Air quality influences the health, comfort and performance of everyone who uses your veterinary practice, from your team and pet owners to the animals in your care. Your business success starts with healthy staff, many of whom spend a third of their day at work. Controlling the risk of infection helps to avoid illness and reduce absenteeism, while also supporting a healthier environment for clients and their pets.
Jerry Kennard, Director of Evoke, elaborates, “As practice owners and veterinary leaders, you know more about the circulation of viruses and other baddies than we do. But we know people and how much the workplace environment impacts the team’s ability to perform well. Look after your staff and they will look after your business.”
Jerry continues, “You also want to give pet owners confidence in your veterinary practice. Pet owners are very aware that their visit to your practice may expose them or their pets to germs from other people and animals. Clean air and visible indicators of your commitment to air quality will reassure clients and create a more positive experience overall. The last thing you want is a pet owner telling their family and friends that they or their pet picked up a bug at your place! Even if not true, perception is all that matters…”
Unless there’s something obvious that affects the senses, like a bad smell or itchy eyes, we don’t notice a change in air quality. Air is invisible. Deterioration usually happens over time, so it is gradual, even less likely to be noticed. Negative health changes may be blamed on seasonal change, such as flu season, or factors outside the workplace. Unfortunately, it usually takes an obvious HVAC system malfunction or a severe bout of illness amongst staff to raise the red flag.
Staff are the beating heart of the veterinary experience. From the first greeting at reception, followed by the clinician and administration, all these interactions leave a lasting impression on pet owners and shape how comfortable they feel entrusting their animals to your care. But if staff are the heart, it is the building ventilation that powers the lungs of the experience.
Good ventilation within your veterinary fit-out supports a Well-Place™. It helps to remove viruses and bacteria, controls humidity, prevents carbon dioxide build-up and flushes out the indoor pollutants that emanate from carpets, furniture, printers and photocopiers. Invest in the best HVAC system that your business can afford. If there is a fancy feature, make signs for the waiting room to let pet owners know the extra steps you take to keep your team, clients and their pets safe.
While infection control clearly has the highest priority in any veterinary fit-out, have you noticed how much us humans think about and discuss body warmth? The weather, our clothing choices, different life stages, good or bad night’s sleep… there’s often a temperature consideration.
Thermal comfort affects concentration and fatigue. When people are too hot or cold, their bodies are having to work overtime to maintain their core temperature at 37°C. Studies have shown that ideal productivity is typically achieved in an environment around 21°C to 24°C, as bodies can regulate better within that range.
You will always have the cold frog and hot bod with everything in between. Trying to keep everybody happy is impossible, but you can contribute to a Well-Place™ by:
Creating comfortable spaces for pet owners and their animals is also part of the experience, particularly in waiting and consultation areas where stress and discomfort can already be heightened.
“Breathe Well” is just one aspect of the Well-Places™ Ecosystem, a science-backed approach to designing, delivering and continually improving veterinary environments where people and animals can be and do well. Air quality, infection control and thermal comfort allow your team, pet owners and the animals in your care to Breathe Well.
Veterinary practices with a “well-positive” approach to their fit-out will reap the benefits of long-term business success. The aim is to create healthy bodies, healthy minds and healthy environments for your team, your clients and their pets. The next Evoke article will explore “Fuel Well”. Don’t worry, we are not venturing into diesel price discussions. We will focus on fuelling the body of your team through good hydration, nourishment and hygiene.
If you’d like to learn more about the Well-Places™ philosophy or discuss how your environment can better support your team, your clients and the animals in your care, we’d love to hear from you.
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