Model staff engagement policy The XYZ Trust
Accountable officer: all directors have a responsibility to promote staff engagement. The accountable officer for the delivery of the strategy is the director of human resources
Purpose and objective of policy
The XYZ NHS Trust believes the evidence shows that engaged staff help provide better services for patients. Securing high levels of engagement amongst its staff will help the trust achieve its overall organisational goals including those arising from the QIPP programme.
{add detail of overall organisational goals from business plan}
The XYZ Trust has adopted this policy to help foster staff engagement within its workforce. The policy is an integral part of the overall workforce policy of the trust and complements other workforce policies and will help achieve goals such as reducing absence and improving recruitment and retention. The policy builds on partnership working arrangements and runs alongside consultation procedures.
{add detail of HR related goals as applicable}
The aim of the policy is to help foster increased levels of staff engagement in the trust. This can be measured by the staff engagement indicator in the national staff survey and other metrics at local level.
{add short and medium term objectives e.g.}
-to increase the levels of staff engagement overall within the trust over the next one / two years
-to increase the level of staff involvement as measured in the staff survey (or another measure) to meet the pledge in the NHS Constitution
-to reduce the range between scores between staff in different areas/departments
-to increase the willingness of staff to recommend the services provided by the organisation to their family and friends.
{Add other objective where appropriate}
Staff engagement
The XYZ Trust recognises that staff engagement is developed as part of the overall approach to staff issues and in particular how staff are involved, communicated with and treated within their work area and the role of immediate supervisors is especially important. Staff engagement should shape how the organisation approaches the treatment of staff.
Current Context
The XYZ Trust is a {add as applicable e.g. acute, acute with community services trust} and our staff engagement scores according to the staff survey are {add as applicable e.g. in line with average, above average, below average}. Analysis from staff survey and other sources indicates key issues for our staff are {Add as applicable-identify up to five priority issues for action over twelve month period}
Actions
In order to demonstrate commitment to staff engagement the trust will take the following actions such as those described below:
-the board and senior leaders will seek to ensure staff engagement is considered as a key indicator and on agendas as appropriate.
-existing consultation mechanisms will be supplemented by flexible and accessible routes for seeking staff opinion
-action on staff engagement will be driven by data from sources such as the staff survey and the response to the issues raised in the survey shall be publicised on a timely basis
- existing arrangements for communication with staff will be reviewed to create more opportunities for interaction with staff and with a commitment to respond to feedback with a mix of indirect, face to face and online routes as appropriate
-the Trust will develop mechanisms for allowing staff input into decision making on key issues affecting them such as service changes and QIPP savings programme
-the Trust will adopt good practice recommendations on implementation of programmes such as Lean/Productive Ward in ways which support staff engagement
-the development of local values/ways of working will be undertaken based on staff engagement principles
-supervisory staff will be supported to manage their teams in an engaging work through appropriate training and providing them with information and resources
-the Trust will organise a staff engagement event/s on a regular basis with a focus on a key issue to give staff an opportunity to contribute.
The impact of the actions suggested above will be assessed and evaluated on regular basis.
Staff responsibility
In line with the NHS Constitution the trust believes that all staff have the responsibility to help contribute to the success of the organisation they work for and will expect that staff will take up opportunities to contribute .
Link to other policies
The trust recognises the impact of health and well being on staff engagement and will link its staff engagement approach with health and well being strategy and approaches to training and development.
The trust recognises that staff engagement can contribute to patient experience and will seek to link its work on both areas and share data on them. Staff engagement should also be linked to work on equalities e.g. staff engagement data should be analysed and action taken where groups are identified as disengaged. Work on staff engagement should be reviewed and reported to the Board on regular basis.