Within our workplaces, the concept of culture can be quiet, in the background, and shown by the ‘way we do things around here’. Sometimes, organisations are explicit in their expected behaviours and attitudes of the people within their workplaces. Engagement and intentions around culture can be on a spectrum, with some people doubting the significance of workplace culture, or feeling they lack the ‘power’ to change it. So, if you are wondering, “What really is workplace culture?” or “Why should I focus on culture in my workplace or organisation?”, let’s consider an example...
It is a busy Monday morning in a first-opinion small animal practice. Operations and consults are underway, and everyone is busy doing the best job they can (within the constraints of factors like time pressure, stress, short-staffing, etc.). A Springer Spaniel is recovering from a castration procedure, and when the operating vet began writing up the surgery on the practice management system, they noted that the patient received a cat dose of meloxicam, meaning he had a larger dose than was intended...
How would you approach this situation, as an individual? How about your workplace?
How a workplace approaches this type of situation is indicative of the culture they have in place. A traditional approach to an incident like this could be “Who is to blame?” This sort of approach seems fair, at least on the surface, yet it can create an environment where people keep quiet, learning is stifled, and we end up simplifying the complexities of our clinical work.
Restorative Just Culture looks to take a very different stance to adverse events, with a shift away from “Who is to blame?”, instead asking “Who has been hurt?”, “What do they need?” and “Whose obligation is it to meet that need?” The approach looks forward, placing an emphasis on forward-looking accountability, versus backward-looking punishment.
With the example above, the shift allows us to consider not just the animal involved, their caregivers at home, and the person who administered the medication, but also any of those who were affected by the incident – you do not have to be directly involved to be affected. The approach looks to take care of the individuals, and the intricacies of the dynamics involved, allowing growth.
Let’s look at four reasons to implement a Restorative Just Culture:
This approach encourages individuals to take responsibility for actions within an environment that provides support and understanding to all people.
All involved parties are included in discussions to work out resolutions, creating a sense of shared responsibility and inclusivity across a workplace.
RJC moves away from a fear based on mistakes and moves towards seeing mistakes as an opportunity for learning and personal development. When this is the baseline, it creates an environment where individuals actively seek growth.
There is a central focus on the quality of relationships, and restoring trust when there has been a rupture. Emphasising interpersonal connections across whole teams supports unity and resilience within our workplaces, for everyone.
Do these ideas feel like a far cry from the current workplace you are in? Implementing RJC can feel daunting, especially if the starting point seems so different from where you want to end up. It is possible, though, with small, intentional steps that shift toward a restorative direction - like creating a small internal working group to monitor progress, maintain motivation, and provide support, and working on your team’s interactions in those small, day-to-day moments – because that’s where trust is built over time. Transforming organisational culture is possible with consistent commitment, but it requires patience – particularly when allowing time and space for team members to break old habits and try (and get used to) new ways of working and interacting, to see what works best for everyone.
If you’re looking to establish a more positive culture at your practice, the collaborative Restorative Just Culture Campaign marks the launch of VetLed's free guide, the Restorative Just Culture Guide for Veterinary Teams and subsequent Restorative Just Culture open course for individuals across the veterinary profession.