From Burnout to Better Veterinary Workplaces

Not One More Vet (NOMV) was founded from a shared commitment to changing the veterinary profession. What began as a grassroots response to loss within the veterinary community has grown into a global non-profit with a clear mission: to transform the culture of veterinary medicine so that mental health is supported, stigma is reduced and no professional feels alone in their struggle. At its core, NOMV exists to foster connections, provide resources and drive systemic change that protects the well-being of veterinary professionals worldwide.

That mission has evolved alongside a growing recognition that the challenges facing the profession are not just individual – they are also structural. 

Across countries, cultures and practice types, veterinary teams face similar pressures: high workloads, moral distress, financial strain, compassion fatigue and, too often, isolation. While awareness of mental health has increased, workplace responses have not always kept pace. 

To address these challenges, NOMV developed the CLEAR Blueprint. Designed as a scalable, adaptable framework, CLEAR is a workplace certification model that helps veterinary organisations build and sustain mentally healthy working environments through systems-level change. Rather than focusing solely on individual coping strategies, CLEAR addresses the policies, practices and expectations that shape daily work. This approach aligns with global priorities identified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), particularly in relation to workforce sustainability and resilient veterinary services. 

Why CLEAR and Why Now?

Veterinary mental health is increasingly recognised as a workforce and organisational issue. WOAH emphasises that effective veterinary services depend not only on technical capacity but also on the well-being and retention of the professionals delivering that care [1]. 

This perspective is reflected more broadly. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from unmanaged workplace stress [2], while the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) highlights the importance of addressing workplace factors rather than individual resilience alone [3]. 

Burnout, turnover and psychological distress are not isolated problems; they indicate underlying workplace challenges that require systems-level changes. CLEAR provides a structured way to make those changes. 

What is the CLEAR Blueprint?

CLEAR helps veterinary workplaces to build and maintain a mentally healthy working environment through measurable and sustainable practices. It is not an add-on programme but a model for how work is organised and supported. 

Its five pillars – Compassion, Listening, Energy, Action and Resources – represent key elements of a healthy workplace: 

Compassion is embedded at the organisational level. Research suggests that compassionate leadership can improve staff well-being and team performance [4]. In CLEAR-certified workplaces, compassion is reflected in policies, leadership behaviours and the way teams navigate difficult situations. 

Listening encompasses both interpersonal skills and workplace design. Drawing on the work of Amy Edmondson, CLEAR emphasises psychological safety, creating environments where staff feel able to speak openly and where their views are valued [5]. 

Energy focuses on sustainability. Workload, scheduling and opportunities for recovery are examined to prevent burnout. This reflects findings from burnout research, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory framework [6]. 

Action turns awareness into practical improvements. Organisational interventions such as leadership training, workflow adjustments and well-defined protocols are prioritised, consistent with guidance from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) [7]. 

Resources connect individuals with support systems. The American Veterinary Medical Association has highlighted the importance of accessible mental health resources within veterinary medicine [8], and CLEAR integrates these resources directly into workplace practices. 

A Story: What CLEAR Looks Like in Practice

Consider a mixed animal practice where a veterinarian, Maria, has reached a point that many professionals may recognise. The weight of difficult cases, especially those influenced by financial limitations, begins to follow her home. She becomes increasingly disconnected from her colleagues, focusing on clinical tasks while becoming more withdrawn. 

Before the introduction of CLEAR, the prevailing expectation was simply to keep going. 

As the clinic works towards CLEAR certification, changes are made at an organisational level. Leadership adjusts scheduling to allow recovery time after particularly demanding cases. Regular team check-ins become part of routine practice, and staff feedback is actively sought and acted upon. 

Maria notices the difference gradually. Following a difficult case, her manager acknowledges the emotional impact of the situation without dismissing it. For Maria, that changes how safe she feels to speak honestly. 

As implementation continues, access to mental health resources improves and support becomes more fully integrated into the workplace rather than existing outside of it. The work itself does not become easier, but the workplace becomes more supportive and sustainable, making it easier for Maria to stay in the profession.

CLEAR puts these principles into practice by treating workplace culture as a measurable system. It complements technical training and infrastructure development by helping to create conditions in which professionals can remain engaged and supported [1,3]. 

From Concept to Implementation

CLEAR is implemented through a structured certification process. Organisations assess their current practices, identify areas for improvement and work toward defined standards across each of the five pillars.
This may include evaluating workplace policies and culture, training leaders in mental health-informed practices, adjusting workflows and expectations, establishing feedback and accountability systems, and integrating accessible mental health resources. 

This approach reflects workplace strategies supported by NIOSH and aligns with global efforts to strengthen workforce sustainability. 

Although CLEAR is built on systems, its impact is felt by individuals. It can influence how teams communicate, how stress is recognised and how support is accessed. Research shows that when people feel supported at work, both well-being and quality of care can improve [4]. 

CLEAR acknowledges the critical reality that it is not veterinary professionals who are failing, but that the systems supporting them have not always been designed with their well-being in mind. By embedding Compassion, Listening, Energy, Action and Resources into everyday operations, CLEAR shifts the culture from endurance to sustainability. 

Shifting workplace culture takes time. Stigma, resource limitations and leadership engagement are widely recognised barriers to implementation [2,7]. CLEAR addresses these by providing a structured and achievable pathway for change. 

As the global veterinary community continues to evolve, so too must the environments in which its professionals work. The CLEAR Blueprint offers a practical and scalable framework for supporting workplace well-being. By drawing on guidance from WOAH and research from organisations like WHO and NAM, NOMV aims to redefine what a healthy veterinary workplace looks like. 

At its core, CLEAR reinforces the simple truth that mental health is not just an individual responsibility but a function of the systems we build. 

Main image: © Not One More Vet 

References  

[1] World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Veterinary workforce development. Paris (France): WOAH; 2026. Available at: https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-offer/improving-veterinary-services/pvs-pathway/veterinary-workforce-development/ (accessed on 19 June 2026). 

[2] World Health Organization (WHO). Burn-out: an occupational phenomenon. Geneva (Switzerland): WHO; 2019. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases (accessed on 19 June 2026). 

[3] National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Taking action against clinician burnout. Washington, DC (United States of America): National Academies Press; 2019. Available at: https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/4.-NAM-Taking-Action-Against-Clinician-Burnout-systems-approach.pdf (accessed on 19 June 2026). 

[4] West CP, Dyrbye LN, Shanafelt TD. Physician burnout. Lancet. 2020;395:76-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.12752 

[5] Edmondson A. The Fearless Organization. Hoboken (United States of America): John Wiley & Sons; 2018. 

[6] Maslach C, Leiter MP. Understanding Burnout. Cambridge (United States of America): Harvard University Press; 2016. 

[7] National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Total Worker Health®. Cincinnati (United States of America): NIOSH; 2021. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/twh/index.html (accessed on 19 June 2026). 

[8] American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Wellbeing resources for veterinary professionals. Schaumburg (United States of America): AVMA; 2020. Available at: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/wellbeing (accessed on 19 June 2026).