Exploring the Four-Day Work Week for Veterinarians

Veterinary professionals are no strangers to long hours with an ever-growing caseload. As the industry grapples with burnout and staffing shortages, there is a renewed focus on work-life balance. With that in mind, the idea of a four-day work week for veterinarians is gaining serious traction.

But is it a realistic shift for veterinary practices, or just wishful thinking? Will patients go elsewhere? How would this look in real life?

The VetBadger team has unique insight into this topic since one of our founders successfully moved her practice to a compressed work week ^[a]. It’s doable! Let’s explore the benefits, challenges, and considerations of adopting a shorter work week in your vet med clinic.

Why a Four-Day Work Week for Veterinarians Makes Sense

Burnout is a critical concern in vet med, with many professionals struggling to find a sustainable pace. Between the asymmetrical relationship you deal with in your practice and the shortage of veterinarians, vet med providers face serious physical and mental health challenges.

A shortened work week offers all of the following benefits:

• Realistic work-life harmony: More time away from your clinic means more rest, hobbies, family time, and you time.
• Improved retention: Clinics that offer a compressed schedule are more likely to keep their staff long-term. Given the high cost of replacing staff members, this benefit is huge!
• Higher focus during working hours: With rest and scheduling boundaries, team members often return to work more focused and motivated.

Different Models for Different Clinics

Not all four-day schedules look the same. There are several ways to make this work, depending on your clinic’s needs.

Here are a few common variations:

• Four 10-hour shifts: This option covers the full 40-hour work week, compressing it into fewer days. The entire staff is on the same schedule. Some clinics alternate their closed days. For example, one week might be Monday through Thursday, and the next week would be Tuesday through Friday.
• Rotating shifts: Your employees alternate longer and shorter weeks for flexibility. This choice is similar to many nurses’ shifts at hospitals.
• Team-based scheduling: Clinics split into teams so that patient care remains consistent across a 5- or 6-day operating schedule while individuals enjoy shorter weeks.

You will need to evaluate your client needs, caseload, and team size before committing to the model that makes sense for you.

Potential Pitfalls to Watch For

A shorter work week isn't something that happens overnight. It takes a lot of planning and communication before launching so that you can avoid these common challenges.

• Exhaustion: Adjusting to a ten or twelve-hour day is draining at first, especially in high-volume settings. Be sure to pay attention to rest and meal breaks for your staff.
• Coverage gaps: If scheduling isn’t well-coordinated in a rotating schedule, client satisfaction and continuity of care could suffer.
• Client frustration: Shortening your clinic’s work week will ruffle some feathers and raise some hackles, so to speak. Clients may feel annoyed at first, so significant proactive communication is crucial.

To help avoid some of these pitfalls, it’s important to give yourself a long runway before making the switch to a compressed week. Take plenty of time to talk with your staff about how it will work and what it will look like for each team member. Collaboration and communication go a long way toward getting buy-in and cooperation for a smoother transition.

It’s also important to over-communicate with your clients before making this change. There is likely to be some pushback and anxiety from them at first. But with early and frequent communication, you can pave a smooth path to a shorter work week. Highlight the benefits to your team that will result in elevated care to your clients.

It’s About Quality, Not Just Quantity

The four-day work week is not a universal solution, but it is a promising option for a lot of clinics. At its core, this conversation is about rethinking how we value time, wellness, and productivity in veterinary medicine. If it leads to happier teams and better care, it’s worth exploring.

If you’d like to learn more about how our VetBadger practice management software can make this a reality for your clinic, reach out today for a live demo.