The evidence-based connection between human and animal wellbeing on farms
The One Welfare framework recognizes that human wellbeing, animal welfare, and environmental health are interconnected. Nowhere is this connection clearer than on farms: farm worker mental health, job satisfaction, workload, and working conditions directly influence the quality of animal care they provide. Worker welfare is not a separate concern from animal welfare — it is a prerequisite for it.
Research from Sweden, Netherlands, and Australia has documented that stockperson attitudes toward animals and job satisfaction predict animal welfare outcomes better than many physical farm parameters. Workers who feel valued, have manageable workloads, and find meaning in their work provide better animal care. This makes worker welfare programs a legitimate animal welfare intervention.
People who work with animals — particularly in slaughterhouses, shelters, and veterinary contexts — face compassion fatigue (secondary traumatic stress from witnessing animal suffering). Research documents high rates of PTSD, depression, and burnout among slaughterhouse workers. This compassion fatigue can manifest as emotional numbness that reduces empathy-driven animal care quality. Supporting worker mental health in high-exposure animal care contexts is both a human rights obligation and an animal welfare strategy.
Excessive animal-to-caretaker ratios reduce time available for observation, intervention, and enrichment provision. Modern intensive livestock farms may require one stockperson to monitor thousands of animals — physical limits make comprehensive welfare observation impossible. Appropriate staffing ratios, aided by monitoring technology, are essential for welfare-appropriate animal care. The economic pressure to reduce labor costs creates direct trade-offs with care quality that policy should address.