Factors influencing administrative personnel and veterinarian turnover and compensation packages in rural mixed-animal practices over a 5-year period

Personnel management is one of the keys to developing and maintaining a successful veterinary practice. The research objective was to identify factors influencing administrative personnel and veterinarian turnover, as well as compensation packages of owners, new associates, and 10-year associates. A web-based questionnaire was sent to AVC and AABP list-serves consisting of approximately 2,007 members; 125 complete responses were received. Multivariable models were created using factors identified as associated with the outcome variables with a significance level of P < 0.05. Lower administrative personnel turnover was associated with the presence of veterinarian retirement plans, asset protection plans, new associate compensation packages, and the number of veterinarians leaving the practice. Lower veterinarian turnover was associated with veterinarian ownership and the number of administrative personnel leaving the practice. Higher owner compensation packages were associated with longer practice establishment, use of marketing plans, and more veterinarian annual vacation days. Higher compensation packages for 10-year associates were associated with the number of administrative personnel, more all-veterinarian and all-staff meetings, fewer veterinarian hours per week, more hiring of administrative personnel, and fewer administrative personnel leaving the practice. Administrative personnel and veterinarian turnover were impacted by business management practices and number of personnel.