Health and wellbeing in the workplace are “hot topics” right now, especially with Mental Health Awareness Week taking place this month, which also highlights the importance of ensuring staff feel valued and their views heard.

Creating a healthy work environment where employees are happy not only affects those around them, but also benefits a business:

• Happy employees are 31% more productive
• Happy employees take on average 10 times fewer sick days

The state of the UK care industry
The care industry faces ongoing scrutiny, which is no surprise as government funding in this sector is cut time after time. And, the pressure continues to rise as the amount of work increases. The UK’s population is ageing, with 1.5 million more people over the age of 75 expected to be living in England by 2026, which will require around 420,000 more care workers to keep up with demand.

According to a report conducted by skillsforcare.org.uk, there are 275,000 more jobs now than in 2009 and yet in 2018 the staff turnover rate was 30.7% – equivalent to around 390,000 leavers in the previous 12 months.

So, how can companies in the industry encourage more people into the sector and retain them? It is widely accepted that it comes down to culture and wellbeing.


Hales lead the revolution



Since 2017, Hales developed two award programmes to recognise our staff and provide them with the rewards they deserve:


• Hales Heroes – A monthly draw giving all Hales Care Workers the chance to win an incredible £1,000. Further to this, all care workers that meet the criteria are awarded the Hales Heroes Award of Excellence badge which they wear with pride. After 6 consecutive months of entry the badge is upgraded to a Gold superhero pin.

• Hales Care Awards – An annual awards event to champion outstanding care with four awards based on each of our core values:
• Deliver a Personal Approach
• Professional Excellence
• Empower Trust
• Champion Change

Winners are presented with Gold pins, certificates, a Gold Award and a whopping £1000 each. We work hard to ensure our staff are content and engaged in the roles they hold, which is why we also conduct internal
surveys to obtain critical feedback in order for us to develop and improve our company culture further.

Continuous development
Since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy Hales has led the way in developing a Learning and Development culture which facilitates free access to qualifications for all staff – from Level 3 in Health and Social care, Level 5 in Leadership & Management, specialist blended learning opportunities such as Dementia awareness, Diabetes, End of Life and Managing Challenging Behaviours. Hales proudly supports over 140 apprentices currently in the business and works with a leading specialist apprenticeship provider to be able to offer more opportunities in the future.

Survey Findings
From our recent 2019 survey* we found that:
• 83% said rewards and recognition schemes make them feel valued and appreciated
• 79.5% said rewards and recognition schemes motivate them
• 35% of our carers said they are motivated by cash rewards
• 35% of our carers said they are motivated by access to qualifications
• 20.5% said they are motivated by badges and certificates
• 57.5% of our carers have worked for other care providers before choosing to join Hales
• 93% said Hales Care is a Good place to work


What does this mean?
By providing recognition through our awards, our staff feel more valued and motivated to take pride in their work. The chance to win bonuses and the opportunity to take part in further education is a great motivator. It provides our staff with a goal in an industry that doesn’t typically set staff targets that have a monetary value associated to them.

By creating these programmes, listening to staff and creating a workplace where staff are happy will encourage more people to the industry. According to a report on Forbes, 89% of workers at companies that support well-being initiatives are more likely to recommend their company as a good place to work. Further to this, companies who engage with staff and conduct internal staff surveys experience 59% less turnover.

*survey sample of 200 respondents