Employee Wellbeing

We prioritise the wellbeing of our people.

Every important decision we make takes into consideration the impact it will have on our people in practice. We take significant steps to reduce work-based stress, create a healthy and safe workspace, support good mental health and wellbeing, and protect our colleagues.

Management support

We place great importance on line manager conversations and are continuing to promote regular Check-Ins to ensure all colleagues are getting the time and engagement needed from their manager. As well as providing feedback on performance and identifying development opportunities, these regular check-ins are designed to support colleagues’ wellbeing.

Support network

We have a wide support network for all of our clinicians so a practitioner is never alone when dealing with a case.

Our Regional Clinical Hubs support each practice in each region, our Advanced Clinical Service Network work to increase first practice clinical knowledge, and our vet-to-vet telemedicine service Vet Oracle (our virtual vet hospital) offers specialist interpretation of results and practical virtual assistance to our vets.

We also have a network of Pastoral Support Vets, mentors and wellbeing champions that help our colleagues to look after their mental health, their career and to do their best work.

Wellbeing initiatives

We have a network of over 370 Wellbeing Champions trained in “Supporting the Wellbeing of Your Team”. We have introduced a Wellbeing Calendar for colleagues featuring topics such as resilience, exercise, sleep, stress. We have also launched a new CVS Refresh reward scheme where teams receive a weekly allowance to spend on treats or classes.

Benefits and policies

We offer an enhanced package of benefits and policies for our colleagues to help maintain wellbeing.

• Maternity pay: We were first to offer enhanced maternity pay to support colleagues in starting a family and then returning to work.
• Sick pay: Our new exceptional health-related events will extend sick pay for up to eight weeks full pay for colleagues. It will be available to on a discretionary basis to all colleagues affected by a serious illness or diagnosed with a health condition that requires hospitalisation, major surgery and treatment, and will also apply to major surgery as part of a gender transition.
• Fertility treatment: Our new fertility policy will provide all colleagues with up to five days paid leave to attend fertility investigations, receive and recover from fertility treatment, or support their partner during treatment.
• Pregnancy loss: Our pregnancy loss policy will provide all CVS colleagues and partners who suffer pregnancy loss in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy with up to a week’s paid compassionate leave.
• Health cash plan: We have launched a new free health cash plan to look after our colleagues’ financial, physical and mental wellbeing – enabling colleagues to claim back the cost of a range of medical treatments including dental, optical, physiotherapy and specialist consultations.
• Private medical insurance: We are offering colleagues access to competitively priced private medical insurance – for virtual GP services, fast track referrals to specialists, plus access to private hospitals, tests and eligible treatment when needed. The scheme will also include physiotherapy, health issues, and counselling and support services – both for work related and personal issues.
• Critical illness cover: We are making critical illness cover and life insurance available to colleagues at competitive rates – as a financial safety net to protect them and their family.
• Additional holiday: Our colleagues can receive up to five additional day’s holiday under our new long service award scheme.
• Holiday buy back: Colleagues can buy back up to two weeks holiday under a salary sacrifice scheme.
• Employee Assistance: Our Employee Assistance Programme is designed to help colleagues to deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting their home or work life, health and general wellbeing. It’s confidential helpline is available 24/7/365.