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VetVine Client Care

Posted On Jun 20, 2025

Updated On Jun 25, 2025

Staff Meeting Or Gripe Session?

Practice Management

This question was submitted during a past Practice Management webinar:

Question:
I would like to start holding regular staff meetings but every time we have one it turns into a gripe session. How can I make our meetings more productive?

Answer by Sandy Walsh, RVT, CVPM:
Keeping your team meetings positive and productive takes effort and planning. Too often practices put off conducting staff meetings until something bad happens. Then, everything but the kitchen sink is discussed. These are the meetings that turn negative because the team is usually on the defensive. They have either had to stop what they were doing or had to come in on their day off.

Unplanned or poorly planned meetings are generally seen as a waste of time by the employees. The same topics are discussed every time and nothing ever happens. In order to have productive meetings they should be planned in advance and held on a regular basis. Monthly meetings are generally adequate, although I know several practices who meet weekly. Regardless of how frequently you meet, you should consider the following in order to keep the meetings on the right track:

    • Close the practice so you are not interrupted by phones or clients
    • Choose a day and time that works for the practice
    • Consider rotating the day of the week so every employee has the opportunity to attend
    • Provide printed meeting notes for those employees who are unable to attend
    • Limit the meetings to 1 hour
    • Have an agenda and assign responsibility for any new initiatives
    • Allow the team to provide agenda items in advance
    • Don't lose control of the meeting if an employee goes negative
    • Start on time and finish on time