Claire Leake, Chief People Officer at social care provider National Care Group, discusses the importance of empowering frontline care teams and ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making processes
Putting People First: Empowering Frontline Care Teams
In the dynamic landscape of social care, empowering frontline colleagues is not just a best practice; it is necessary to deliver exceptional support and develop a thriving workforce. However, achieving true empowerment can be challenging.
Overcoming Barriers to Empowerment
Many organisations face significant barriers to empowering their frontline care teams. These can include the logistical complexities of large organisations with a wide geographical spread, where not all colleagues can easily access digital communication (like individual email accounts). Additionally, some support workers may lack confidence in voicing their opinions, and the nature of remote support work can make it harder to maintain a sense of connection and shared purpose. Language barriers among diverse teams can also present a hurdle.
At National Care Group, we recognise that empowerment is fundamental to our values. We actively nurture a culture of empowerment through comprehensive training, robust two-way communication, and accessible communication channels that extend from support workers to senior leadership.
Meaningful Say in Decision-Making
While social care providers rightly operate within a strong governance framework, this doesn’t preclude empowering colleagues. Best-in-class training empowers colleagues with the skills and opportunities to excel and do their roles at their very best. Building collaborative teams with strong leadership is also crucial. Furthermore, adopting a “no-blame” culture promotes continuous organisational learning and improvement.
From Input to Impact
Ensuring that colleagues’ input translates into tangible change is vital. At National Care Group, we adopt a collaborative approach to process changes by forming working parties that include colleagues from all levels. This empowers them to influence the outcome directly.
We also offer diverse feedback channels: our open Colleague Forum, ‘Tea & Chat’ sessions (monthly video calls with the Executive Team), and our internal engagement app, Engage, which facilitates 24/7 organisation-wide communication and direct access to the Executive Team for our 2,900 colleagues. Bi-annual feedback surveys further inform our processes. For confidential concerns, colleagues can contact a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian.
Challenging Leadership Decisions
Colleague feedback has indeed prompted us to reassess leadership decisions. For instance, feedback from our engagement survey highlighted that our supervision and appraisal process felt outdated and impersonal. In response, we’ve realigned appraisals to prioritise the individual’s wellbeing and professional development, with a stronger emphasis on providing necessary support. This process is ongoing, with operational colleagues actively involved in its evolution.
We’ve also acted on feedback regarding support for colleagues undergoing fertility treatment, introducing paid time off for IVF and similar procedures. These enhancements reflect our commitment to colleague wellbeing.
Alignment with Business Priorities
Empowering colleagues goes hand in hand with ensuring they understand business priorities. At National Care Group, we believe in transparency. Colleagues are informed about funding models, organisational structure, and governance, supporting an appreciation for the need for efficiency and sustainability. This understanding allows them to see how financial frameworks support ongoing investment in services and colleague development.
Advice for Hesitant Organisations
For organisations hesitant to grant frontline teams greater influence, I recommend managing expectations transparently. Actively seek feedback, ideas, and suggestions, but be honest about the feasibility of implementing every suggestion. Explain the rationale behind decisions. Openness, transparency, and active listening are key to building trust and achieving success. Leaders must be prepared to engage directly with their teams, listen attentively, and truly understand their perspectives.
