Better scheduling may be a practical lever for vet team wellbeing

Veterinary practices may have more room than they think to improve retention and day-to-day wellbeing through scheduling, according to a new mixed-methods article in Today's Veterinary Nurse that translates findings from a 51-person survey into practical staffing recommendations. The piece, published March 11, 2026, argues that predictable schedules, protected breaks, role-specific flexibility, and better alignment between appointment flow and staffing can reduce burnout pressure and support safer patient care. In the underlying survey, conducted from January 15 to March 31, 2025, 80% of participants said flexible schedules would improve their overall wellbeing, and nearly all endorsed consistency and predictability. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the article lands in a workforce environment where hours are easing from pandemic highs, but still remain elevated. AVMA reports that veterinarians worked an average of 42.4 hours per week in 2024, down from 45.6 in 2021, while full-time veterinarians still averaged 48.3 hours weekly. Earlier research also suggests schedule design is more than an HR issue: schedule control was the strongest predictor of lower emotional exhaustion among veterinary technicians, and on-call work has been linked to worse job satisfaction and wellbeing, especially for female associates. (ebusiness.avma.org)

What to watch: Expect more practices to test short scheduling pilots, document break and late-stay rules, and tie staffing changes to retention, error reduction, and culture metrics rather than hours alone. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)