What matters to you? And why that matters

Vet Times

This article introduces the Joy in Work framework and how it can be applied.

Quality improvement Communication and teamwork

We work closely with our colleagues, often for years, to give animals the best possible care, so we know what matters to our team – or do we? Taking time to ask can be the first step to improving workplace wellbeing – and your clients’ and patients’ experiences.

Asking colleagues ‘what matters to you?’ creates an opportunity to listen properly, in order to understand their values and what gives them a sense of purpose in their work. By understanding what truly matters to our team, we can identify barriers that limit how much we enjoy our work – and then devise meaningful changes together to overcome them.”

What this article covers

The first article in this series introduces the Joy in Work framework, an evidence-based approach to beating burnout and increasing satisfaction and pride among care teams. The framework is applicable to all types of practice and is being used successfully by a growing number of veterinary teams in the UK. The article covers:

the work of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
the scientific background of the Joy in Work framework
the business case for improving joy in work
How to have productive What Matters to You? conversations.

Read the full article on Vet Times

Further resources

Restoring the joy: dealing with post-Covid burnout

In this podcast, Jesse McCall, who co-leads the Joy in Work Results-Oriented Learning Network at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, discusses the factors that diminish joy in work, and practical steps that teams can take to work together to nurture their workforce and address the issues that drive burnout and sap joy in work. Recorded at SPVS-VMG Virtual Congress in May 2021.

What matters to you: conversation guide for leaders

Adapted from the original IHI framework, this resource is intended to support leaders within the veterinary sector in introducing the Joy in Work concept to their teams. The conversation guide will support you in setting up initial and continuing conversations with your team to identify any workplace frustrations, or ‘pebbles in your shoes’, and to engage and empower the team to identify potential solutions.

What matters to you? An antidote to burnout

With demanding priorities to deliver the best possible care, it’s no wonder that veterinary professionals are concerned with stress and burnout within the profession. This presentation, recorded during the SPVS VMG Congress in May 2022, demonstrates how the Joy in Work framework can be used in veterinary settings, and the steps that can be taken to connect teams in meaning and purpose.

Re-finding our joy in work

This case example by Bracken Veterinary Centre, part of the Active Vetcare Group owned by CVS, focuses on re-finding Joy in Work by carrying out a baseline survey to discover how the team felt about working at the practice. They introduced ‘What Matters to You?’ training and followed the Joy in Work framework. The team felt more engaged and felt they were being listened to and the Practice has a productive approach to addressing issues. (Published June 2023).

IHI framework for improving joy in work

This white paper from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement is intended to serve as a guide to encourage engagement in the participative process where leaders ask colleagues at all levels of the organisation “What matters to you?”. Register for free access.