Engaging for Success Nita Clarke OBE Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust 11 September 2015

Engaging for SuccessNita Clarke OBE

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

11 September 2015

WHERE WE STARTED

> ‘A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success and able at the same time to enhance their own sense of wellbeing.’

Professor David Guest

>‘It’s the people, stupid!’>

with apologies to James Carville

IT’S NOT…..

THE CASE FOR ENGAGEMENT

Linkages to Employee Engagement

THE BIGGER PICTURE• No more business as usual; constant change the new norm• Standardisation for efficiency wrong approach• Neuroscience tells us command and control

doesn’t work – people are not widgets

“We wanted to hire ‘workers’ but human beings turn up”

– Arkadi Kuhlmann, Founder ING Direct USA

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THE FOUR ENABLERS OF ENGAGEMENT

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IN THE NHS….

A positive organisational climate is associated with low and declining levels of patient mortality. (Michael West)

• Patient satisfaction is highest in trusts that have clear goals at every level; where communication between patients and staff is good; where patients feel involved in decisions about their care.

• Staff satisfaction and commitment levels predict patient satisfaction. Supportiveness of immediate managers and extent of positive feeling predicts patient satisfaction.

• Where staff report errors, near misses and incidents, the quality of services improves

• A culture of learning rather than blame leads to service improvement for patients

WHAT ENABLES STAFF ENGAGEMENT IN THE NHS?

Employees have:• The information they need to do their jobs

well• Learning opportunities• Feedback which builds confidence• Support and safety to innovate• Leaders who value, respect and support

them • Trust in their leaders

Disengaged employees…

•Undermine the effectiveness of new policies and initiatives – active or passive non co-operation

•Will react negatively to new financial pressures – consent and evade

•Will leave as soon as they get the opportunity

•Will not act as advocates of their service, and may even join outside protests

PRESERVING ENGAGEMENT IN THE NHS IN CHALLENGING TIMES

Engagement is under threat:• Ongoing pay restraint

• Increasing work intensity• Permanent organisational change

But it’s more important than ever:• Employee innovation• Effective decision-making• Buy-in to change

Staff: agents or victims?

• Staff need to be fully engaged in understanding,

designing and implementing change – to own it

• Principles of how change is going to happen need to be explicit and developed with staff

• Vital that changes are put in context of improving services; staff more likely to buy in if it is seen to have positive purpose and outcomes

• Positive relations with trade unions need to underpin engagement

• You need a survivors’ strategy

• You need to give people hope in the future

Nita.Clarke@ipa-involve.com

www.engageforsuccess.org