Cultivating Safe Teams – working together for better workplaces

^{(Image: Macarthur Vet Group, supplied)}

The THRIVE Cultivating Safe Teams psychological health and safety awareness training sessions commenced in late September and to date we have trained 210 veterinary professionals across 19 workplaces. By the end of 2024 we will have delivered this important training to 50 veterinary workplaces across Australia.

Each training session aims to provide participants with an understanding of psychological health and safety in the workplace, inspire individuals to consider how they can help build a safe veterinary team, and encourage entire teams to define and commit to cultivating a workplace that is safe, equitable and well.

For Carly Webster, an experienced allied health professional with Aspect Group (the organisation selected to run the training sessions), it has been satisfying to see the level of understanding around psychological health and safety grow quickly from the initial session. “Some of the key themes coming up in the sessions are prevalent psychosocial risks such as high work demands – whether it’s long hours or emotionally draining work – low levels of reward and recognition, trauma exposure and aggression from customers, but most of all (we’re hearing about) poor interpersonal workplace relationships and bullying and harassment.”

Participating clinics vary in size, specialty and location, but Carly is seeing common threads emerge. “The things that are bringing people good energy at work and acting as protective factors when it comes to our psychological health and wellbeing have been the good news stories and clinical successes, when people are given autonomy in their work, teamwork and good comradery, and when they are thanked, appreciated and rewarded for the effort they put in.”

^{(Image: REC Specialist Equine Centre team, supplied)}

Dr Leanne Begg from REC Specialist Equine Centre in Horsley Park echoes this sentiment and says the importance of staff feeling valued and part of a productive team has been a key takeout for her. “We train a large group of younger, driven veterinarians that work long hours due to the nature of their training programs. Their welfare is very important to us, so we wanted to do this (program) for them, as well as for the other vets, nurses, admin staff and receptionists that we employ.”

With around 70 staff spread out over 4 locations, veterinary nurse Kimberley Blackett is the appointed ‘wellness leader’ for Macarthur Vet Group and was eager for the opportunity to support her team. “Talking about mental health and breaking the taboo is very important. We are not alone, we are a team – not just within our clinic but within the industry. I love that the AVA is taking initiative and I felt (the training) would make staff feel supported within the industry.”

^{(Image: Summer Hill Village Vet team, supplied)}

The Summer Hill Village Vet in Sydney’s inner west is an eclectic and fun workplace, with the 25-strong team accommodating a lot of wildlife and rescue work in the busy small animal clinic. Practice manager Dr Sandra Hodgins says that despite spending a lot of training time on how to improve and communicate better as a team, sometimes things happen in the clinic that cause distress or upset. “We were desperate to do as much as we possibly could to help each other stay psychologically well in the workplace,” Sandra said.

“The program has given us valuable language and a practical framework to help approach these safety issues. We are able to assess risks in a tangible way now and have specific measures for success.”

Carly from Aspect Group notes that getting the conversation going about psychological health and safety is just the starting point. “We can achieve good awareness and understanding through the 1-hour sessions, but the real work actually starts when every individual steps back out onto the clinic floor and is more mindful of their role in cultivating a safe team.”

AVA is delighted to lead the THRIVE Cultivating Safe Teams Pilot Program. Thank you to all the participating workplaces, our training partner, Aspect Group, the Zoetis Foundation and our industry partners.

Learn more about the program, including the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework and the Cultivating Safe Teams Pledge.