BVA encourages vet teams to discuss pay
Employees and managers are offered tips on how to approach the subject of pay.
Following a survey of UK veterinary surgeons, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has launched a new member resource which aims to provide support to veterinary workplaces in improving pay transparency and facilitating effective conversations about pay for the whole team.
Created for members as part of the Good Veterinary Workplaces campaign, Talking about pay in the veterinary professions includes information for employers on the benefits a clear pay structure can bring for the whole team.
In the guide, employees and managers are offered tips on how to approach the subject of pay and are encouraged to discuss all aspects of the job, for example: salary, commission structure, benefits, CPD, work/life balance, promotion opportunities etc.
It demonstrates how employee fulfilment and retention are positively affected by transparent reward and recognition, as well as outlining the legal requirements of employers to ensure that pay is equitable.
According to results from the Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey in spring 2022, while veterinary work is often thought of as a vocation, when choosing a job 77 per cent of veterinary surgeons consider pay amongst their top five priorities. Other important factors are geographical location, area of practice, low staff turnover and structured career progression.
Although pay is a priority for the veterinary surgeons that took part in the survey, only 42 per cent of respondents considered their pay and benefits to be either ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’.
BVA president Malcolm Morley, said: “Fair, transparent and equal pay is one of the keystones of good veterinary workplaces. Whether you’re an employee, a manager or an employer, it’s vital that everyone feels confident that their workplace approaches pay in a clear and consistent way. This isn’t about paying everyone more; it’s about using objective criteria and transparent pay scales to ensure the whole team understands how decisions about reward and recognition are made and what they can do to access higher pay.”
Malcolm added: “We know that pay can be a fraught, and even somewhat taboo, subject but it is one that we all have a responsibility to tackle if we want to ensure that veterinary professionals are fairly rewarded for their work. We hope that this new guide will support all our members and equip them with the knowledge required to ensure they can confidently navigate conversations about pay.”
BVA members can view Talking about pay in the veterinary professions on the BVA website.
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
