The BVA has called for practices to get on board with flexible working after its Autumn 2021 Voice of the Profession survey revealed that 44% of vets want to work more flexibly.
The Association pointed out that with many sectors of the vet industry struggling with recruitment and employee retention, it’s in everyone’s interests to give candidates and employees what they want.
The survey also found that while 50% of vets now have some flexibility (up from 44% in 2019), 36% of those who are already working flexibly would still like more flexibility.
Why vets want more flexibility: the numbers
The survey asked respondents to give their reasons for wanting more flexibility. The most common responses were as follows:
- More time for leisure activities: 56%
- Lifestyle needs: 50%
- Care responsibilities: 28%
- Health reasons: 28%
- Professional development: 22%
- Voluntary work: 16%
They were also asked what type of flexibility they wanted, and responses varied widely:
- Part-time work: 31%
- Home working: 16%
- Flexible hours: 13%
- Compressed hours: 5%
The BVA has launched a new booklet, “Flexible working: Embracing flexibility in the veterinary profession”, as part of its campaign. The booklet includes facts, statistics and case studies to show how flexible working can be a win-win for both employers and employees across the veterinary profession. It also offers advice and tips on how to tackle some of the challenges that can come up when transitioning to a more flexible way of working in a clinical environment.
Malcolm Morley, Junior Vice President of the BVA, said: “The statistics clearly show that there is a huge appetite for more flexibility in working hours. We understand that there are potential challenges to allowing more flexibility but we’re hoping to demonstrate that these are not insurmountable.”
Access it here
