How to support your staff in the cost-of-living crisis

The cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone across the UK; are there any strategies you can put in place to support your staff at this difficult time?

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation three-quarters of households earning less than £26,570 a year are going without food or other basic essentials such as toiletries due to the cost of living crisis – and this is no different for those working in the healthcare sector. Practices can review their employment packages to see if they can minimise this pressure, and include additional measures to support employee wellbeing. Here are 10 strategies you could implement in your practice to support your employees in this challenging time. 

• Offer financial guidance: this could include free financial education sessions.
• Implement a financial well-being hub: this should offer staff the opportunity to talk about their worries and access guidance for any challenges they are facing. They should be able to access this regularly both in person and across digital channels. 
• Offer free supplies: where you can, offer free daily snacks and supplies, such as sanitary products.
• Provide travel support: offer payment in advance for your staff travel costs; this should be based on the last three months of average staff travel claims. 
• Offer a loan: a loan could be offered to staff meeting certain criteria. You could offer larger or smaller loans across your team depending on their individual needs.
• Run a food bank: for staff struggling to afford food, engage with the local community and start a food bank. Donations for local people, shops and businesses can help to provide food for your staff members as well as other vulnerable members of the community.
• Use discretion: offering a discreet staff meal card that allows staff to access food and drink is a useful way to support your staff members who cannot afford to bring their own lunches,. 
• Wellbeing advice: provide information on support services that are available, and practical advice on how staff can stay safe and well.
• Make the information easy to access: make sure that information on how to access support is easy to access and understand. Create a bold and simple infographic and place this in communal areas for staff to see.
• Involve your staff: run a survey to find out where your staff need the most support and prioritise these initiatives.

How to take action 

Collaborate with your wider multi-disciplinary team to make improvements which could include engagement with infection prevention control, HR, occupational health, estates and facilities. Certain well-being needs depend on others, so building a holistic picture of your current well-being measures can help you identify gaps in meeting staff needs.

The benefit of introducing initiatives like these to your practice include giving a boost to employee well-being and improved productivity. It can also contribute to retaining valuable talent and help you to be seen as an attractive employer to new recruits entering the sector.