A new campaign from Skills for Care will support teams in the social care sector to develop a positive workplace culture.
Running throughout June and July, the campaign will see the national workforce development charity provide information and resources explaining what exactly is meant by workplace culture, and how to create a positive one.
Skills for Care will be sharing blogs and real-life insights from leadership experts and organisations in the social care sector who have already successfully established a positive workplace culture.
Supporting managers to develop a positive workplace culture
Workers and managers in social care can find the useful information and resources at Skills for Care’s website, as well as across their social media channels.
Registered managers in care can also take part in a webinar, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday 6th July at 10-11am. This virtual training session will share valuable insight and discuss how managers can set and promote a positive workplace culture within their organisation. It will highlight best practice and offer practical ideas for managers to implement when nurturing their own workplace cultures.
Individuals from across the social care workforce are encouraged to join in the discussion using the hashtag #PositiveWorkplaceCulture.
A toolkit for managers
Skills for Care are currently working on an updated workplace culture toolkit.
Launching soon, this will be a comprehensive guide to help social care employers and managers understand workplace culture and the importance and process of building a positive culture within their own organisation.
Skills for Care’s Director of Development, Sarah-Jane Dale, who is also the Chief Operating Officer at Affina Organisation Development (AOD), part of the Skills for Care Group, says that its vital that leaders prioritise developing a positive workplace culture because it can “benefit both their staff and the people who they support.”
She explained:
“A positive workplace culture supports staff to feel a sense of belonging and confidence at work, and as a result, will lead to better outcomes for people who draw on care and support.
“[…] Culture is a core factor that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assess when determining if an organisation is ‘Well-led’, as leaders and managers really are at the heart of creating a positive workplace culture. Having an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels that they belong and are able to achieve their best also helps organisations to find and keep the best quality staff, which is so important amidst current recruitment and retention challenges.
“I’m excited to see this campaign support social care leaders in fully understanding what workplace culture means and how they can create a positive one.”
The “culture” of your workplace means the character, personality and tone of your workplace and organisation, and how it makes staff members and others feel. The culture is determined by many of the shared characteristics of the people in your organisation, particularly its leadership and management teams. It encompasses values, behaviours and policies as well as traditions, beliefs, attitudes, interactions and workplace norms.
Training towards a positive workplace culture
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider.
They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.
Their diverse portfolio includes training awards designed for care workers, such as Infection Control and Prevention, Safeguarding Adults, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Person Centred Care and Support and many others.
Their course portfolio spans Care Certificate standards, mandatory training awards, clinical skills, special focus courses and training for supervisors and managers.
A Trainer at FRT, says:
“As an organisation that provides learning and development opportunities for other organisations, we understand how important it is to set and nurture a positive workplace culture.
“The culture of an organisation affects how those who work within it feel and will impact the feelings, experiences and outcomes of all those receiving care and support services from that organisation. It is vitally important that it is prioritised.
“Leaders can support the development of a positive workplace culture by ensuring they provide workers with regular, effective training to help them feel confident and competent in their roles. This training should be underpinned by the key principles of personalisation, dignity, safety, compassion and inclusivity.
“Regular communication and effective supervision and appraisal is also key, and we can also provide training in these vital skills.”
For more information on the training provided by FRT, please call them on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.