Employee benefits

Why work for NHS Employers?

At NHS Employers, we want our colleagues to feel supported, valued and able to do their best work. We offer a range of benefits to support your health and wellbeing, work-life balance, financial security and career development. These include annual leave, flexible working, pension contributions, wellbeing support, learning and development opportunities, travel schemes and staff networks. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can feel welcome, respected and supported to reach their potential.

Take a look below at the wide range of benefits available to you when you join our team.

Pay and conditions

Entitlement

Our holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March. All employees are entitled to 30 days holiday per annum, this is pro rated for part time employees.

Office closure days

Up to 4 days of your annual leave will be used to close down the office between Christmas and New Year.

Buying and selling annual leave

In February each year we offer staff the opportunity to buy or sell up to one working week’s leave, terms and conditions apply.
This benefit is available to all permanent and fixed term employees. The benefit is four times annual salary. You are able to nominate beneficiaries by completing a nomination form. Please speak to HR for more information. The NHS Pension or civil service pension entitles you to other benefits.
Our pay structure will be included in your welcome pack sent with your contract of employment. Salaries are paid monthly on the 25th of the month. If the 25th falls on a weekend or bank holiday, you will be paid on the preceding Friday.
Payroll giving is a flexible scheme which allows anyone who pays UK income tax to give regularly and on a tax-free basis to the charities and good causes of their choice. We are registered with the Charities Trust who administer the scheme for us.
We offer a group stakeholder pension plan administered by Scottish Widows. You will be automatically enrolled onto the scheme after 60 days of employment with us if you meet the criteria. We will contribute 6 per cent of basic pay providing that you contribute 3 per cent of your basic pay. If you are currently a member of the NHS Pension Scheme and have not had a break in contributions for more than 12 months, you can continue with that scheme for up to five years from joining the organisation.

More information can also be found on the NHS Pensions website.

Health and wellbeing

Counselling support is offered through our occupational health service subject to criteria.
We will cover the cost of your annual eye test and should you require glasses specifically for VDU use we will contribute a maximum of £50 towards these.

Any costs towards eye tests and glasses can be claimed back through the expenses procedure.

Claims must be supported by a receipt and, if claiming for glasses, by an opticians certificate stating VDU use.
All staff are entitled to a flu jab around October/November. We have a clinic set up within the Leeds and London offices.

If you are unable to attend the clinics you can go elsewhere and claim the cost back through the expenses policy.
We all need life outside of work so wherever possible we make sure your workload allows for a healthy balance.

Whether you have a growing family, want to volunteer or support your community or just have something you want to make time for, we will support you however we can.
As an organisation, we have signed up to mindful employer plus. This gives all our employees and managers access to a free telephone support line.
We are committed to ensuring all staff’s health and wellbeing are supported, which is why we have an independent occupational health provider as one of our support services.

Occupational health can provide advice and guidance on supporting staff and managers with any health-related matters.
Our employer supported volunteering policy allows up to two days paid leave a year for volunteering.

Family friendly

Maternity/paternity/adoption and share parental leave

We offer enhanced pay for those eligible.

Childcare choices

For advice on the tax free childcare scheme please visit Childcare Choices

Financial support

For information about child benefits, financial support and tax credits visit .gov website.
Our flexi-scheme aims to provide staff with an opportunity to work flexibly in order to achieve their work-life balance. Your line manager will explain the scheme in more details during your induction.
It is our view that the promotion of flexible working arrangements increases staff motivation, performance and productivity, reduces stress and encourages staff retention by enabling employees to balance their work life with their other priorities.
Access to a huge range of NHS discounts and healthcare staff benefits, from money saving deals and vouchers, including travel and holiday deals, top hotel discounts, relaxing airport lounge and airport parking discounts, mouth-watering restaurant deals, money off fashion fixes, through to deals on mobile phones, utilities and gym membership.

Travel

In order to encourage more commuting by bike, the government has created a tax break that gives you significant savings on a bike.

By making monthly payments from your salary allowing you to take advantage of income tax, national insurance and generally VAT savings –usually between 41 per cent to 50 per cent off suggested retail prices.

Terms and conditions apply to the scheme.
Employees based in Yorkshire have access to a locally run green and sustainable travel initiative. This scheme gives staff a 15 per cent discount off the cost of their season tickets when purchased through this scheme.
We offer an interest free loan which employees can take out for the cost effective purchasing of annual travel tickets. The repayments will be deducted on a monthly basis from your salary.

Learning and development

As well as a route into first time employment, apprenticeships can be also be offered to existing staff.
Our employees are key to our success. That’s why we encourage them to develop so they can move forward, find new challenges and opportunities, achieve their personal goals and get the most out of their career.

We like promoting our own and encourage internal growth, but not just upwards. We want you to have the chance to move into broader roles and into different areas if you’d like to expand your experience.

You’ll receive on-the-job training to help get you up to speed as quickly as possible, as well as having regular check-ins with your manager, where you’ll be able to discuss your long-term goals and aspirations.
Mentoring is a great way of learning from your peers. If you feel you would benefit from a mentor talk to your manager.
Starting a new job is an exciting time – but it can also be a bit daunting. That’s why when you join us you’ll receive a full induction to help you feel right at home.
With teams of expert in communications, events, commercials, policy and all areas of finance, HR, workforce strategy and engagement, there is a huge amount of internal expertise available to you. If you are doing something for the first time and need help it is highly likely that someone working nearby who can help.
Staff who wish to pursue a formal qualification relating to their role may be able to receive financial support at the discretion of their senior manager.

Staff networks

Our BAME Network is a relaxed, inclusive and supportive space for BAME staff and allies to get together for conversation, support, and to help ensure Confed is a great place to work for all staff.

The group meets on a monthly basis.
The disability inclusion group is a working group which aims to support the organisation's work around being disability confident, which replaced the two ticks scheme.

The group has a number of champions who represent their directorate, they benefit from bespoke training and guidance on all things inclusion and support the organisation to become more boldly inclusive and empowering of everyone.
The dignity and respect champions are an informal point of contact if you feel you haven’t been treated respectfully at work, or if you have concerns about behaviour that you have witnessed.

They are available to listen to your concerns in confidence and support you to resolve issues informally if appropriate.
The greener group are committed to creating a more environmentally friendly organisation and aim to lead by example in the wider NHS.
Our LGBTQ+ staff group is a relaxed, inclusive and supportive space for LGBTQ+ staff and allies to get together for conversation, support, and to help ensure a great place to work for LGBTQ+ people.
The menopause wellbeing group was established to empower women effected by menopause to have a voice in the workplace. It is a group that aims to support each other through sharing helpful advice and driving positive organisational change around menopausal wellbeing in the workplace.

The group is open to employees who are affected by menopause or are simply passionate about advocating for menopausal wellbeing in the workplace.

The group meet virtually on a monthly basis.
The staff forum meets nine times a year, it is an opportunity to discuss a wide range of subject areas across the organisation. With some of the aims being to improve staff engagement and improve decision making by taking views of staff into consideration.

We currently have 11 staff representatives across the organisation