By Danielle Kutchel
A strong belief in their team has seen Lynbrook Vet clinch one of three finalist spots in the Employment category of the 2021 Casey Business Awards.
Vet nurse Rebecca Nichols said although this year was the first time the clinic had entered the awards, she had faith in her team’s abilities and skills and had been confident in their entry.
“We back each other up,” she explained.
Likewise, the community has gotten behind the vet clinic; Ms Nicholas said they were “amazing, so close-knit”.
Lockdowns in 2020 forced some changes to the way Lynbrook Vet served its clients, but its unwavering commitment to the community never changed.
Nor did its commitment to its employees, who were supported throughout the lockdown.
Staffing hours were changed and extra animal attendants were brought on to help hold pets during surgery and consultations as customers weren’t allowed in.
Ms Nichols said calls to the vet skyrocketed over that time, with no stopping for the dedicated staff.
Most of the clinic’s staff live in the City of Casey, and keeping it local is incredibly important, she added.
Ms Nichols said the owners of the clinic look to hire local and support local at all times, even down to their marketing activities and purchasing of supplies.
Another innovation that helps the team is the presence of a clinical psychologist as part of the staff.
The vet industry is known for its high level of mental health distress and suicides, and Ms Nichols said the psychologist helps keep everyone feeling supported and valued.
“It’s really important and really different,” said Ms Nicholas, who in her 12 years in the industry has never seen an internal mental health support like it.
But it all feeds into the clinic’s desire to do the right thing by its people.
“We want to be an employer of choice and a practice of choice,” she said.
“We have such a high care factor. We do good and we want others to do the same. We want to change the industry a little bit – by starting small in our area with things like this, we hope word can spread and other clinics take this on board.”
And that, she said, is when the clinic moves from being simply vets and clients, to being a family.
The winners of the Casey Business Awards will be announced at a gala event in July.
If you need help, reach out to:
Lifeline on 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or beyondblue.org.au
