Addressing Negativity In The Veterinary Workplace: 7 Reasons It Happens and What To Do About It

After working in over 30 different vet hospitals and coaching many veterinarians, this is one common challenge: negativity and constant complaining in the workplace.

Talk about draining - a negative workplace will suck the energy right out of you and it doesn’t exactly create an environment people want to be. 

And yet, it makes sense that this is a common challenge!

Here are 7 reasons it’s totally understandable if you’re struggling with negativity in your workplace along with simple action steps to turn it around:

1. Brains will be brains.   

Our brains are naturally wired to focus on negative things (aka negativity bias), which was useful for evolution and survival but isn't helpful for thriving and enjoying daily life. 

What you can do: 

Encourage your team to notice and share positives. Some ideas:

• After each appointment, celebrate one positive thing (this is great to do as a team between the veterinarian and support staff and encourages a growth mindset) 
• Create a "wins" whiteboard where staff can write down successes throughout the day
• Celebrate tough cases that have successful outcomes with the whole hospital so that everyone can celebrate and feel connected to the positive outcome (bonus: this helps with educating staff like CSRs who aren't typically as involved with cases). 

2. Employees are stuck in fight-or-flight mode.  

Vet med has normalized chronic stress. In this state, patience is low and tension and irritability are high. Unfortunately, working with someone like that adds stress creating a domino effect of defensiveness and negativity throughout the hospital.  

What you can do:

Teach staff to recognize a stress response (in themselves and others) and adopt a fear free approach at your hospital (for people, not just pets) to create a safe environment with a low baseline stress level. 

Watch the free Beat The Burnout “No More Bullies” video for more on this. 

3. Beliefs influence your reality.   

Your brain's filter, the reticular activating system - RAS, looks for evidence that supports your beliefs. If you believe "clients are annoying" or "I hate my job", the RAS will highlight every rude client and every hard day, while missing the positive parts of each day.

That makes it feel like those beliefs are really true, because that is the reality that you are consciously aware of!

What you can do:

Change the narrative. As soon as you become aware of something, you have the power to change it. When negative thoughts arise, replace them with more positive thoughts that feel better.

For example, instead of "Nothing is going right today" embrace curiosity: "What specifically isn't working and what can we do to regroup and make this crazy day feel more doable?"

4. Lack of basic necessities.

It’s hard to be happy and thriving if you're missing basic necessities - water, rest, real food, sunlight, movement, and bathroom breaks. When you don’t “have time” for those, it adds stress from your body's perspective, fueling a negative mood and less resilience (ex: getting hangry when you don’t have lunch). 

What you can do:

Create a culture where basic necessities are a priority. They’re crucial in order to provide the level of care and experience your patients and clients deserve. 

Watch the free Beat The Burnout video "Creating A Workplace Where It's Convenient To Thrive" for tips and example of how you can stand out and create a workplace that values well-being.

5. Food rewards are making your team tired and cranky.  

Ultra-processed food (candy, bagels, donuts, Chik-fil-a, etc) provides a temporary boost but can leave people tired and cranky. These foods contribute to inflammation, anxiety, depression, and significant decreased workplace productivity.  

I know you may be surprised to see the Chik-fil-a, but you should check out the ingredient list of the grilled nuggets (or pay attention to how you feel when you have those compared to real grilled chicken).

What you can do:

Provide healthy, yummy options that fuel your team's brains, bodies, and morale. 

Be a trend setter and use the ideas shared in the “Creating a Workplace Where It’s Convenient to Thrive” Beat The Burnout video.

6. Physical discomfort impacts mental well-being.  

Physical and mental health aren’t separate - it’s all connected. Chronic stress, unhealthy food, and lack of sleep contribute to poor gut health, joint pain, headaches, low energy, inflammation, and pain. It’s hard to feel cheerful when you’re uncomfortable. 

On top of that, we're now discovering that when the body is chronically inflamed it changes the way microglia cells in the brain behave - shifting from supporting and protecting neurons to destructive which can lead to cognitive changes and signs like anxiety and depression.

What you can do:

Prioritize physical and mental well-being by encouraging and making time for lunch-break walks for movement, fresh air, stress relief, and a brain break, or create a quiet space for meditation, stretching, or power naps. More ideas in the Beat The Burnout series!

7. Employees don’t feel respected, valued, or supported.  

It’s hard to stay positive if you don't feel set up for success or like your hard work isn’t appreciated. 

In a Gallup survey, 51% of employees who voluntarily exited said that in the 3 months before they left, no one in leadership discussed their job satisfaction or future with the company. And yet 52% say they could have done something to prevent them from leaving.

What you can do:

Offer each employee a safe, confidential space to provide honest feedback (like the workplace satisfaction and well-being survey). Then, view that feedback as an opportunity for positive change and growth.

Do you struggle with workplace negativity?

You're not alone! The good news is that with a proactive approach, you can dramatically improve the energy, well-being, and satisfaction of your team. 

In your corner,

Dr. Amelia Knight Pinkston
Integrative health and life coach
Unicorn vet hospital consultant
Recovered burnt out veterinarian