If your team is leaving, you're not just facing a staffing crisis - you're getting feedback.

It’s easy to blame the job market, the burnout, the younger generation. And yes, those are real pressures. But when good people walk away from competitive salaries, flexible schedules, even student loan repayments - something deeper is going on.

The real question isn't why are they leaving?
It’s: Is your clinic somewhere worth staying for?

When More Money Isn’t Enough

One equine practice offered new hires:

• Above-average pay
• Flexible four-day work weeks
• Minimal on-call duty
• Full student loan repayment

And still, the roles weren’t filled. Existing team members didn’t stay.

Why? Because retention isn't about offers - it’s about experience.

You Can’t Retain People with Perks Alone

Throwing benefits at your team might look generous, but if the core experience of working in your clinic is draining, chaotic, or disconnected, they won’t stay - no matter the salary.

High turnover often points to missing foundations:

• Psychological safety
• A culture of trust
• Clear communication
• Purpose-driven leadership

Without these, you're building on sand.

The Core Question: Are They Engaged?

💡 Only 2 in 10 employees in the average workplace are actively engaged. That means most people are checked out - or halfway out the door.

If you want your team to stay, you need to build engagement. That starts with three critical areas:

1. Connection

• Do your team members feel connected to your practice's vision?
• Can they see where the business is going and how they fit in?
• Do they feel heard?

Tip: Invite their ideas. Ask what’s working - and what isn’t. Let them help shape the “how.”

2. Fulfilment

• Are people working to their strengths?
• Do they have opportunities to grow or try new things?
• Are they getting recognized for what they bring to the table?

Fulfilment doesn't just mean work-life balance. It means meaning - and a reason to care beyond the paycheck.

3. Wellbeing

This goes beyond snacks in the staff room.

• Does your team feel safe to speak up?
• Is there psychological safety to fail, ask questions, or try new approaches?
• Does your clinic look after people the way you ask them to look after clients?

A truly employee-first practice will always outperform one that only says it puts people first.

The Retention Foundation: Trust and Safety

Change is inevitable - new systems, new tech, new models of care. But even positive change can trigger resistance if people feel uncertain or unsupported.

Before you introduce anything new:

• Build trust
• Create clarity
• Offer support

People don’t fear change. They fear uncertainty, loss of control, and lack of communication.

What to Do Next

If you’re worried about retention - or already seeing the impact of people leaving - pause and ask:

1. What am I learning from those who leave?
   (Are you even asking?)
2. How often am I actually talking to my team?
   (Not just instructing - listening.)
3. What’s one small win I can deliver this week to show I care?
   (Even symbolic change builds momentum.)

Your Team Doesn’t Owe You Loyalty

In today’s veterinary world, loyalty must be earned - not expected.

The clinics that keep great people don’t just pay well. They lead with clarity, care, and culture. They ask hard questions and take action on the answers. And they know that people don’t leave jobs - they leave environments where they don’t feel safe, seen, or supported.

So ask yourself - and your team - honestly:

Is this a place worth staying for?

If the answer is “not yet,” now is your moment to build it.

Retain Your Staff with The Lost Vet    

At The Lost Vet, we help you find your passion and purpose again.    

You’ll have:    

• The job you always dreamed of    
• More time for you and your friends and family, hobbies and interests    
• Increased profit and growth with less stress    
• An empowered team    
• Clients that truly value the service and advice you provide    

Don’t take our word for it, contact us today to find your passion and purpose again.