The “silly season” might be festive for everyone else, but in a veterinary clinic, it can be a demanding time of year.
Here are some simple ways to support your team during the holiday rush.
Plan for the seasonal pressure
A short planning session at the start of December can make a real difference:
- Review expected seasonal trends
- Discuss triage protocols for walk-ins
- Clarify when to escalate cases
- Map out holiday hours early
- Decide what the clinic will not take on during peak times.
Protect energy levels with small routines
When the day gets busy, small habits can dramatically reduce fatigue:
- Keep hydration top of mind
- Stock quick energy snacks in the staff room
- Encourage “reset breaks” between intense cases
- Set up shaded outdoor spots so staff can breathe, cool down and decompress
- Use fans or airflow changes in treatment areas to make heat more bearable.
Reduce cognitive load
Anything that helps remove friction is valuable. You can support your team by:
- Using templated explanations for common seasonal conditions
- Keeping triage and treatment protocols easy to find
- Creating a clear pathway for managing travel-health requests
- Using visual reminders for routine processes.
Communication is also easier when admin tasks don’t pile up.
Create micro-moments of connection
Not every clinic has time for a big Christmas lunch, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate your team.
Try low-effort morale boosters like:
- A whiteboard “gratitude wall”
- Morning shout-outs for wins or tough cases handled well
- A shared snack table
- A rotating “you made my day” card
- Anonymous kind notes between staff members.
Support newer team members and locums
For locums, students or newly graduated nurses, the season can be overwhelming if expectations aren’t clear.
Offer them:
- A mini orientation checklist
- A buddy for the first few shifts
- Clear guidance on what they can handle independently
- A simple escalation pathway
Clarity builds confidence. And when newer members feel supported, the whole clinic feels steadier.
Support newer team members and locums
Even the most dedicated veterinary professionals need recovery time. Make it normal to:
- Take lunch away from treatment areas
- Ask for help without feeling guilty
- Leave on time when the roster allows
- Step outside for a quick mental reset
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Lighten the load where you can
A big part of holiday stress comes from the volume of work: reminders to send, follow-ups to manage, client questions and last-minute bookings.
Your clinic-branded Vetdesk app can help take pressure off your staff by handling key client engagement tasks.
Want to see how it works? Request a demo and explore how effortless client communication can be.