Company news
Oct 17, 2016
Next month, Care UK will go head-to-head with household names such as Heathrow Airport, Direct Line Group and Waitrose as finalists in the 2016 Engage Awards – the only customer and employee engagement awards in the UK.
Care UK’s shortlisted entry is for its sustained, 10-year programme to improve communication between the colleagues working for this leading provider of over 100 care homes, their managers and the support teams who help them to deliver great care for residents.
Back in 2006, Care UK’s Residential Care Services operating company was a medium sized business with 54 care homes and 3,500 employees. A decade later, it runs 113 care homes and 10 day clubs, with over a dozen more homes expected to open in the next two years. The homes’ award-winning care is provided by a team of more than 9,000 employees.
HR director Leah Queripel said: “This rapid growth led to challenges, especially with communicating policies and corporate issues to our teams which are spread across the country from Aberdeen to Bournemouth. In 2006, there was almost no opportunity for employees to have an input into decision making; there was limited employee recognition and there was inconsistent practice across the company.
“As a result, we faced a higher than necessary turnover of employees and, at times, poor morale and our concern was that this could, in time, affect the service we could deliver to residents. It was clear employees needed to have a voice and the ability to influence decisions that would affect them and the way they worked.”
So in 2006, Care UK set up Colleague Voices, a consultation and listening forum designed to engage colleagues and open effective two-way communication between first-line colleagues, support services and senior management. Every home has a representative who attends regional and national meetings on behalf of their colleagues, bringing feedback, ideas and discussing potential solutions for issues concerning employees.
The scheme reflects Care UK’s strongly held ethos that it’s those people working in care homes who have the day-to-day relationships with the people they support who hold the knowledge to enhance and refine the service that everyone offers.
The system needed to be flexible to meet the changing needs of the business and teams so Colleague Voices continues to adapt and evolve, being pro-active and responsive in equal measure.
Leah said: “Our ethos is to be open and transparent about what is achievable. As a result, representatives are realistic with their ideas, understanding the need to look at the bigger picture, balancing the needs of colleagues with those of the people they support. What’s been achieved by them is always visible – we gain the insight, make the changes and provide the feedback.”
During the last two years, a weekly manager’s bulletin has been developed, along with an intranet and a bi-weekly newsletter with direct contributions by the homes.
Leah added: “The results show our investment has paid dividends. Our annual major survey of colleagues’ views and opinions shows more employees feel they can access the right training, more employees told us they have the opportunity for personal development and growth. They also reported increased satisfaction with Care UK as a company to work for.”
Amy Nolan, a Colleague Voices representative for Station House care home in Crewe, explained: “I’ve been attending meetings for nearly three years and I love it. You learn lots about the company and we can ask any questions we like. Everyone is so open and honest with us. The meetings are different each time; we often spend time in small groups so everyone gets their say. I feel really valued.
“I’ve noticed lots of changes coming from Colleague Voices over the years such as uniforms, pay for NVQs, long service awards, store discount cards and more training. I truly believe that we are listened to and we are always excited to hear about the outcomes from the meetings.”
This year’s award winners will be announced in a glittering ceremony at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel on Tuesday 8 November, attended by hundreds of customer and employee engagement professionals and hosted by veteran broadcaster and former breakfast TV presenter Bill Turnbull.
Abney Hall Park, Manchester Road, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 2PD
Abney Court
1 Milne Park West, New Addington, Croydon, Greater London, CR0 0DN
Addington Heights
86 Downlands Road, Purley, Surrey, CR8 4JF
Amberley Lodge
Evesham Road, Dodwell, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 9TG
Ambleside
123 Barnes Lane, Sarisbury Green, Southampton, Hampshire, SO31 7BH
Ancasta Grove
Longmead Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 9RX
Appleby House
110 Lobley Hill Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 4YG
Armstrong House
76 Aster Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 0NR
Asterbury Place
Warfield Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 2JA
Bickerton House
25 Battle Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1DU
Bowes House
Love Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2NY
Britten Court
Summers Road, Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 3BF
Broadwater Lodge
37-38 Oldnall Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 3HN
Brook Court
Sudbury Hill, Harrow, Greater London, HA1 3AR
Buchanan Court
185 Redford Road, Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH13 9PN
Cairdean House
Victoria Road, Larbert , Falkirk, Scotland, FK5 4NA
Caledonian Court
2 Southampton Road, Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 5GQ
Carpathia Grange
Cressex Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 4QF
Catherine Court
147 Glasgow Road, Nerston, East Kilbride, Scotland, G74 4PA
Cathkin House
140 Dragonfly Lane, Cringleford, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7SW
Cavell Court
Bittern Crescent, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5XG
Cedrus House
Recreation Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 8DT
Chandler Court
