Commentary It is easy to ignore a Gallup survey as something that doesn’t apply to your business. Still, the imbalances reported here are concerning, especially since experiences even before AI made finding an employee in a business a challenge. This article begs for attention as more and more self-service options eliminate human connections. In Q3 2025, 43 percent of … [Read more...]
Veterinarians, pet owners under systemic strain, PetSmart Charities–Gallup study #2
Commentary By now, you’ve probably read plenty of industry takes on the results of part two of the PetSmart Charities–Gallup State of Pet Care Study <Link>. Or, you’ve seen articles in mainstream media emphasizing affordability of care for pets. Press releases and articles may sensationalize the findings below, but the study reveals much more than recalcitrant … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 29, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 22, 2026. Link. Most read posts from January 22, 2026 AHD Bulletin – College women far outnumber men in law, medical, vet schools and it matters. Link. RHDV-2 confirmed in North Carolina. Link. 5 common dog ailments that respond well to laser therapy. Link. PetSmart rolls out omnichannel … [Read more...]
Rewriting the role of manager, team size, span of control
Although teams of over 25 are growing, most managers still lead relatively small ones, according to Gallup Workplace. Jim Harter shares that finding an optimal team size depends on how organizations answer these four key questions: How engaged is the team? How much time do managers spend on individual contributor work? Do managers have the right talent for the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 14, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 7, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 7, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Goodbye trial by fire, hello strategic onboarding. Link. Team successes dependent on emotional intelligence (video). Link. The ABCs of dog blood work: What the results really mean. Link. Financial strain often shapes horse … [Read more...]
Context: Using the past to shape the future (video)
People with the Context strength theme <Link> look to the past to understand the present and guide the future. Jim Collison and Jillian White discuss how Context team members contribute, what they need to be comfortable and partner with others who have different top strengths. Source: Gallup, May 2025. Link. Clifton Strengths, YouTube <Link> [12:55] Context … [Read more...]
Play the long game with human-AI collaboration
This Gallup article emphasizes keeping people at the center of AI strategies. It offers noteworthy perspectives from Christos Makridis who asserts that AI excels at recognizing patterns and making predictions, but people provide the context, intuition and ethics. The most powerful results happen when each does what it does best. Source: Gallup, May 16, 2025. Link. AI can … [Read more...]
Why Americans are working less
Full-time employees in the U.S. have been working fewer hours per week for the past five years. The average hours worked have dropped progressively since 2019. The decline in hours worked is more pronounced among workers younger than 35 than workers aged 35 and older. Between 2019 and 2024, older employees saw an average reduction of just under one hour per person per week, … [Read more...]
Decension grows as March 9th daylight saving time arrives
A January Gallup poll shows 54 percent of Americans want to discontinue the spring forward, fall back practice. Forty percent of U.S. adults prefer to continue daylight saving time, while six percent are uncertain. Regardless, don’t forget to switch your clocks this weekend. Source: Gallup, March 4, 2025. Link. Image: DriveMyWay … [Read more...]
Employee detachment threatens customer satisfaction
When employees disengage, customers feel it. Customer centricity is a competitive advantage and worth investing time and effort to ensure stronger alignments between employees and customers. Source: Gallup, January 28, 2005. Link. Employee pride in the quality of products and services is declining.” INSIGHTS: For small businesses, a simple phone call as follow-up may … [Read more...]
Gallup: 7 workplace challenges for 2025
Commentary This was a disheartening read. Sure, employers and managers can make a difference through communication and setting expectations. Yet, employees must come to grips with their own expectations and the continuous improvement necessary to remain successfully employed and contribute to a business’s objectives.* Issues with childcare, feedback and recognition are … [Read more...]
Despite employer prioritization, employee well-being falters
A workplace culture that truly prioritizes employee well-being makes people feel cared about. It also improves their lives and benefits organizational outcomes. Trends from Gallup’s Life Evaluation Index mark a new record low since Gallup began measuring employee well-being in 2009. Just 50 percent of U.S. employees are thriving in their overall lives. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Team-level engagement linked to profitability
Gallup recently shared updates to the world's largest ongoing study of the employee experience, which now represents 183,806 business units and teams globally. The variability in employee engagement within teams at a given company is nearly as great as the variability in employee engagement for teams across all companies. The differentiating factor in this variability is the … [Read more...]
Majority of U.S. women struggle to prioritize health
Results from an April 2024 survey show women in the U.S. find it tough to make their own health a top priority. The findings are disturbing considering the high percentage of women graduating from veterinary schools and veterinary technician programs. Younger women and mothers with children under 18 are more likely to struggle to prioritize their own health. Survey results … [Read more...]
