Community and belonging as a staff benefit

Alongside the main themes, participants in the research emphasised a sense of belonging and ownership. Many described their workplace as supportive, collaborative and community-oriented. Beyond that, the sense of being part of a finite team working towards a specific strategy or goals was motivating – staff felt they could help the organisation grow by making their own individual contribution. This created a ‘trifecta’ of satisfaction – satisfaction with the care patients were receiving, satisfaction with personal career profession and work culture as an individual, and satisfaction as member of a team delivering something important.

This culture is underpinned by visible leadership, wellbeing initiatives, and strong peer support. These findings also align with IHPN’s 2025 EDI case study resource, which shows how many independent providers are embedding inclusive practices.

“There’s a sense of belonging and community – that’s important in any organisation and should be a selling point.”

“At the end of a hard day, even if we’ve been rushed off our feet, we still smile and laugh. That’s because the environment is supportive.”

“I feel more supported, so even though my workload is high, it’s manageable… leadership actually comes to you and asks how they can help.”