Designing reward packages collaboratively with staff

Overview

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB), and the Together Trust, all developed their reward and recognition packages taking in account staff feedback and listening to what their workforces valued. Involving staff in the design and evolution of reward and recognition packages is crucial to ensuring these offerings are inclusive for an age-diverse workforce, supporting individuals at various stages of their careers and lives.

Key benefits and outcomes

• Gathering feedback from staff has led to tangible outcomes including improvement in pay and leave.
• All organisations have noted an increase in engagement, retention and morale.

What the organisations faced

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust’s identified that data from the overall NHS Staff Survey in 2023, showed that approximately half of NHS staff did not feel recognised at work.  A lack of value and recognition was also identified as one of the most prominent themes in the trust’s leavers surveys.

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB recognised that it did not offer things that other NHS providers did and colleagues where asking why this was the case. To address this the trust adopted a phased approach to exploring what was feasible for the organisation to provide.

The Together Trust needed to develop a strategic approach to reward and recognition policies. Previously, its benefit offering had evolved in a reactive way rather than a proactive structured way. Also, the organisation needed a new strategic focus for the ongoing challenges of attracting and retaining a strong and talented team, and the increasing expectations of internal and external stakeholders required a new approach. Pay was the main issue for staff, however affordability was also vital, so a balanced approach with a range of benefits to provide a rounded and engaging reward offer was required. 

What the organisations did

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 

Data from the overall NHS staff survey in 2023, showed that approximately half of NHS staff did not feel recognised at work. Additionally, a lack of value and recognition was also identified as one of the most prominent themes of the trust’s leavers surveys.

In response to staff feedback, one of the three key priorities included in the organisation’s new communications and engagement strategy was to recognise, showcase and celebrate the work of staff. As part of this commitment, it developed a new recognition strategy that outlined its approach to everyday, informal and formal recognition – shaped directly by staff engagement.

To do this the organisation engaged staff in reward and recognition initiatives in several different ways, including:

• surveys asking staff how they wanted to be recognised and rewarded
• staff being asked to help decide the name and categories for the new annual staff awards programme and staff from all areas being asked to be part of the judging panel for the staff awards 
• encouraging wards and departments to have areas dedicated to reward and recognition, with posters, leaflets, forms and templates supplied to help them promote awards
• using staff in trust’s campaigns on posters and in videos
• celebrating successes in the monthly ‘ask the executive’ online sessions
• empowering and supporting teams to develop their own reward and recognition initiatives. 

The draft strategy was shared across all staff levels for feedback and additional ideas. Once ready the new reward offer was launched through a trust-wide communication and promoted on its dedicated reward and recognition page on the staff intranet. The trust uses existing communication channels and regularly updates staff on reward and recognition via the intranet, screensavers, newsletters, the staff app, posters and social media.

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB 

Established in 2022, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB had to develop its reward and recognition offer from the ground up. Recognising the importance of early staff engagement, it involved employees through a people forum with cross-organisational representation and a pulse survey. The ICB continued to enhance its offer by actively involving staff via regular pulse surveys, which consistently achieved a strong response rate of 60 per cent.

Together Trust 

The Together Trust set out to develop its reward and recognition strategy by exploring sector-wide practices and gathering extensive feedback from staff.   

To do this, the trust conducted regular pulse surveys covering themes such as wellbeing, pay, communications, and reward and recognition. It also consulted with staff via focus groups and leadership team meetings.

The development of the strategy was informed by four rounds of pulse survey data with the questions being tailored over time to reflect key priorities, for example pay and annual leave. This ensured the strategy remained responsive to staff needs and concerns.

Results and benefits

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has seen several benefits from enhancing the staff voice in its reward and recognition strategy. It has improved staff retention and staff recommending the trust as a place to work, which was reflected by an increase of 5 per cent in its 2023 staff survey results. It has also seen an increase in engagement across its communications channels, driven by the growing number of staff being recognised. This is also reflected in the increase in staff award nominations that went from 400 nominations in 2023, to 950 in 2024.

At Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB staff feedback led to the successful implementation of initiatives such as the Vivup home electronics scheme and the High Five recognition platform. This approach significantly boosted engagement, particularly in lifestyle-related areas, empowering staff and ensuring their needs and preferences were met. The ICB also used survey data to launch in-person health and wellbeing events and to shape its internal people plan.

The Together Trust made significant changes to its reward and recognition offer following staff feedback, including a commitment to the Real Living Wage (RLW) which saw a 20 per cent pay increase for the lowest-paid staff, improved sleep-in and weekend shift payments, enhanced annual leave, and two new paid leave categories for carers and dependents leave and domestic emergency leave. 

To maintain transparency and engagement, the organisation shares a quarterly report, highlighting how staff feedback has been acted upon. These reports include ‘you said – we did’ summaries, graphs, word clouds and themes from comments.

Overcoming obstacles

The biggest challenge at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is not being able to deliver everything in its strategy, due to limited resources. It was also a challenge to secure a suitable recognition platform to help aid its everyday/instant recognition priority. The trust has consolidated all reward programmes into a single, accessible system and improved communication with all staff, including those without regular computer access – through a more accessible staff app, promotional screens in working areas and by engaging them in recognition campaigns. Reward champions will also play a key role in facilitating reward and recognition communications across the trust

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB experienced challenges navigating the numerous formal governance procedures required to implement the Vivup platform. It took considerable time and effort to work through, highlighting the complexity of introducing new systems within a structured environment. 

Initially, the Together Trust had challenges with low staff participation in its pulse surveys, however this has improved to around 43 per cent. Reaching all staff with feedback was challenging, especially those that work remotely or without regular computer access. Even though quarterly reports are shared with leadership, managers, and staff representatives for cascading, the organisation has taken further steps to improve communication. This includes displaying posters and adding information to the intranet to enhance visibility and engagement.

Key takeaways,

• Clear communication: convey key messages to all staff using a variety of methods and continue to communicate your reward offering on a regular basis.
• Resources and funding: identify the best approach for your organisation by understanding what is achievable within the resources and funding available.
• Alignment to organisational priorities: link any reward and recognition proposals to the organisations strategic priorities to ensure senior leadership buy in and support. 
• Staff engagement: actively seek staff feedback, involve them throughout the process and close the feedback loop to help them understand how their feedback has led to tangible changes.

For more information contact:

Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust: Tina Reid, Awards and Recognition Manager

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICS (Better Care Together) : Rebecca Carlin, Senior OD and workforce manager

Together Trust: Roland Guy, Director of People and Culture