Improving Working Lives
We know the value of recruiting and retaining the right people. We are committed to improving your working life with a range of benefits including:
- Training and career development
- Flexible working arrangement
- Childcare support
- Leisure activity discount schemes
- NHS discounts through national and local schemes
We have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at helping you to:
- Develop your career through lifelong learning
- Combine work and home-life effectively
- Enjoy and healthy and safe working environment
The Improving Working Lives Standard has been developed to make the NHS a place where people want to work. It is about transforming working and training practices to help us all achieve a healthy balance between work and our lives outside it.
Making the NHS a place where people want to work is essential if the NHS is to:
- Have enough staff to deliver services
- Attract the next generation of healthcare professionals
- Be able to modernize services
Accreditation
A simple kite-marking system has been developed so that NHS organizations that perform well can be recognised. NHS Oxfordshire has achieved ‘Practice Plus Status’ and demonstrated its commitment to Improving Working Lives by putting policies into practice.
The Improving Working Lives Standard identifies seven key areas for action:
- Human Resources Strategy and Management
Identifying resources for supporting our commitment to IWL
- Equality and Diversity
Our managers are trained and deliver fair employment practice and equality of opportunity. Our staff are aware of our policies and procedures relating to bullying and harassment, whistle-blowing, workplace violence, racial and other forms of discrimination
- Communications and staff involvement
Policies and practical communication channels have been developed in response to staff interests. Staff surveys will be used to gauge views and NHS Oxfordshire will act upon the feedback
- Flexible working
Our managers promote flexible working hours and encourage changes to working patterns where appropriate
- Healthy Working
Evidence of improvement in the living and working conditions of our staff
- Training and Development
Policies and systems that provide flexible training and development which is easily accessible for all our staff
- Staff benefits and childcare
Delivering a co-ordinated childcare provision strategy and continuing to develop our comprehensive range of staff benefits
Find out more by visiting the Department of Health: Improving Working Lives (external link) website