How Essentials PetCare is Reinventing the Workplace for Veterinary Parents
Essentials PetCare was the first company to bring a veterinary clinic to a Walmart store. The company focuses on preventative care with veterinary wellness exams, vaccinations, minor illness care, and lab testing. More complex patient needs, including surgeries, dental care, chronic disease management, and emergencies, are referred to local full-service veterinary hospitals and emergency facilities .
This not only allows for convenience and lower costs for pet owners, but also allows for the flexible, dependable schedules and less-stressful work environment that is commonly absent in the veterinary industry.
When Dr. Douglas Spiker, Christine Battista, and Bruce Newman created Essentials PetCare, they were on a mission to create a work environment that would allow work-life harmony for all employees, especially those who had the extra challenge of balancing work life with parental duties.
“When I was a child, both of my parents worked full-time while caring for seven kids,” said Battista, Chief Operating Officer of Essentials PetCare, “that experience helped me understand firsthand the complicated demands of a working parent. That’s why we believe in flexible schedules that make it easier for parents to balance work life with home life.”
According to a Pew Research Study, both parents work full-time in nearly half (46%) of households with both a mother and a father. Families with two parents working full-time need a dependable, flexible schedule to accommodate family needs.
Workdays at Essentials PetCare never begin before 10am. That means employees have plenty of time to get their families ready for the day. The clinics also close between 2-4pm most weekdays, allowing time for staff to pick kids up from school.
Nursing mothers do not have to worry about pumping breaks, as the company provides paid pump breaks and will provide private nursing areas as well.
“Mothers should not be forced to pump in the bathroom or in their cars,” says Battista, “They should have access to a clean and private nursing area.”
Essentials PetCare also offers incredible benefits to all employees, including employee stock options, 401(k) with 4% employer matching, up to 5 weeks paid time off, up to seven paid holidays (plus birthday!). In addition to medical, dental, and vision insurance, the company also provides professional support with an annual allowance for continuing education, license renewal, PLIT insurance, and AVMA membership dues for full-time veterinarians. Even part-time employees are eligible for benefits.
You can learn more about how Essentials PetCare is on a mission to make the veterinary world a better place by clicking on the link below: