VBJ articles

July 2018

One of the most powerful hiring and motivational tools you have in your workplace is a job description for each employee. Good ones will help you find the right person for the job and team members focus on doing their jobs well, so it is worth spending time to get them right ...

22 mins

RVNs play an invaluable role, yet are increasingly harder to recruit, and arguably harder to retain, than vets. For practices to remain successful, recognising, rewarding and developing VNs is no longer an optional extra ...

17 mins

February 2018

The British Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA) has been established to recognise and raise the status of veterinary receptionists within veterinary profession.

January 2018

With practices nationwide complaining of a lack of clinical team members for hire, Dave Nicol explores why this is happening, and offers some practical suggestions for maximising your mid to long-term chances of hiring the right people to power your practice.

24 mins

You’ve found your new team member and are ready to draft his or her contract – but this is employment law. Ed Newbould provides guidance on how best to avoid any legal fallout.

16 mins

November 2017

A decision by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has brought the question of employee monitoring to the forefront of employers’ minds once again. Mark Stevens examines the implications for UK businesses and their staff.

9 mins

Kit Sturgess looks at the decision-making process when prescribing nutraceuticals, reviews the available evidence and emphasises the importance of client comms.

22 mins

October 2017

Ray Girotti explains how being tight with standards and expectations, yet loose on how you allow your staff to achieve them, can create the right environment for teams can flourish.

23 mins

September 2017

Jenny Stuart explains why ensuring your staff are fairly rewarded is vital to ensure your practice runs smoothly.

24 mins

A supreme court case has potentially opened the floodgates for employees to bring claims against their employers. Lawyer Chloe Themistocleous reports.

10 mins

July 2017

Victor Chua and Nael Taher on how cost of childcare is contributing to growing problem of staff retention.

10 mins

June 2017

VBJ's Big 6 project saw a carefully selected panel discuss and debate the six biggest issues most likely to shape the veterinary landscape. In its first report, panellists discuss work-life balance and how this is changing practice.

50 mins

The difficulties faced by practices trying to recruit experienced vets has led an increasing number to turn to new graduates. Taking on inexperienced vets can be a challenge, but when it works, the rewards to both employer and employee are substantial, says Jenny Stuart.

10 mins

May 2017

Adam Bernstein outlines some potential pitfalls that could put your practice on the HMRC's radar for being in breach of paying the national minimum wage.

7 mins

April 2017

Kay Hamblin and Lindsay Brazil look at how acquiring leadership skills can benefit anyone working in practice, not just those in formal leadership roles.

17 mins

March 2017

The traditional dynamics of the referral process have often left clients feeling a little out of the loop, but times have changed. Here, Ray Girotti explains why it is now essential to see the client as central to the choice of whether or where their animal is referred.

18 mins

January 2017

Dan Curtis speaks with CVS Group's newly appointed director of nursing, Belinda Andrews-Jones, about her career to date.

16 mins

December 2016

Regular unplanned absences can cripple small practices and cause considerable problems for larger operations too. But before taking action it is vital to know the law when it comes to managing employee sickness, explains Emily Chalkley.

17 mins

The last thing any practice owner or manager needs is to be asked to appear before an employment tribunal. But if the worst does happen, it is vital to know exactly where you and your practice stand, says Mark Stevens.

16 mins

November 2016

Adam Bernstein discusses why, despite technological advances, it will always be the staff who make the difference between success and failure in practice.

20 mins