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Veterinary work can involve specific demands that can affect wellbeing, such as working with demanding clients, patient cases that are stressful, lone working, and working in physically uncomfortable or unpleasant conditions.

Describe what your workplace does to support colleagues in dealing with the demands of their work. Examples might include support and advice in relation to dealing with difficult situations at work e.g. manging demanding clients, understanding bereavement etc; safeguards for lone working; measures to minimise physical discomfort at work (500 words maximum).

Veterinary work can involve long working days, high workload, and working unsocial hours, including on-call working, all of which can affect wellbeing.

Describe what your workplace does to support colleagues in managing their workload and achieving an appropriate work-life balance. Examples might include arranging rotas, including on-call and weekend duties, to reduce fatigue; ensuring colleagues take breaks during the working day; ensuring colleagues’ workloads are appropriate (500 words maximum).

Co-operation, information sharing, and supportiveness among colleagues are important not only for effective working but also wellbeing.

Describe what your workplace does to support positive relationships among colleagues. Examples might include regular meetings (e.g. daily, weekly) for colleagues to discuss work; opportunities for colleagues to meet informally during work (e.g. shared breaks) or outside work (e.g. social events); demonstrating that staff are valued; ensuring that staff can raise concerns about work relationships and that problems are addressed (500 words maximum).

Access to personal and career development support such as constructive feedback on performance, mentoring, and training is important not only for effective working but also wellbeing.

Describe what your workplace does to provide development support for colleagues. Examples might include supervision or mentoring of less-experienced colleagues; supporting work-related training; supporting career development; constructive feedback on performance; recognising and rewarding good performance and achievements (500 words maximum).

Enabling colleagues to have control, where appropriate, over how work is organised and undertaken contributes to wellbeing.

Describe what your workplace does to enable colleagues to have a say, where appropriate, in how their duties are undertaken and work is organised. Examples might include involving colleagues in decisions about their work responsibilities and schedules; encouraging and recognising colleagues’ suggestions for improving workplace processes and procedures; empowering those with management responsibilities to implement decisions (500 words maximum).

nsuring that colleagues are informed of and consulted on what is happening at work, particularly during periods of change at work, contributes to wellbeing.

Describe what your workplace does to protect and enhance colleagues’ physical health and psychological wellbeing. Examples might include addressing occupational health risks (e.g. animal-related injuries, musculoskeletal conditions); promoting healthy eating or exercise; promoting resilience initiatives (e.g. relaxation, mindfulness); mental health awareness training; providing employee assistance programmes; sickness absence and return to work support (500 words maximum).

Protecting and promoting colleagues’ physical health and psychological wellbeing.

Describe what your practice does to protect and enhance colleagues’ physical health and psychological wellbeing. Examples might include addressing occupational health risks (e.g. animal-related injuries, musculoskeletal conditions, stress); promoting healthy eating or exercise; promoting resilience initiatives (e.g. relaxation, mindfulness); mental health awareness training; providing employee assistance programmes; sickness absence and return to work support (500 words maximum).