This year’s Mental Health Month theme, “Together We Thrive”, recognised that connection, support and belonging are fundamental to supporting our mental health every day, not just one month of the year. It is a timely reminder that thriving workplaces are built not only through safe systems of work, but also through strong relationships, shared purpose and supportive professional communities.
For the veterinary profession, this message resonates strongly. Veterinary professionals routinely navigate high workloads, emotional demands, difficult clinical decisions, client expectations, workforce shortages and fatigue. These pressures can affect individual wellbeing, team dynamics and workplace culture, making psychological health and safety an increasingly important consideration for every veterinary workplace.
Psychological safety is now a workplace obligation
Across Australia, employers have legal responsibilities to identify and manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace in the same way they manage physical hazards.
Recent findings from the Safe Work Australia 2026 Australian Worker Exposure Survey highlight the scale of the issue. More than two-thirds of workers reported high cognitive demands (a common factor in veterinary workload pressure), while many reported low levels of influence over workplace decisions and insufficient recognition for their contributions.
Workers’ compensation data tells a similar story. Work pressure, bullying and harassment continue to be among the leading causes of psychological injury claims, which are associated with longer recovery periods and significantly higher costs than many physical injuries.
Being exposed to a hazard doesn’t necessarily equate to high risk – it’s how we manage the hazards that is important. Creating psychologically safe workplaces is about monitoring hazards, reducing this risk and amplifying protective factors. Not only a fundamental component of workplace health and safety this is essential for building a sustainable profession.
How AVA is supporting safer teams through Thrive
The Australian Veterinary Association’s Thrive initiative was established to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes across the veterinary profession. At its core is the belief that thriving veterinary workplaces are created through preventing harm, promoting the positives and protecting those in crisis.
Thrive’s flagship prevention program, Cultivating Safe Teams (CST), developed specifically for veterinary workplaces, addresses a significant knowledge gap within the profession. The two-tier program provides evidence-based training that helps veterinary teams understand psychosocial hazards, strengthen psychological safety and build workplaces where people can do their best work while remaining healthy and supported.
The program starts with a one-hour team training – CST AWARE – that identifies the legal and moral obligations of every team member to create a psychologically safe workplace. With tier two – CST ACTION – moving beyond awareness raising to provide practical tools for workplace champions to fulfil their legal obligations whilst creating healthier, more engaged workplaces.
Early outcomes have been encouraging, with participants reporting substantial increases in confidence to create workplaces that are both safe and great places to work.
Connection is a protective factor
While compliance and risk management are important, psychological safety does not exist in isolation. Research consistently demonstrates that connection and belonging are among the strongest protective factors for mental wellbeing.
This is where professional associations play a critical role.
The AVA’s strategic commitment to empowering connectivity recognises that membership is about much more than advocacy and representation. Belonging to a professional community provides opportunities to connect with colleagues, develop new skills, build leadership capability and strengthen professional identity throughout every stage of a veterinary career.
In a profession where two-thirds report mental ill-health, these connections matter.
Through Thrive and broader member programs, the AVA creates opportunities for veterinary professionals to:
- Access veterinary-specific continuing professional development that addresses emerging challenges facing the profession.
- Participate in programs such as Cultivating Safe Teams that fill important knowledge gaps and support safer workplaces.
- Build networks through conferences, branch events and social activities.
- Connect with colleagues through Special Interest Groups and communities of practice.
- Develop leadership skills through committee, advocacy and governance opportunities.
- Contribute to shaping the future direction of the profession.
These opportunities do more than support professional growth. They help foster belonging, meaning and purpose, confidence and professional identity, all of which contribute to individual and collective wellbeing.
Together we thrive
There is an opportunity for every veterinary workplace to reflect on the role that psychological safety, connection and professional community play in creating sustainable careers.
Because when veterinary professionals learn together, lead together and support one another, we create stronger teams, healthier workplaces and a more sustainable profession.
Learn more about Thrive: https://www.ava.com.au/thrive
Interested in bringing Cultivating Safe Teams to your workplace? Contact the Thrive team thrive@ava.com.au or express your interest on the website.
Together, we thrive.
