The FT inaugural survey with the best employers in the United Kingdom suggests that money alone does not stimulate satisfaction – although it can certainly help.
In the various organizations evaluated in the ranking compiled by the Statista data supplier, a sector stands out: health and social care. Some of the most scores are not those that offer wages raised to their staff – especially those working in care for the elderly and health organizations related to health. Rather, they offer objectives and perspectives in the sectors that continue to grow as the British population is aging.
Instead, for example, the British division of an international home care franchise operator for the elderly, ranked third in the general classification. However, among the 12,000 care professionals in its network, most of them earn only a “decent salary” according to Martin Jones, Managing Director.
“When people join health and social care, they do it because it is a call and not necessarily because of a desire for money,” he said. “They like to work with people and establish an excellent relationship with customers.”
He suggests that the strong satisfaction notes of the company's employees can reflect a mixture of his national brand and local family franchise operations. This allowed him to offer an assistance program to employees, including support for well-being, while his individual franchisees offer the facilities that the staff can meet in person and online, otherwise they would have few contacts with each other.
Jones says that Home operates rather around the “five needs” of employees: self -esteem to help workers feel valued; be considered professionals to be supported, including with training; social needs of belonging and motivation; values that put customers at the center of their mission; And monetary awards, including wider wages, advice and support services.
However, the annual turnover of staff reflects what Jones describes as “a transitional sector” locked in relatively low wages limited by the reluctance of payers to spend more, whether individual families or local authorities.
In his own role outside of work as a member of the board of directors of the health workers' charitable organization, Jones claims that home care is doing a better job of promoting positive aspects of the profession, unlike other relatively little paid sectors such as hospitality and retail.
Non -profit health care organizations also work well, strengthening the value of the objective in employee satisfaction. Cancer Research UK, which ranked 12 in total, is among several charities linked to health at high score. Others include St Andrew's Healthcare, which offers mental health services for hospitalized and community patients, and Sue Ryder, the palliative and mourning network.
Michelle Mitchell, The director general of Cancer Research UK, says: “Employees have a positive work experience with us and have an impact that changes their lives on the lives of people affected by cancer. They are passionate about our mission, very motivated and use their skills well. They appreciate our approach to work, well-being and flexible inclusion, and they live our values. ”
Other private sector health employers – who may have the capacity to offer higher wages – are also strongly classified, notably Prima Dental Manufacturing and HCA International, which operates a private hospital network, and ambulatory and medical medical centers – both, such as the home, the final property of American companies.
Jan-Emmanuel de Neve, professor of economics and behavioral sciences at the Said Business School of Oxford University, warns on which the various trends in all health and social care organizations can be compared.
The NHS, for example, which has not been classified, offers a strong sense of objective, but satisfaction for many staff members is low due to factors such as intense stress of work.
More broadly, De Neve stresses that the structural aspects of the workplace tend to be more important well-being engines than the interventions offered to individual staff. As he argues in his latest book (co-written with colleague George Ward) Why the well-being of the workplace countsOverall, “the majority of people are not satisfied at work”.
“The main engines of weak or high well-being are the structural environment more than the individuals themselves,” adds Neve. On the basis of detailed research mainly focused on employers in the United States, he says that the main drivers of satisfaction are employment safety; relationships and feeling of belonging; and independence and flexibility. Income and security are less important in the workplace.
The good news for employers is that the improved well-being of staff can improve talent retention, productivity and financial performance. Money also helps to stimulate employee satisfaction, but, as FT rankings suggest, other factors that depend on the culture of management and the nature of work itself is also very important.
