested that a veterinarian's work-life balance has always been perilous, but that today's vets are expressing their dissatisfaction more.
Halow suggested that several factors may be impacting veterinarians' perceptions, including a constant stream of negative news which may be exacerbating the feeling that the sky is constantly falling.
“Quiet quitting” first came to light in 2021, when Chinese factory workers protested their employment in unstimulating jobs by doing the bare minimum to get by. In the United States, Halow argues, quiet quitting isn't caused by burnout, but because of organizational issues: workplace leaders have failed to keep the employees engaged.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to all workplaces, including veterinary medicine. Staff shortages, new modes of workflow, client and employee angst, and health issues among clinic employees caused managers and employees to check out, often citing a lack of work-life balance as the leading cause.
Halow insisted that the work-life balance debate is mistaken in assuming that more life makes one happier. Instead, he suggested the work must cause employees to feel fulfilled and that they are part of a worthwhile venture.
“The road to happiness is mostly paved inside the borders of vocation, not vacation,” Halow noted.
Halow reiterates that though veterinary medicine can be difficult and emotional, it should not be overwhelming and unfulfilling. If a vet isn't getting the support, organization, and teamwork necessary to find fulfillment in work, it may be time to find access to it elsewhere.
Read more at DVM360.
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