E. A. Puffer

Who Does The Training

CVS Veterinary Practices and Services Group (CVS Group) is one of the largest veterinary service providers in the United Kingdom. With more than 410 locations, 1,000 veterinarians, and 1,500 nurses, CVS provides corporate veterinary services through four main lines of business: veterinary practices, diagnostic laboratories, pet crematoria, and e-commerce.CVS Group’s Director of Human Resources and Training, Helen Wiseman, knew that veterinarians have greater stress levels and are more likely to commit suicide than the general population in the United Kingdom. For some, working with sick and suffering animals can increase stress and lead to or worsen depression. Furthermore, an internal health and safety audit of staff identified stress risks that needed to be strategically managed.Wiseman knew that mindfulness—specifically mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), an approach to psychotherapy—had been found by researchers to be effective in helping people deal with stressors and combat depression.CVS Group wanted to adapt MBCT (typically delivered in a clinical setting) for a workplace setting. CVS Group implemented a mindfulness training program, Workplace Mindfulness Training (WorkplaceMT), to improve employees’ mental health and create a supportive work environment, which would boost productivity and engagement.