• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Workplace warzone: How to deal with bullying in veterinary practice

August 1, 2012

One in five veterinary team members admit to feeling bullied by their boss sometimes. For a profession that relies on close communication of medical teams, that's a shame. Our expert has the inside scoop on how to spot the warning signs and wipe out toxic turbulence in the workplace for good.

Next >

Imagine waking up each morning and dreading going to work because of the hostile behavior you encounter on a daily basis from a boss or co-worker. Sadly, this is the reality for some veterinary team members who deal with a bully in the office. And judging from the results of the 2012 Veterinary Economics Business Issues Survey, it’s more common than you might think.

< Back  |  Next >

Dr. Shawn Finch, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member and associate veterinarian at Gentle Doctor Animal Hospitals in Omaha, Neb., knows firsthand how difficult working in a hostile environment can be.

“I’ve been in two situations that involved bullying—one with a practice owner and one with a head technician,” Dr. Finch says. “I tried bully avoidance, which was not the right thing to do. I also turned most of the stress in on myself, which was not the right thing to do either. When it was clear that the situations weren’t going to change, I gave notice and quit.”

Advertisement

< Back  |  Next >

So what should a practice owner or manager do to prevent bullying in the office and keep situations like Dr. Finch’s from happening? Here are her tips to keep peace in the workplace.

Lay ground rules. Establish very clear anti-bullying standards and make them well known among team members—in the practice handbook, in team meetings, and even in job interviews.

Reward good behavior. Publicly recognize and reward kindness, supportive and helpful actions, and other good deeds that are the opposite of bullying bad behavior.

Check the pulse of your practice. Stay in the loop and regularly communicate with your team members. Be aware of how everyone is doing, particularly in relationships with one another.

Practice zero tolerance. Nip bad behavior in the bud. Having a straightforward conversation with a team member who’s showing early signs of bullying behavior will save everyone heartache and trouble in the long run. Letting a bullying situation develop, continue or work itself out will never end well.

< Back  |  Start >

Fortunately, Dr. Finch is now in a healthy practice environment—and it’s made all the difference. “Working in a positive environment again has been such a relief,” Dr. Finch says. “Everyone on the team can just gather every day and practice great medicine together.”

Dr. Finch says the number one contributor to the anti-bullying work environment she’s currently in is positive leadership. “Team members are thanked individually and publicly for being kind and supportive to one another,” she says. “From the practice owner to the other doctors and leaders, there is an expectation and modeling of kindness and fairness.”

Related Content:

AssociatesPersonnel Management
CE: Why tapeworms matter
CE: Why tapeworms matter
Advances in the detection, characterization, and monitoring of cancer in pets
Advances in the detection, characterization, and monitoring of cancer in pets
Treating feline arthritis with spectrum of care
Treating feline arthritis with spectrum of care

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement