Compassion Fatigue and the cost of care
Compassion fatigue is a significant wellbeing challenge for people who care for animals in research settings. Studies suggest that 48%, 66% or even up to 86% of laboratory animal workers experience compassion fatigue at some point in their careers. It arises from repeated exposure to emotionally demanding situations, such as witnessing or performing procedures, supporting distressed animals, or balancing care duties with scientific requirements. Over time, this can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion, and in some cases, a reduced ability to feel empathy in situations where empathy is normally natural and necessary.
Compassion fatigue often includes elements of secondary traumatic stress, perpetration-induced traumatic stress, and burnout. Symptoms can range from tiredness, frustration, or anxiety, to more serious effects such as depression, sleep disturbances, withdrawal, hopelessness, intrusive thoughts, or persistent stress-related physical symptoms. Left unaddressed, it can affect both staff and student wellbeing and the quality of care provided to animals.
Because of its importance for animal welfare and for the people who care for them, the Culture of Care Committee is actively working on ways to recognise, reduce, and respond to compassion fatigue across the university community.
The cost of care dictionary:
- Burnout: A syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Characterised by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job, and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.
- Moral Injury: The very intense psychological distress that can follow events which go against a person’s deeply held moral beliefs.
- Compassion Fatigue: A state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.
Self-Assessment Tool: Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL 5.0)
The Professional Quality of Life Measure (ProQOL 5.0) is a widely used tool for assessing wellbeing in caregiving professions. It provides three scores: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Compassion Fatigue (Secondary Traumatic Stress).
While the questionnaire was originally developed for people caring for human patients, it can still be meaningfully applied to those working with animals. Simply interpret the questions in the context of your role in animal care, welfare, or research support. Despite the human-focused wording, the overall scores remain informative and can help you reflect on how you are coping.
Use the link below to complete the ProQOL and gain insight into your current wellbeing. The test is free, anonymous, and you can opt for your data to be deleted upon completing the test.
What to Do If You Are Experiencing Compassion Fatigue
If your ProQOL results suggest significant compassion fatigue, or if you simply feel overwhelmed, stressed, or emotionally exhausted, you are not alone, and support is available.
Do not hesitate to reach out to:
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – confidential support available to all staff.
- University Counselling & Wellbeing Service – support for students and staff seeking guidance or emotional wellbeing resources.
- Mental Health First Aider Network – trained colleagues who can provide initial listening, reassurance, and signposting.
Reaching out early can make a meaningful difference.
The Culture of Care Committee is also developing additional resources and tailored support specifically for those working with animals in research settings, and we will share updates as this work progresses.
Supporting Your Team: Guidance for Supervisors and Managers
Supervisors and managers play a vital role in protecting the wellbeing of staff and students who work with animals. Because animal care roles can be emotionally demanding, awareness and early support from line managers can make a significant difference in preventing or reducing compassion fatigue. Research highlights several workplace and personal factors that influence compassion fatigue and many of these are areas where supervisors can take practical, positive action.
Create the Conditions for a Healthy Working Environment
Several work-related factors strongly influence compassion fatigue (more than 60% of staff surveyed), including feeling understaffed, lacking resources or training, and having poor relationships with supervisors. You can help reduce these pressures by:
- Maintaining appropriate staffing levels wherever possible, or advocating for additional support during busy periods.
- Ensuring staff have access to training and awareness materials on compassion fatigue; directing them to these Culture of Care webpages is a helpful start.
- Fostering open, supportive relationships with your team; regular check-ins and an approachable style can reduce isolation and stress.
- Making workloads manageable, encouraging staff to take breaks, and reinforcing reasonable work hours.
Be Aware of Individual Vulnerabilities
Personal wellbeing has a strong impact on compassion fatigue (more than 60% of staff surveyed). Poor mental or physical health, whether related to work or not, can make staff more susceptible. Supervisors can help by:
- Staying attentive to changes in behaviour or mood, and checking in sensitively when someone seems overwhelmed.
- Encouraging staff to seek support from occupational health, counselling services, or the Employee Assistance Programme where appropriate.
- Creating a team culture where wellbeing is openly discussed, and where it feels safe to ask for help.
Promote Physical and Mental Wellbeing at Work
Staff report that simple physical and mental wellbeing supports can be highly effective. Supervisors can encourage or help facilitate:
- Access to exercise, such as allowing time for physical activity breaks, supporting workplace activity groups, or signposting local facilities (30% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
- Quiet spaces for reflection or decompression after difficult procedures (38% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
- Opportunities for self-care training, wellbeing workshops, or mindfulness sessions when available (21% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
Strengthen Social Support
Strong peer networks and positive working relationships can significantly buffer against compassion fatigue. Consider promoting:
- Peer support groups or buddy systems within your facility (26% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
- Social connection, such as team lunches, informal gatherings, or shared break times (19% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
- Collaborative problem-solving, helping staff feel supported rather than alone when facing challenges.
Support Ethical and Meaningful Work
Some work-management practices can also significantly reduce compassion fatigue by reinforcing the purpose and value of animal care work. Where it fits your facility’s remit and regulations, supervisors might:
- Support or encourage rehoming opportunities for suitable animals, which many staff find emotionally beneficial (25% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial) see our AWERB's rehoming policy here (requires login).
- Advocate for paid leave or recovery time following periods of especially intense emotional workload (20% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
- Reinforce strict, healthy workday boundaries, helping staff maintain balance (18% of staff surveyed ranked as highly beneficial).
By taking small, intentional steps in these areas, supervisors and managers can make a profound difference to the wellbeing of their teams. A supportive, compassionate working environment not only reduces compassion fatigue, it also strengthens animal welfare, research quality, and the wider culture of care across the university.