Swans Veterinary Services achieve Employer of Choice Accreditation

_{Image: Dr Nicole Swan and Dr David Swan of Swans Veterinary Services pictured with staff}

The AVA’s Employer of Choice (EOC) Accreditation program is an intensive, rigorous auditing process that recognises employers with exceptional standards of staff recruitment, engagement and retention.

On June 1 2022, Swans Veterinary Services achieved their goal of becoming EOC Accredited.

Located in Esperance, a vibrant coastal town in the South East of WA, Swans Veterinary Services (SVS) is a ‘true mixed practice’ that strives to have a fair, compliant and safe workplace. They see approximately 60% small animals and 40% large animals (predominantly beef cattle, plus horses and sheep). The hospital is purpose-built, boasting an endoscope, gastroscope, two digital X-ray machines, multiple ultrasounds, orthopaedic and dental equipment. There is both an orthopaedic surgery as well as a general surgery, dedicated cat, dog and isolation wards, a large treatment room and three consultation rooms.

Their team has approximately 30 staff, many of them being senior veterinarians with various special interests. This means new graduate vets and new employees are given lots of support, and are encouraged to follow their passions to further their knowledge and skills.

SVS already had a high level of employee satisfaction, scoring well on the workplace satisfaction survey. Regular team meetings – including daily team huddles, weekly vet meetings, monthly staff meetings and regular management meetings – ensure there is open communication and that members of the team feel heard and valued. “Staff know they can come to management at any level if they have any concerns,” says principal vet and owner, Dr Nicole Swan.

The aims of SVS are to be supportive, encouraging, approachable and flexible; they also aim to have fun. “Work needs to be productive, but also we want to have a fun work environment,” says Dr Swan.

Despite their already excellent levels of workplace satisfaction, SVS found the EOC Accreditation process to be extremely valuable in ensuring their processes and documentation were of a consistently high standard. Their EOC Accreditation status will last four years, during which they have implemented a management calendar of HR, WHS and staff reviews to ensure they continue to meet EOC Accreditation standards throughout the whole period.

SVS staff cheered when the confirmation email of their EOC accreditation came in. The achievement was one that, according to Dr Swan, gave the SVS staff “a feeling of pride and team spirit.” SVS plans to have a celebratory social event to celebrate obtaining EOC Accreditation.

In the meantime, when it comes to successfully managing a team, Dr Swan has this to say: “Communication is key.”