Workplace culture's role in veterinary recruitment and retention

The veterinary profession has long faced challenges in recruitment and retention, which have been exacerbated by the UK's decision to leave the European Union and the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining veterinarians in practice is essential for a healthy and fulfilling profession, enabling veterinary professionals to fulfil their professional oaths and continue to safeguard animal health and welfare and public health. Veterinary organisations and individual researchers have considered the reasons for workforce challenges in the sector, some of which are specific to the livestock practices. An inclusive workplace culture that considers flexibility, work-life balance, pay, personal development, fairness, diversity and inclusion is needed. The British Veterinary Association's (BVA) Good Veterinary Workplaces Voluntary Code helps create and maintain a good workplace culture. Great Workplaces by BVA, its accreditation scheme, provides external scrutiny, recognition, and an award for excellent workplace culture. These developments can be used by livestock practices to build happy, healthy veterinary teams and support recruitment and retention. To ensure a thriving and healthy profession, enabling veterinary professionals to uphold their oaths and continue protecting animal and public health, it is vital to keep veterinarians in practice. Research by veterinary organisations and individuals has explored the causes of these workforce challenges, noting that some are unique to livestock practices. It concludes that a more inclusive workplace culture is essential, one that prioritises flexibility, work-life balance, fair pay, personal development, fairness, diversity, and inclusion. The British Veterinary Association offers two key resources to address this: the Good Veterinary Workplaces Voluntary Code, which helps practices build and maintain a positive workplace culture, and the Great Workplaces by BVA accreditation scheme, which provides external review, recognition, and awards for practices demonstrating excellent workplace culture. Livestock practices can leverage these initiatives to foster a positive, healthy veterinary team culture, thereby improving recruitment and retention outcomes.