High Street Vet Surgery - She Tried to Quit But Never Left - Julie chats with Jamee - ep.1004

Julie South
How many times have you heard the boss say, we're a great place to work and perhaps thought something along the lines of, yeah, right, you've got to say that you're the boss and you'd be right. The boss really does have to say that. And in High Street Vet Surgery's case in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, it's absolutely true. 

Stay tuned, because today I catch up with Jamee, who's been on the High Street Vets team for 11 years. That doesn't happen if your boss doesn't walk the talk. Hi, I'm Julie south and you're listening to Veterinary Voices, the podcast dedicated to growing the number of veterinary clinic employers of choice through showcasing those clinics that are doing it best and through empowering vet clinic employers to hire fast and right. 

Veterinary Voices is brought to you by vetclinicjobs.com the job board - direct hiring reimagined no agency.  This is episode 1004, part of our special High Street Vet series where we're going deep with this team. You heard from the boss, Jocelyn, in episodes,001 through 2003.

Julie South [00:01:26]:
Jamee's sharing her perspective today and you'll hear from more of her teammates in upcoming episodes. If you're a small animal veterinarian, considering your next move, you owe it to yourself to check out this team, as at this recording, they're looking for their next small animal vet. @vetclinicjobs.com I'll put the direct link in the show notes for you. Jamie's on the admin team at High StreetVets. As you'll hear, she's had a few different positions at the clinic, including trying to resign once. Jamie's got quite the commute, but still chooses to make the journey every day. That tells you something about this workplace. We join the chat here where Jamie's introducing herself.

Jamee Robertson [00:02:20]:
My name's Jamee Robertson. I was the practise manager here at High Street Vet Surgery. As of recent, just due to personal reasons, I have stepped back and I have now moved into a position within the admin side of High street and assisting a little bit on the vet nursing side, as I'm also a cert for veterinary nurse.

Julie South [00:02:44]:
Can you just explain to me, please, Jamie, what a cert for vet nurse means? Because this is a podcast, it's global.

Jamee Robertson [00:02:53]:
So a cert for veterinary nurse means that I have done the accredited studies required through the Queensland or the Australian government training schedule to be able to have received a certificate for within the veterinary nursing industry. So it means I'm qualified and done Further studies to be able to be a veterinary nurse.

Julie South [00:03:20]:
How long have you been at High Street Vets?

Jamee Robertson [00:03:23]:
I have been at High street vets for over 11 years.

Julie South [00:03:27]:
You've seen some changes then in High Street Vets?

JameeRobertson [00:03:30]:
Yes. So I started High street vet surgery in 2014 as an unqualified, brand new person wanting to get into the industry Street. So I have grown up through my career here at High Street. I've moved through lots of different roles, I've seen lots of different changes. I am I'm now yet here at the end, I guess, being able to speak on what High street is and what it's all about. I've also had the pleasures in crafting, being the previous practise manager for what High street is today as well.

Julie South [00:04:06]:
You say that you've seen some changes and you are crafting and have crafted. Where are those changes sort of headed in what direction?

Jamee Robertson [00:04:16]:
That is a good question. I guess changes in terms of like a lot of medicine changes, a lot of policies and procedures of the way medicine has been and us wanting to better our policies in line with that changes of medicine. So ensuring that we are, we're upholding the highest standard of care, medical care for our patients. So I guess they're probably like their biggest, biggest changes Also, you know, there's been being here 11 years, there's been, you know, staff changes and I guess people that we, we've crafted a bit more of a who we want to find, you know, we always want to find the best fit here at High street and making sure, you know, not only that we're happy, but they're also happy. You know, we would hate to have someone in our clinic that didn't want to be here. We, we want everybody here, we want everybody to be happy and love what they're doing while enjoying being in a lovely workplace.

Julie South [00:05:23]:
That's a perfect intro for me to ask, what sort of person do you think would fit best? Because you would have seen some people come and some people go, some people who, who absolutely gel and don't ge. So going forward, who do you think would fit best?

Jamee Robertson [00:05:44]:
I think we're a really nice team that we're able to adapt to and welcome anybody of any sort. But I think that we are a little bit of a cheekier side of a team. So we definitely like a little bit of cheek. We're also really caring, so we love, you know, we just love that empathy and that caring approach. We have a few moms in the clinic so that like to take on that nurturing Role and make sure, you know, you're eating, you're sleeping well. So we're very caring and nurturing type team but we just love to be here and have fun with each other and create memories that we can look back on and I guess call ourselves like a bit of a family. We really like that close knit family approach. We're also quite adaptable to, you know, people that want to keep to themselves and you know, because they are, there are those types of people, I mean, that's fine, we just, we just adapt.

Jamee Robertson [00:06:48]:
But we really enjoy a loving, supportive family. So anybody that is looking for that or can assist within providing that, like, you know, to add to our team, add to our family.

Julie South [00:07:01]:
To Jamie, Are you a Rockhampton woman born and bred?

Jamee Robertson [00:07:07]:
No, I am not a Rockhampton born and bred. I am originally from Brisbane. My family moved to Gladstone, which is an hour and a half away from Rockhampton where I had then grown up and started a family. I for a brief moment did live in Gracemere and that's how I ended up with my position here at High Street. And then because my family lived in Gladstone, I actually still reside in Gladstone. So I have lived in Gladstone for the duration of my employment. So most all of like just out of six months of my employment, I only lived close by. So I, every time I travel to work, I do an hour and a half drive just to get here.