Snowy Fielder Waye, Isleworth, Greater London, TW7 6AE
Charlotte House
63 Horsley Hill Square, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE34 6RF
Cheviot Court
Grosvenor Road, Donnington, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8FP
Chichester Grange
Church Lane, Murton, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 9PG
Church View
21 Courthouse Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 6JE
Clara Court
Millfields Way, Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 0JB
Cleves Place
Front Street, Chirton, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 0LF
Collingwood Court
Dame Mary Walk, Colchester Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2FF
Colne View
67 Whitford Gardens, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 4AA
Cumberland
The Leas off Station Road, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 3SE
Darlington Court
Bradley Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG23 7GF
Dashwood Manor
Shakers Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7BN
Davers Court
93 Chester Road, Huntington, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6BS
Deewater Grange
College Way, Ashford, Surrey, TW15 2XG
Echelforde
69 Pennington Drive, Winchmore Hill, Enfield, Greater London, N21 1TG
Elizabeth Lodge
9 Nightingale Place, Chelsea, London, SW10 9NG
Ellesmere House
Elwick Road, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS26 9LX
Elwick Grange
25 Farm Lane, Fulham, London, SW6 1PX
Farm Lane
110 Golf Links Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 8DA
Ferndown Manor
London Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 5EX
Field Lodge
Cirencester Street, Off Harrow Road, Paddington, London, W2 5SR
Forrester Court
Sevenoaks Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7FB
Foxbridge House
Borers Arms Road, Copthorne, West Sussex, RH10 3LQ
Francis Court
The Green, Off Rickards Close, West Drayton, Greater London, UB7 7PW
Franklin House
Glastonbury Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2EX
Glastonbury Court
Chester Road, Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH4 4RB
Grangewood
Greville Road, Richmond, Greater London, TW10 6HR
Greville House
Garden Street, Blaydon, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE21 4AG
Hadrian House
Marsh House Avenue, Billingham, Cleveland, TS23 3DF
Hadrian Park
Thanet Way, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 3FS
Harrier Lodge
Castleton Way, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7DD
Hartismere Place
Reckitts Close, Holland Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 6PG
Haven Lodge
Beacon Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1AS
Heather View
442 Bullen Close, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 8YU
Heathlands House
122-124 Selhurst Road, Croydon, Greater London, SE25 6LL
Heavers Court
127 Highbury New Park, Islington, London, N5 2DS
Highbury New Park
(Behind the Cromwell Hotel), North Bar Place, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 0TD
Highmarket House
Victoria Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 3JA
Hollins Park
Gidd's Pond Way, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5FY
Invicta Court
Pound Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1BX
Jubilee House
4 Spring Lane, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2HB
Kenilworth Grange
Market Place, 14 Market Place, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8ND
Kings Court
Kingfield Road, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9EQ
Kingsleigh
59 London Road, Woolmer Green, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6JE
Knebworth
2 Langley Oaks Avenue, South Croydon, Greater London, CR2 8DH
Langley Oaks
London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7EG
Larkland House
2 Wakefield Avenue, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH7 6TL
Lauder Lodge
117 Hampton Road, Hampton Hill, Hampton, Greater London, TW12 1JQ
Laurel Dene
75 Durham Road, Islington, London, N7 7DS
Lennox House
Farley Way, Quorn , Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 8XS
Lonsdale Mews
Manor Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0EP
Manor Lodge
Butlers Green Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4DA
Martlet Manor
538 Lichfield Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 4EH
Mercia Grange
St John’s Close, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7NX
Mildenhall Lodge
Sunnyside Close, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4QW
Mill View
Curbridge Road, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 5HR
Millers Grange
Fore Street, Framlingham, Suffolk, IP13 9DF
Mills Meadow
Ermyn Way, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8TX
Milner House
Kennington Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0YS
Montfort Manor
Helston Lane, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GG
Mountbatten Grange
Coltsfield, Stansted, Essex, CM24 8LH
Mountfitchet House
Kirkton Road, Stonehaven, Scotland, AB39 2PB
Mowat Court
37 Muriel Street, Islington, London, N1 0TH
Muriel Street
34 South Beechwood, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH12 5YS
Murrayside
39 Portmore Park Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8HQ
Norfolk House
Forest Close, Wexham Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL2 4FA
Oak House
1 Oakfield, Sale, Greater Manchester, M33 6NB
Oakfield Croft
Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6QH
Oxbow Manor
38 Gemini Drive, Dovecot, Liverpool, Merseyside, L14 9LT
Paisley Court
Westall Street, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 9AU
Parsons Grange
Portsmouth Road, Horndean, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9LN
Pear Tree Court
Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 1ET
Perry Manor
Valley Drive, Countess of Chester Health Park, Liverpool Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1UA
Pinetum
Thornhill Road, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE20 9PZ
Ponteland Manor
102 Mansbrook Boulevard, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9GY
