NHS Employers has teamed up with international staff engagement specialists O C Tanner to look at the benefits engaged staff bring in terms of improved patient care and better value for money. This is particularly critical at a time of increasing financial pressures.

The two organisations held roundtable workshops with NHS trusts to explore the issues associated with staff engagement. These workshops helped inform a briefing paper capturing the value of engagement and offering guidance to trusts on best practise.

Trusts are advised that there are four key areas proven to have an impact on engagement and return higher cost savings that the investment in the programme. These four areas are:

• Induction programmes,
• well-being initiatives,
• workplace safety programmes; and
• staff suggestion schemes to improve services

Alastair Henderson, deputy director at NHS Employers, said; “Effective staff engagement should be a no-brainer for organisations. It doesn’t have to be expensive and it increases efficiencies and improves patient care. Doing it right however requires organisational buy in. This new briefing provides pointers on how to do it right and in terms of high impact at low cost it is probably the single most important thing any employer can do in the current economic climate.”

The briefing paper also looks at the key roles managers have to play in ensuring staff are clear on what is expected of them. Identifying where employees know what is expected dramatically improves performance and engagement levels. The principles of the NHS Constitution can provide a context for this work as it sets out staff rights and responsibilities and includes a pledge to involve staff.