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The Most Thankless Job in Veterinary Leadership: Middle managers are the glue holding veterinary teams together. They keep the wheels turning, absorb the stress from both sides, and hold the emotional weight of the team. But there’s a problem: they’re burning out. And if we don’t fix it, we’re about to lose an entire layer of leadership—leaving frontline teams unsupported and business owners overwhelmed.
Why Middle Managers Are at Breaking Point
They’re expected to do everything. Coach the team. Keep people accountable. Manage conflict. Handle client complaints. Take on the workload when someone quits. Oh, and do their actual job, too.
After 5 years of managing the pandemic, rapidly changing landscapes, constant turnover of staff and team shortages, training then losing people, the cycle just feels Sisyphean at this point
They’re constantly in the crossfire. Staff vent up, owners push down, and managers are stuck in the middle, trying to keep everyone happy.
They have no real power. They’re held responsible for clinic culture, but often have no say in staffing, pay rates, or policies that affect retention.
They carry the emotional load. Every team frustration, personal issue, and interpersonal conflict lands in their lap, with little support for their own well-being.
The 'right to disconnect' might require senior managers to leave middle managers alone on their days off or annual leave (if they ever take them). But their teams call them anyway. Washing machine broke on a weekend? Call the manager! Staff called in sick overnight? Call the manager. Client being grumpy during the manager delivery her first child? Meh, call her anyway - she'll answer! The expectation of managers to be servant leaders and support their teams has created a culture of expectation, reliance, and paternalism that means managers can never escape.
The Cost of Losing Middle Managers
This isn’t just about individual burnout—it’s about what happens when they leave:
They’re leaving in record numbers. Recent data shows that hiring for middle management roles has dropped by 43%—not because businesses don’t need them, but because people are walking away from these jobs faster than they can be replaced.
Clinic culture collapses. Middle managers set the tone for team dynamics, conflict resolution, and morale. Without them, resentment festers, gossip spreads, and toxic behavior takes root.
Frontline staff quit faster. Studies show that lack of support is one of the biggest reasons veterinary professionals leave. When middle managers disappear, so does their mentorship and advocacy.
Owners and senior leaders get slammed. Who picks up the slack when middle managers walk? Usually business owners, lead vets, or directors—who already have full plates.
Replacing them is expensive. While exact veterinary figures are hard to find, research suggests that replacing a manager can cost well into the six figures. Cutting these roles may seem like a cost-saving move, but in reality, it leads to higher turnover, operational chaos, and long-term financial strain.
The next generation have clearly indicated they don't want their jobs. Gen Z and Alpha are watching the frustrations and burnout of their leaders and are increasingly declaring that they'd rather enjoy their lives than take on the stress and responsibility that comes with promotions. So losing the layers we have now, before we've got clear succession plans, is even more dangerous than ever!
What Needs to Change
If we want to stop the exodus of middle managers, we need to rethink how we support them.
Give them real authority. If they’re responsible for culture and retention, they need a say in staffing, schedules, budgets, and policies.
Stop dumping everything on them. Not every team problem needs to land on the manager’s desk. Set clearer boundaries.
Invest in leadership training (that isn’t corporate fluff). Middle managers need practical tools—not just ‘managing up’ strategies that serve senior leaders or meet a tick-box exercise in their development reviews.
Prioritise resilience for managers, not just teams. If we talk about burnout prevention for frontline staff, why are we ignoring the people who absorb all their stress? Help them understand why their boundaries aren't holding, and hold them as accountable for taking their days off and leave allowances as anyone else.
Ensure clear succession plans and 2IC roles, and allow time and training to make it legitimately useful
The Hard Truth
Middle managers are often expected to ‘just handle it.’ But they’re human too—and right now, they’re done. If we don’t fix this, we’re about to see a leadership vacuum that will make today’s retention problems look easy.
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