Cultural Challenges: Results of the Animal Health Jobs Spring 2024 Attitudinal Survey

Executive Summary

“Purpose-driven professionals and a real commitment to a better health of animals, humans and our planet”
 
Once again, this year’s Animal Health Jobs Candidate Attitudinal Survey explored animal health industry insiders’ attitudes and perceptions about their jobs, their companies, and the industry. Overall, respondents remain positive about their animal health careers and companies.
 
In 2022 and 2023, we highlighted challenges facing the animal health business culture, with risks related to employee satisfaction and stability.^1,2 In 2024 we see signs that the animal health culture itself is at risk, including a doubling of the negative comments used to describe careers. New entrants and experienced individual contributors are struggling with workload and feel unappreciated. We call on industry leaders to take action and get the culture of the animal health industry back on track.

Introduction

The animal health industry relies on the knowledge and dedication of committed people with special expertise to support farmers, pet families and lovers of all shapes and sizes of animals. Every year, we ask our Animal Health Jobs database members about their experience of working in animal health, their opinion of the industry, and their outlook for the future. This is the fourth year of our survey.
 
Participants were members of the Animal Health Jobs database in April 2024. Basic statistical calculations of the results were conducted; statistical significance was set at 90% (p<0.1) and is indicated in figures with an asterisk (*).

Demographics: Counting noses and tails             

No general jobs platform can match the industry knowledge and experience of our Animal Health Jobs members. Most respondents (86%) were working in animal health at the time of the survey, and more than half (59%) had spent their entire careers in animal health. One quarter have worked for fewer than 10 years in the industry, while 55% reported more than 20 years of industry experience. One in five (20%) are currently in a clinical role in a veterinary hospital.
 
Participants represent all job levels: 56% individual contributors, 28% first-level managers leading teams of individual contributors, and 16% managers of managers. Regardless of level, our respondents are more likely to be lifetime animal health employees than to have also worked in other industries.
 
The respondent group skewed slightly female (56%) and overwhelmingly (96%) American, with 36% from the South, 25% from the West, 23% from the Midwest and 12% from the Northeast. Once again men were significantly more likely to be senior managers, while women were significantly more likely to be individual contributors or first-line managers.

Engagement: Here for the long term?

Familiar fields

People working in animal health continue to be committed to the industry, with nearly three-quarters (70%) planning to work only in animal health or noting a strong preference for staying (Figure 1). That commitment deepens with time spent in the industry; the percentage of employees who would easily take a job outside animal health steadily decreases with years of experience. Managers, whether on the front line or at more senior levels, were significantly more likely to report higher levels of commitment to the industry than individual contributors.

Figure 1: Career intentions by job level

No greener pastures: Reasons for remaining in animal health

Survey participants who were not actively looking for a new position ranked predefined answers to the question, "What makes you stay at your current company?" The ranking in order of importance (most to least important), remained consistent with 2023 results:²

1. My job - the work is meaningful
2. My team - I really enjoy the people I work with
3. My compensation - my salary, benefits, and financial incentives
4. My manager - I am supported, listened to, and respected

’The most genuine, passionate & caring group of people you'll ever meet’
 
Asked to specify what they would miss the most if they left the animal health industry, 65% of respondents referred to people; 62% of responses specifically mentioned farmers, pet owners, veterinarians and staff, colleagues, and customers. One respondent described the veterinary community at the heart of animal health as ‘The most genuine, passionate & caring group of people you'll ever meet.’ No group, whether evaluated by job level or years of experience, ranked compensation highest among the factors. Employers take note: a competitive salary alone is not enough to keep talented employees on the job.

Changes, challenges and rewards

The top three descriptors of a career in animal health changed slightly in 2024. Although ‘rewarding’ and satisfying’ still ranked first, mentions of continuous change in the industry or a role reached the top 3 for the first time. The animal health industry is in a period of tremendous change, with the introduction of innovative technologies, new companies, and consolidation among both traditional animal health manufacturers and companion animal practices. To employees, this much change can feel like instability, leading to increased employee turnover as associates look for firmer ground. Leaders must manage restructures and transformations carefully, to prevent company change from leading to employee churn.

In 2022 and 2023 we warned of concerning trends in employee satisfaction, based on the descriptions respondents gave of their careers.^1,2 In this year’s survey, the percentage of negative career descriptors more than doubled, increasing to 23% from 10% in 2023. While employees with 6-10 years of experience gave the highest number of negative responses (40%), at least 1 in 4 of every group with between 6 and 25 years of experience expressed noticeable negativity (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Percentage of negative comments by experience cohort.

These negative comments included problems of gender inequality, poor pay, demanding workloads, and a change in the culture of companies to focus on profit rather than people or animals. Among these respondents, there seems to be a worrying sense that the special culture of animal health is at risk.

On the other hand, 75% of respondents mentioning challenge positioned it positively, also referring to excitement and opportunities. Overall, 37% of respondents used words like challenging, fun, exciting, enjoyable, fascinating, and opportunity.
Respondents with 10-16 years of experience were most likely to describe their careers as fulfilling or satisfying (44%), meaningful or important (50%), or interesting and fascinating (19%). New entrants reported were significantly less likely to find their work meaningful or important (7.1%) than this more experienced group. Managers of managers were significantly more likely to describe their careers as rewarding or fulfilling than were first-line managers or individual contributors, while employees at all levels used these terms more than negative ones (Figure 3).