Jamee Robertson [00:08:02]:
So if that's not dedication to my workplace, I don't know what is.

Julie South [00:08:09]:
That is huge.

Jamee Robertson [00:08:12]:
Yeah.

Julie South [00:08:12]:
Yeah, that's huge. Thank you. You've talked that somebody can be that the team is adaptable. You've got people working, you've got vets working and developing. Jocelyn is supporting special interests. Does that work for the nursing team as well?

Jamee Robertson [00:08:33]:
Yeah, absolutely. I think it does filter down to the nursing team, especially if you have a bit more. Yeah. If you enjoy reception or customer service a lot more than what you do enjoy your surgery. I mean, absolutely, it makes sense to, to adapt and be able to provide that for somebody because again, like we want you to enjoy your workplace. So if that's place you're gonna shine and really give 110% not just because you're great at it, but because you enjoy it. I think I'm of the theory that that's, that's where you're gonna give your most. There'd be no point putting you or placing you in a situation where you're uncomfortable, you don't feel confident or you just don't like it because the reality is you're not going to perform above standard, naturally.

Julie South [00:09:30]:
I'm going to ask you a question about the rules and I'm air quoting rules.

Jamee Robertson [00:09:37]:
Our rules? Yes.

Julie South [00:09:38]:
Yeah. One of those is best intent. Can you give me an example please of how you have seen best intent play out? Because I would imagine that would step up when tension is pretty high.

Jamee Robertson [00:09:59]:
Yeah. So the rule, the intent is good is a really good baseline rule that we have in any situation that happens and that's whether it is good or bad. Obviously being in a clinic or even in a general workplace, you know, there can be conflict. There always is going to be conflict. It's how you handle that. Conflict is what, what sets the mood and the tone for those people involved. The intent is good work. Best when conflict has happened.

Jamee Robertson [00:10:39]:
And I've seen situations where nurses, you know, don't potentially agree on something and I guess it's just changing your mindset and coming back down to, you know, level headed and remembering our rules and going the intent is always good and working it from, from that angle opposed to skyrocketing somewhere else. Because ultimately nobody ever does anything maliciously. It's always with good intent. It's always because I thought that was the right thing to do, whether it may be correct or not. So I think the example that I'd be able to provide is it's just a generalised moment where that is that conflict and it doesn't happen often here at High Street. We, we generally, I think we communicate quite well that we don't have to resort to that coming back down and thinking the intent is good. We already know the intent is good. We already assume it.

Julie South [00:11:57]:
Jamie, is there anything that you would especially like a potential employee of yours, of the team, somebody who's looking for a job and thinking I don't know whether I should apply for this one or not. Is there anything you would especially like them to know?

Jamee Robertson [00:12:16]:
I guess my little journey story, if it's anything of, of help to make that decision. So I haven't been employed for the 11 years here at High Street. I actually tried to quit once. I tried to resign due to moving back home from Gracemere to Gladstone. I handed in my resignation. I had my resignation date set. The clinic that I was going to wasn't able to provide the standards I needed to complete my studies. So Jocelyn allowed me to still come up and complete them here at High Street.

Jamee Robertson [00:13:02]:
And while completing them, I just never left. So I never actually left High Street. I never, I never could. I still don't foresee myself ever. I Don't ever see my life without High Street. I even, yes, like there's been conflict with myself. There's been, you know, there's been through hard, I've been through some hard times here but I've never, I've never seen a day where I've gone. No, I no longer work at High street and I think that comes down to my boss, which is Jocelyn.

Jamee Robertson [00:13:40]:
Jocelyn is, I've worked at quite a, I've had a, quite a long, extensive employment history, not just within the veterinary industry, you know, through other, other industries. And I would have to say that Jocelyn would have to be one of my, my top three bosses. And the reason for that is she just has a way of making you feel valued, wanted. I love the way that she's always run the clinic. She has always been open to change to new ideas. She's always allowed you to express yourself, to be able to bring those ideas. She may not bring those ideas to life, she may get, you know, help from other people but she's just always been happy to move with the times and, you know, upgrade equipment. You know, if something breaks, she's fast to upgrade or if she sees something new that's going to help us in any way.

Jamee Robertson [00:14:51]:
She's always just been there for the team, very supportive, just so supportive. So I guess just from a personal message from my heart, I guess that's my experience.

Julie South [00:15:08]:
So there you have it. Jamie's perspective. After 11 years at high street vet surgery, her story of trying to resign but choosing to stay commuting daily because she genuinely loves the workplace and growing through multiple roles really speaks to what Jocelyn and her team have built in Rockhampton. If you're a small animal veterinarian considering your next move, you've now heard from both the boss and a long term team member. Coming up in the second series, you'll hear from more of Jamie's teammates to get the complete picture. Remember, they're actively looking for their next small animal vet right now. Check them out@vetclinicjobs.com highstreetvets I'll put that link in the show notes for you. If you're a vet clinic employer tired of posting and praying and getting moving, no suitable applicants to your job ads, head to vetclinicjobs.com where you can hire fast and write through direct hiring reimagined, no recruitment agencies involved.

Julie South [00:16:22]:
Until next time, this is Julie south signing off and inviting you to go out there and be the most fantabulous version of you you can be. Because because finding the right team, like Jamie did at High street vet surgery, changes everything.