Americans perceive gaps in mental, physical healthcare
Three-quarters of Americans think mental health issues are identified and treated worse than physical health issues in the U.S., according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup. Critical for the animal health industry, these perceptions challenge how we provide benefits and support for animal health pros. Beyond the stigma, the metrics identify access and cost of care as … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 2, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 25, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the April 25th AHD Bulletin – 9 Gen Z work trends, not new but hit differently now. Link. Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low. Link. Cull cows, beef value now important for dairy profits. Link. ===================================== The … [Read more...]
Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low
Employee engagement trends are significant because they link to important performance outcomes such as productivity, employee retention, customer service, safety incidents, quality of work and profitability that are crucial to organizational leaders, writes Jim Harter. He shares 1-Q-24 research results. The U.S. now has a ratio of 1.8 engaged employees for every actively … [Read more...]
Americans sleeping less, more stressed
Highlighting disturbing sleep and stress trends, Gallup shares Americans are sleeping less and are less satisfied with the amount they sleep. Gallup polling and other research show a strong connection between sleep, stress and overall health. The decline in sleep and the increase in stress levels in the U.S. are consistently worse for younger women than for men and older … [Read more...]
Nurses more successful than doctors in maintaining high ratings
Commentary The U.S. veterinary segment struggles with how to treat, promote and empower veterinary technicians <Link>. Meanwhile, human medical nurses get the highest ratings among doctors and other elements of the health care industry, according to the Gallup article linked below. The dynamics represented in this article are worth considering as we work to fully … [Read more...]
How companies are supporting employees experiencing menopause
Commentary One statement in this article defines the importance of the topic it covers. “By 2025, there will be over 1 billion people worldwide experiencing menopause.” Organizations that take employee well-being seriously realize that getting ahead of conditions like menopause reduces an incredible burden on their workforce and can improve the bottom line say the … [Read more...]
How to talk about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview
Includes Commercial Content When interviewing for a new job or a new role being confident in your strengths and weaknesses can help differentiate yourself from the competition. From humble beginnings in 1949 <Link>, the Clifton Strengthfinders have helped people identify and understand their talent DNA. Gallup’s Tim Hodges and Bailey Nelson share several strategies to … [Read more...]
Only the tough veterinary practice managers survive
Wendy Hauser, DVM, says the job of practice managers has become infinitely harder than it used to be. She shares factors that are impacting these valuable team members and some ideas to deal with the challenges. Source: Animal Health News and Views, October 1, 2023. Link. Often overlooked is the need for practice managers to step in for missing team members, sometimes as … [Read more...]
Teens spend average of 4.8 hours on social media per day
Social media scrolling is a growing problem for all ages but especially teens. The need to put the phones down is also consistent with Forbes’ article on time blindness <Link>. Gallup’s data is consistent with the literature on digital addiction. It shows that teens who spend more time on social media rate themselves as being less conscientious. A second, upcoming part … [Read more...]
The manager squeeze: How the new workplace is testing team leaders
In today’s work environs, being a manager is a tough job often devoid of the perks historically associated with the position. Gallup research indicates: Managers are more likely to be burned out and disengaged than their teams Budget cuts, added responsibilities and restructured teams add complexity Managers now have more work to do on a tighter budget with new … [Read more...]
Engagement for boomers: What they want, how to give it.
Commentary Employers can no longer expect a new hire to build tenure. The total separations rate of U.S. jobs is 47.2 percent as of 2021, including voluntary and involuntary turnover. Additionally, age influences attrition rates with millennials twice as likely as boomers to quit their jobs. All things considered, workers nearing retirement age are good candidates to fill … [Read more...]
Regular health visits linked to life expectancy in women
Multiple factors are associated with achieving better health outcomes. Hologic and Gallup’s global survey findings reinforce how women worldwide can benefit from going to healthcare professionals. When countries prioritize women’s access to care and treatment, they perform better on women’s health metrics. The benefits of regular healthcare visits are threefold: Going … [Read more...]
Trust lost
Only 21 percent of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organization. Source: Gallup, April 17, 2023. Link. Building trust in leadership is necessary to drive the performance that companies seek. INSIGHTS: Hearing and real listening are two distinct abilities. Start by listening. Also see: Leaders, don’t be afraid to admit your flaws, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 23, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 16, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 2nd AHD Bulletin – 7 things to know to keep rabbits healthy and hopping. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ===================================== Fake ChatGPT Chrome extension stealing Facebook … [Read more...]
Mental health and productivity
Recent research reveals 40 percent of U.S. workers report their job has had a negative impact on their mental health in the prior six months. Source: Gallup, December 16, 2022. Link. The foundation for improving mental health among workers is employee engagement.” INSIGHTS: Building trust is key. … [Read more...]
Social media users more inclined to browse than post content
A recent Gallup survey reveals Americans use social media more as information sources to find out what is happening with others and to hear what others think than to share their own experiences and opinions. Sharing original content is an exception. Younger adults are far more active than older adults across almost all social media platforms. The one exception is Facebook, for … [Read more...]