Celebrating NHS service: Honouring dedication in style

For practice managers, implementing a robust long-service award strategy is crucial as it not only enhances staff recognition, satisfaction, and retention but also contributes to fostering a positive workplace culture, addressing current workforce challenges in the NHS

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on NHS Employers

There are a range of methods NHS organisations use to recognise the significant milestones of their staff, from celebratory events and meaningful gifts to monetary awards.

Long-service awards form part of a crucial employee benefit, especially in the context of addressing workforce challenges. With growing vacancy rates, and low and falling staff satisfaction, it is particularly important to show appreciation for long-serving and valuable staff members.

Benefits of long-service awards

·       Staff recognition: Long-service awards enhance the acknowledgment of employees’ dedication and commitment. This reinforces a positive culture of appreciation within the organisation.

·       Employee satisfaction: Recognising long-serving staff members contributes to their overall job satisfaction and engagement, fostering a more content and motivated workforce.

·       Enhanced retention: Long-service awards can act as an incentive for retaining experienced staff, reducing turnover and preserving valuable knowledge and expertise.

·       Improved workplace culture: Implementing long-service awards promotes a sense of togetherness among staff, fostering a positive workplace culture built on mutual respect and celebration of shared achievements.

Creating or improving a long-service award strategy

When creating or improving a long-service award strategy, clarity regarding the recipients and the desired objectives is crucial to ensure it’s fit for purpose. It is important to gain staff feedback to assess how they would most like to be rewarded and recognised. You should also consider budgets, costs and funding to ensure your offer is sustainable.

Overcoming challenges 

In the absence of a national policy governing long-service awards, NHS organisations may face some challenges when implementing their strategy. In cases where a trust has recently undergone a significant change or merger, maintaining precise records of staff tenure and milestone achievements can become difficult.

Trusts have the flexibility to opt for either commemorating an employee’s entire NHS service or focusing on the service specifically within one trust.

To attempt to improve accuracy in their records, trusts can implement the following strategies:

·       Open the door to self-referrals and management referrals: Allowing staff to self-refer for long-service milestones, while also enabling management referrals, ensures that no one is inadvertently missed.

·       Widespread communication of long-service awards: Disseminating information about long-service awards as widely as possible across trust sites, on intranets and through bulletin emails can help keep staff informed and engaged.

·       Leverage national insurance records: Collaborating with HR and finance departments to cross-reference existing records against a staff member’s national insurance records provides an additional layer of accuracy.

·       Utilise pension start dates: Cross-checking existing records against a staff member’s pension start date can offer another reliable point of reference to ensure the accuracy of long service milestones.

·       Communicating long-service awards: The success of your long-service award strategy relies upon effective communication to ensure staff are fully aware of the support available to them.

Establishing and enhancing long-service awards within NHS organizations is crucial for fostering a culture of appreciation and ensuring continuous recognition for the dedication and contributions of valuable staff members. You can find out how to communicate rewards to staff in a range of ways by visiting the communicating reward to staff and new employees web section.