By Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ, MVLCE
Autumn is a time for changing leaves, pumpkin lattes, ghostly goblins, and…..veterinary team appreciation! October is a time to celebrate National Veterinary Technician week (October 16-22, 2022) and Boss’s Day (October 16th).
National Veterinary Technician Week
Your veterinary technicians work hard! They show up for the patients, as well as each other week after week. I never met a technician who didn’t love their job, however I also never met a technician who couldn’t use a little more appreciation, and a few more sincere pats on the back. Don’t let National Veterinary Technician Week go by without celebrating the amazing crew of Technicians you couldn’t function without. If you have many Technicians, consider following a daily celebration, much like I outlined for Customer Service Appreciation week. To put a spin on it, set a daily budget and divide the days up amongst the areas of the hospital.
Daily Celebration Ideas:
- Monday: The CSR team celebrates the Technicians with goodie bags or however they would like to show their appreciation for the technicians.
- Tuesday: The Vet Assistant team celebrates the Technicians with goodie bags or however they would like to show their appreciation for the technicians.
- Wednesday: Reserve a day for the Practice Owner and Practice Manager to take the Technicians to lunch….outside the building. Yes, everyone else can hold the fort down! Your Technicians will feel really special to get your undivided attention over a nice lunch at their favorite local restaurant.
- Thursday: The doctors celebrate the Technicians with goodie bags or however they would like to show their appreciation for the technicians.
- Friday: Consider a gift from “the practice” on this final day of the week. Personalized jackets with the practice logo, which can be worn at work over their scrubs is always popular with Technicians.
Boss’s Day
Traditionally, Boss’s Day is a time for appreciating one’s boss or supervisor. Annually, it falls on October 16th, which falls on a weekend this year. The best days to observe it in your practice this year are Friday, October 14th or Monday, October 17th. Small gestures of appreciation should be considered, as opposed to teams collecting money for purchasing gifts.
One of my favorite ways of showing appreciation has always been the “paper plate award”. These awards cost very little to produce, yet pack a punch when the team comes together to create an award for a boss. I actually framed the last one I received from my team in Indianapolis when I was a Hospital Administrator, and it hangs in my office all these years later.
Buy a package of paper plates, along with an assortment of markers, construction paper, glue and basic craft supplies. Place the box of supplies in the staff break room, minus the paper plates. Go to each department and gather up a few employees and hand them a paper plate and explain that Boss’s day is approaching and you’d like to have a “paper plate awards ceremony” on October 15th for all the team leads, doctors, and the practice owner. Encourage them to let their imaginations run wild and to work together to complete their designated paper plate in a timely manner. Make sure you have an employee group covering each team lead, and assign 1-2 people to do a paper plate for each doctor. While the doctors might not view themselves as “bosses”, they are certainly leaders within the practice and the appreciation shown will go a long way. If you are the Practice Manager, hopefully the team will realize someone needs to make a plate for you, as well!
Gather everyone together on Friday, and honor your bosses with a paper plate award ceremony, reserving the practice owner for the last award. It’s a great way to start the day with lots of laughter which will carry into the afternoon. I’ve known individuals who have proudly displayed their paper plates in their office cubbies and on their employee locker doors for months!
Your team has been working hard, and you may be short-staffed and trying to recruit others to join you. Take the month of October to start a tradition of annual celebrations which show recognition and appreciation for everyone. These little gifts and acts of kindness will go a long way in bonding your employees to your practice over time.