Prince George House
Old Milverton Lane, Blackdown, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6RW
Priors House
1 Dedworth Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5AZ
Queen's Court
Manchester Road, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 2DE
Riverside
St George’s Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3EL
Sandfields
123 Westward Road, Ebley, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4SP
Scarlet House
1a Robin Hood Lane, Kingston Vale, Greater London, SW15 3PU
Sherwood Grange
Tenpenny Hill, Thorrington, Essex, CO7 8JG
Silversprings
St Marks Lane, Horsham, Sussex, RH12 5PU
Skylark House
2 Frognal Avenue, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 6LF
Smyth Lodge
Baldock Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9DT
Snowdrop House
49 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London, W6 9QH
St Vincent's House
Spook Hill, North Holmwood, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 4EG
Stanecroft
Wear Road, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 6AH
Stanley Park
Victoria Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 7SF
Station House
Oaks Place, Mile End Road, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5XR
Tall Trees
Mill Road, West Drayton, Greater London, UB7 7EQ
The Burroughs
187 York Road, Broadstone, Poole, Dorset, BH18 8ES
The Potteries
Maison Dieu, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 7AX
The Terrace
Woodside Resource Centre, Cavendish Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, TS4 3EB
The Willows
Hogshill Lane, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 2AQ
Tiltwood
North Deeside Road, Milltimber, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB13 0HR
Tor-Na-Dee
Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS10 5DW
Trymview Hall
22-28 Trinity Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 7AZ
Ventress Hall
Bourchier Close, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1PD
Weald Heights
316 Whitby Road, Eastcote, Greater London, HA4 9EE
Whitby Dene
Burleigh Road, Frimley, Surrey, GU16 7EP
Whitebourne
Vicarage Road, Twickenham, Greater London, TW2 7BY
Whitefarm Lodge
Maple Crescent, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 1LN
Winchcombe Place
Clamp Hill, Stanmore, Greater London, HA7 3BG
Woodland Hall
Leicester Road , Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7BN
Oat Hill Mews
1 Stock Road, Eastern Bypass, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3FU
Cuttlebrook Hall
Ty-Draw Road, Lisvane, Cardiff, Glamorgan, CF14 0AW
Llys Herbert
1 Dairyground Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK7 2HW
Ladybrook Manor
127 Cyncoed Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff, Glamorgan, CF23 6AF
Llys Cyncoed
5 Church Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 3SH
Metchley Manor
295 Hale Road, Hale Barns , Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA15 8SN
Halecroft Grange
Hall Lane, Mobberley, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 7DZ
Cranford Grange
1 Worcester Way, Off Dog Kennel Lane, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4JX
Blossomfield Grange
73 Wergs Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV6 9BN
Foxland Grange
Gardner Way, Adderbury , Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX17 3FW
Seccombe Court
Clarks Way, Bath, Somerset, BA2 2TR
Rush Hill Mews
12 Streets Heath, West End, Woking, Surrey, GU24 9QY
Greenview Hall
Cross Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9QX
Anning House
Sway Place, Church Lane, Sway, Hampshire, SO41 6AD
Sway Place
Rectory Lane, Little Bookham , Leatherhead, Surrey, KT23 4DY
Liberham Lodge
71 Hatch Lane, Chingford, Greater London, E4 6LP
Ivy Grove
134 Jockey Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B73 5PP
Bishops Manor
123 Westmead Road, Sutton, Greater London, SM1 4JE
Tennyson Grange
2 Bourley Rd, Church Crookham, Fleet, GU52 8DY
Bourley Grange
Speedwell Road, Edgbaston, West Midlands, B5 7PR
Edgbaston Manor
Shapland Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7EJ
Salisbury Manor
7 Parker View, Redlands Lane, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 0AF
Parker Meadows
370 London Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2QH
Newbury Grove
Church Street, Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1QF
Maids Moreton Hall
Welshmill Lane, Frome, Somerset, BA11 2AA
Rossetti House
Jeddah Way, Kennett, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8JY
Kentford Manor
The Row, Lane End, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP14 3JS
Ridley Manor
287 Court Lodge Road, Horley, Surrey, RH6 8RG
Amherst House
2 Shepherds View, Dappers Lane, Angmering, West Sussex, BN16 4SP
Ayton House
107-109 Manchester Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 2JH
Long Stone Manor
3 Buttercup Road, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 7GD
Charlton Lodge
Fletcher Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 7ER
Ladden View
Bailey Lodge, Radwinter Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3ZP
Bailey Lodge
Miswell Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4EU
Tring
Tippethill House Hospital, Armadale by Whitburn, West Lothian, EH48 3BQ
Tippethill
3 Banister Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 2EN
The Wickets
35 Cannock Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST17 0QE
Stafford
86 Orphanage Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 0AB
Erdington
Chocolate Works Care Village, Bishopthorpe Road, York, Yorkshire, YO23 1DE
Chocolate Works
Mayfield View , Lower Railway Road, Ilkley, Yorkshire, LS29 8WH
Mayfield View
Chapter House Care Home, Keldgate, Beverley , Yorkshire, HU17 8HU
Chapter House
Seacroft Green Care Home, The Green, Seacroft - Leeds, Yorkshire, LS14 6PA
Seacroft Green
Seacroft Grange Care Home, The Green, Seacroft - Leeds, Yorkshire, LS14 6JL
Seacroft Grange
Harcourt Gardens Care Home , Harcourt Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, HG1 5NL
Harcourt Gardens
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