IN January, Cross-words discussed
the stress, isolation and lack of
moral support that being a practice
owner can bring. The column
started with a rough retelling of the
tale of the sword of Damocles to
illustrate the feeling of isolation and
vulnerability that running a practice
can feel like, with few places or
people to turn to for help and moral
support when things go wrong.
Practice ownership can be a pretty
difficult job, one for which
most
veterinary
owners have
very little
training in
before taking
over or
buying in or setting up. When
problems occur, owners can find
themselves feeling pretty poorly
supported, and certainly so in the case
of single person owners.
This obviously touched a nerve
with many readers and also spoke of
something that is often not discussed
but is clearly an issue. I received more
correspondence from that column (on
garethcross@hotmail.com) than any
other, not just in numbers of
comments but in depth of feeling in
them.
One also commented about this
column in general: “…nor do you
pontificate and berate your reader with
a clear and obvious solution that
everyone else has overlooked”.
Well, there is one simple reason I
don’t make out I have all the answers!
So in the spirit of not pontificating I
will hand over the rest of the column
to my correspondents’ quotes. Unless
identified otherwise, all are quotes from
practice owners.
‘Not the only boss suffering’
- “The reason for writing? Well, after
feeling better, realising that I wasn’t the
only boss suffering … every article I’ve
ever read in the veterinary press about
stress (and I take a keen interest in
them) is written entirely from the point
of view of an employee, not employer.
“This in itself adds to the isolation
of being at the top of the tree, not
only is it difficult for all the reasons
you gave, you’re also Mr Nasty, the
villain of the piece. Must close, no rest
for the wicked. Do keep up the good
work.”
Dealing with absenteeism
- “I read with interest your article in
this month’s Veterinary Practice [there then follows an anecdote concerning a difficult employee with persistent
absenteeism; at the end the employer is
so distraught by her demands he
throws a letter in the bin.] I
subsequently found myself facing an
employment tribunal where, because I
failed to respond to her request, I
ended up settling out of court for
£500.
“My legal costs were around £700.
Sometimes being a sole principal is the
loneliest place on earth.”
View from both sides
- “Having been qualified as a vet now
for over 20 years I have experienced
both sides, being an employee again
after having had my own practice for a
short while.
“It is indeed often difficult, and a
lot of practice owners nowadays do
have the clinical knowledge but no or
little people skills. This is even the case
if they are joint venture partners of
larger groups, who praise themselves
for their achievement in being a ‘good’
employer.”
Invaluable help
- “Own single-handed practice for 43
years. Federation of Small Businesses
and VDS have both have been
invaluable in difficult situations.” - “Helped me send a full tax
investigation inspector away with tail
between legs having spent thousands
trying to screw me and didn’t get a
penny! Trouble is it’s my taxes pay his
exorbitant (probably 3x mine) wages…”
Piggy in the middle
- “I am now employed again and feel
myself as the piggy in the middle
between a manager and the staff
working in a small branch, where I am
doing sole charge.
“Often this leads to being held
responsible by the management for
nearly everything going on like the
turnover of the practice to building a
good team without really being given
the authority needed to impose this on
the staff… I would be able to act with
much more authority were I the actual
practice owner or employer.
“Veterinary employment is not
much more easy since my graduation 20 years ago. We should just all
remember that we are after all
colleagues and treat each other with
respect and consideration. Otherwise
both sides, employers as well as
employees, might end up needing
counselling at some point.”
Unpleasant bullying
- One (anonymous) employee
contributed, relaying extremely
unpleasant bullying which led her to
leave her job and ended with this:
“Being a good boss is sometimes very
difficult and I think that many vets
realise after they have become a boss
that they are not really equipped to deal
with some of the issues that can arise
but I would say one of the main things
to remember is that employees just
want to feel valued.
“Bullying and poor treatment are
unnecessary and cause stress which
undermines the
employee’s ability to
perform but if the
boss is someone who
constantly praises and
encourages them then
they will be much
more respected by
their team and the
team will be happier,
work harder and
perform better.”
Maternity and paternity leave
a huge issue
One huge issue that is continually
discussed in the light of employees is
maternity and paternity leave. Being a
practice owner puts you in a different
position and although you may be able
in theory to take time off, your
responsibilities to the practice often
conflict with that.
I know one female practice owner
who after the birth of her son did hire
a locum to cover her. The practice
didn’t do too well and a few days after
birth she was back to prevent a bitch
spay the locum was doing bleeding out
on the table.
One thing I may look at is setting
up an employers’ online forum, if
enough people are interested. Not
quite as good as a pint and a moan
down the local, but better than
nothing.
The BVA has also been in touch to
say it has something up its sleeve for
employers too in the future (as well as its and SPVS existing stuff mentioned
in January’s column).
A hard job made harder
The last e-mail came from someone I
have never met. Her story may well
connect with some of you out there. If
it, or anything else in this month’s or
January’s column does, then please get
in touch.
- “It is EXTREMELY rare that I
drum up enough enthusiasm to put
‘finger to keyboard’ but your article …
really struck a chord with me, the
analogy with the king and courtier was
so ‘sad but true’.
“I bought the practice nearly 15
years ago. I am now a sole director at a
mixed rural first opinion practice
employing a total of about 20 staff
during which time I have had to
relocate the practice more than once! I am not going to bang on
about the trials and
tribulations of being the
boss but I have often
felt frustrated by the lack
of available support for
people in similar
situations.
“Immediately local
practices are difficult to
approach as however
friendly you are with
them, they are always ‘the competition’ and you always feel
the need to demonstrate how tickety-
boo everything is.
“Sometimes it would be so nice just
to meet up in a pub somewhere with
others in the same position and have a
good old moan … it makes you feel so
much better to know that other bosses
experience the same issues as you.
“I have never felt this more so than
in the last few years [and she continues
by detailing the problems of having a
family]. This resentment is hard to
bear.
“I so wish I had been able to talk
to another female practice owner who
has had a bigger family and simply ask
them how they managed. This lack of
support and feeling of isolation makes
a hard job even harder and I’m rather
confused by how to approach the
‘faceless’ organisations of
BVA/SPVS/RCVS, etc., etc., for help.
“Trying to get support isn’t about
moaning and complaining but trying to
do the best job we can whilst trying to
hang onto your sanity (and
husband!!!).”
