What is the value of training your staff? Staff training is considered by most hospital administrators and owners to be an essential component if employee productivity is to be achieved. So, why is the training of new employees so often overlooked? There are many reasons for this disparity, but perhaps a simple explanation might be the fact that important objectives don’t get as much personal attention as urgent objectives. By urgent objectives I’m referring to those daily events that scream for our time and attention. The phone calls, the walk-in appointments, and the handling of interoffice problems, just to name a few. Such urgent objectives invariably scream louder than the important objectives, or those that are priorities in our road to success. One of the traits of good leadership is to be able to focus and complete the important events in spite of those events that are screaming for our precious time. Staff training is undoubtedly a priority action if a veterinary hospital is to be successful.

So why is training so important? Besides the obvious need to teach employees the skills necessary to work productively, there are several important, but less obvious benefits of training. One that is especially relevant during these times of low unemployment are the employee retention benefits gained from training. Most individuals that enter a veterinary hospital seeking employment are not doing so in hopes of getting rich. They are drawn in by that wonderful desire to care for animals. For many, working in a veterinary hospital is their “dream job”. They want to learn everything they can about how to care for sick pets. If this need goes unmet, they might as well be working fast-food, providing that new employee basic knowledge about caring for animals is often of greater perceived value than a paycheck.

Another benefit arises when the new employee feels they are a contributing member of the veterinary team. No one likes to sit on the sidelines. Untrained staff often feel left out and are easily frustrated by their incompetence. A few reprimands from others for not knowing what to do can lead to an early retirement for this new employee. Remember, knowledge breeds confidence, and don’t we all want confident staff surrounding us?

A third benefit arises as an educated staff begins interacting with your clients. If your staff understands presurgical bloodwork, dental cleanings, flea products, nutrition and numerous other fundamentals, they will naturally educate clients to these important health issues. An educated staff will produce an educated clientele, and an educated client will spend more money in your hospital.

A final consideration when weighing out the need for staff training is the high cost of turnover. Can you honestly afford the cost of losing potentially good employees? Not according to most calculations. Cynthia Wutchiett, CPA, calculates the cost of losing one $8 an hour employee in excess of $13,000. This includes actual hiring expenses, staff inefficiencies, and the time invested in training a new employee. Even if this figure may sound grossly exaggerated, there is no doubt that staff turnover is worth preventing. In a competitive veterinary market where we are constantly trying to increase our profits and revenues, doesn’t it make sense to be just as concerned about losing profits through unnecessary expenses? Making a commitment to your staff’s development is one of the most important leadership initiatives a veterinarian can make. It is one investment you can’t afford to overlook.

Written by David Grant, DVM (Ohio State ’86), President of Animal Care Training Programs.