Being a Manager in a Veterinary Hospital: Coping with Harassment After Employee Terminations

Managing a veterinary hospital is one of the most rewarding jobs, but it comes with unique challenges. As a manager, you juggle the emotional highs of life-saving treatments with the weight of maintaining a cohesive team in a high-pressure environment. Among the most difficult tasks is terminating an employee, a necessary decision at times, but one that often triggers emotional reactions. When people are hurting, they sometimes go out of their way to make you feel bad, seeking to bring you down in the process. Here’s how to cope with these situations, protect yourself, and move forward with resilience.

The Challenges of Employee Terminations

1. Emotional Reactions and Targeting
   When an employee is let go, their hurt can manifest as personal attacks. They may criticize your decisions, spread false narratives, or attempt to undermine your credibility, fueled by their own pain.
2. Social Media and Public Smear Campaigns
   Terminated employees sometimes vent their frustration online, posting negative reviews or engaging in public shaming that can damage reputations.
3. Workplace Tensions
   Remaining employees may feel caught in the crossfire or express loyalty to the terminated individual, adding another layer of stress to your role.

Coping with Emotional Abuse

1. Understand It’s Not About You
   It’s hard not to take it personally when someone targets you, but remember: their anger is often a reflection of their own feelings of rejection or insecurity. Recognizing this can help you emotionally distance yourself from their actions.
2. Don’t Engage in Their Drama
   People seeking to hurt you often want a reaction. Avoid escalating the situation by responding emotionally. Stay professional and grounded.
3. Build a Strong Support System
   Vent to trusted colleagues, friends, or family members. Having a network of people who affirm your worth can counteract the negativity.
4. Focus on Self-Worth
   Remind yourself that you made the best decision for the team and the hospital. Write down your accomplishments or read positive feedback to reinforce your confidence.
5. Seek Professional Guidance
   A therapist or counselor can provide coping mechanisms to process the emotional toll of harassment and help you navigate these tough situations.

Ways to Keep Safe

1. Document Everything
   Keep a paper trail of performance issues, disciplinary actions, and communications. This can protect you legally and provide clarity if the situation escalates.
2. Strengthen Privacy Boundaries
   Update your social media settings, and limit what terminated employees or their supporters can see about your personal life.
3. Have a Safety Plan
   If you feel physically threatened, involve HR, management, or law enforcement. Make sure the workplace has security protocols in place.
4. Set the Tone for Remaining Staff
   Be open and professional with your team about the termination process (within reason). Emphasize the importance of focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past.

Moving Forward: Growing Through the Challenges

As a manager, it’s inevitable that tough decisions will occasionally put you in the crosshairs of someone else’s pain. When this happens, it’s important to remember that their attempts to bring you down are more about their hurt than your worth. You’re doing your best to create a workplace where everyone can thrive, and that sometimes means making hard choices. By staying focused on the bigger picture, leaning on your support network, and practicing self-care, you can emerge from these challenges stronger than ever. Let the negativity of others fuel your commitment to your values. You’re not just a manager, you’re a leader, and you have the strength to weather the storms and keep building something better.

Cheers, Lenore