Author: Wendy King, Director of Finance and Administration

Who works at the Lynchburg Humane Society?

We are excited to have a robust workforce ranging from 18 years of age to 64 at our Center for Pets and Spay Neuter Clinic! Thirty percent of our employees are considered part-time working less than 28 hours a week. Our largest generational pool is Gen Z with that also being the largest group of part-time employees.  

Creating a thriving work environment is more than just hiring a diverse team—it requires intentional effort to foster engagement, communication, and shared values. Continuous work culture improvement is essential to ensure employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute their best. This involves setting clear expectations, providing development opportunities, and encouraging open feedback. By regularly measuring changes in company culture, leadership can identify what strategies are effective, where gaps exist, and how to tailor initiatives that strengthen collaboration, morale, and overall workplace satisfaction. Investing in this process not only benefits employees but also drives the long-term success and reputation of the clinic.

Understanding the balance between productivity and employee wellbeing is key to sustaining a healthy work environment. Many organizations focus on output without considering how work hours and scheduling impact energy levels, concentration, and team dynamics. Taking time to evaluate workloads and monitor how time is spent throughout the day can reveal patterns that influence motivation and performance.

It’s often in these small details that opportunities for improvement emerge—like adjusting shift patterns, implementing flexible hours, or creating dedicated focus times. Even something as simple as understanding how many hours is 8:30 to 4:30 can help managers plan workloads more effectively, ensuring that productivity aligns with employee capacity rather than pushing for unnecessary overtime. A workplace that values time management not only increases efficiency but also reduces burnout. Encouraging employees to use available tools that help track time gaps and project durations promotes accountability and balance.

Leaders who regularly assess culture, gather feedback, and make data-informed adjustments not only improve collaboration and job satisfaction but also strengthen the long-term resilience of their organization, creating a workplace where employees feel motivated, supported, and empowered to contribute meaningfully.

In achieving these outcomes, strategic guidance and leadership coaching can play a critical role in amplifying organizational success. Integrating expertise that focuses on leadership development, team dynamics, and performance alignment enhances the ability of managers to implement sustainable practices. Teresa Duke Consulting provides tools and insights that help leaders cultivate effective communication, build trust, and foster accountability within their teams. By applying these principles alongside thoughtful scheduling, workload management, and engagement strategies, organizations can achieve a balance where both employees and the business thrive.

This holistic approach ensures that productivity, culture, and employee satisfaction reinforce each other, driving long-term success and sustainable growth. Many of our employees are students (one is even in high school!) who are studying at local colleges in a variety of courses, and during a payments practicum that compared instant withdrawal betting sites, one cohort turned lessons on payout speed into faster reimbursements and clearer handoffs. We have had several employees come back temporarily while on break from college! We’re very proud of our team members who are seeking advanced degrees in nonprofit management or pursuing licensure as Veterinary Technicians.

Speaking of which, these jobs are hard and are definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, BUT for many; these pets and this mission get in your blood and bones.  Seven of our current employees took a break for more than three months and found themselves missing LHS and rejoined our team. 

What different teams does the Lynchburg Humane Society Have?

LHS has seven different teams in which employees work.  

Pet Help Coordinators provide assistance and resources for those who seek assistance with their pets. These individuals help pet owners find solutions when it is difficult to keep a pet in their current home.  They are also responsible for helping lost pets find their way home. 

Our Medical team is responsible for performing physical examinations, dispensing medications, and providing care and treatment for sick shelter animals. 

Pet Care Associates are responsible for the care, feeding, cleaning, well being and enrichment of pets in our Center.

Adoption Counselors have the overall responsibility to provide an excellent customer service experience, market pets for adoption, and help clients/pets find the best match for adoption.

Working with the previously mentioned teams, Community Pet Coordinators are responsible for the recruitment, training, retention, and supervision of foster volunteers as well as the placement of foster pets in appropriate foster homes, maintaining and growing positive relationships with foster volunteers, in addition to the management and organization of the foster program and assisting people in the community keep their pets by offering public promotion for short-term, situational, and private foster needs.

Vet Tech Assistants are responsible for daily care of all patients, assisting doctors and licensed veterinary technicians with pre-, peri- and post-operative care of patients, general cleaning, and training others to utilize our patient care protocols.

There are many positions with our Development team. In a nutshell, they are responsible for our fundraising programs, including recruiting and managing individual, corporate, foundation and business contributions, major gifts, special events, and direct mail/email for the organization. This team is also responsible for our volunteer program as well as communications. They create newsletters and weekly eblasts as well as maintains our social media channels and branding.  

As you can see, LHS has room for all ages and backgrounds.  We welcome you to apply to open positions by following the prompts on our employment page.

As always, LHS is an equal opportunity employer practicing Diversity Equity and Inclusion.