Progression: Investment in People and Careers

Progression was identified as a core strength of the independent sector. Many participants told us that development opportunities were a primary reason they joined and that their expectations had been exceeded. Staff described employers that saw the value in a wide range of skills, including non-health backgrounds, such as customer service and retail. Managers were described as ‘creative and brave’ in creating the right roles for the right people.

Key enablers include:

• Training and education: Employers provide funding for external courses, postgraduate qualifications, and specialist training. The expectation is that if you request the support, it will be there. Combined with this, managers are supportive of staff taking time out of busy schedules for their own development and are comfortable with the time and expense needed to travel for good quality training. Staff feel that they are being invested in as core assets of the business.
  
  
• Role creation: Providers have the flexibility to create new roles tailored to staff skills and career paths, avoiding long bureaucratic processes and enabling them to retain and motivate high-performing staff members. Many independent sector providers have proactive programmes to cultivate internal talent and support people to reach managerial and leadership positions as quickly as possible
  
  
• Recognition: Hard work and initiative are acknowledged, leading to quicker career progression.
  
  
• Supportive culture: Workloads and stress levels remain intense, but support from managers and colleagues helps maintain morale and balance.

Key Findings:

• Staff experience significant investment in training and education.
  
• Promotion pathways are dynamic and responsive.
  
• Roles can be shaped around individuals’ skills and aspirations.
  
• Recognition and reward are key motivators.
  
  

“Every time we diversify our services or open in new locations we can create opportunities for internal progression. One of our Senior Operational Leaders started as a healthcare technician and worked her way up over 10 years – this scale of progression is not unusual for us.”

Charlotte Adams, SpaMedica

“As long as you devote yourself and deliver the skills that you are meant to, the organisation will always strive for you to have that protected time and budget to be able to fulfil your personal needs, and consequently to provide outstanding care afterwards. So you feel like you have brought an added value to the organisation at the same time as you feel like your personal goals are being met. In previous jobs, every time I wanted to invest in myself to provide better care, it was a struggle …. Here, they invest in you – it’s extremely gratifying.”

Priscila De Moura Vilela, HCA Healthcare UK