You already know that when doing good goes right, it feels good. You wouldn't be on this piece of our site unless you did. But in addition to the altruistic value of working here (or any other care environment), there are some other bonuses too.
CAYSH provides a non-salary package that reflects the nature of the world today. We want staff to fulfil their potential whilst helping young people fulfil theirs too. We aim to provide a workplace where staff can flourish whilst they help improve the lives of the young people we support. That is why:
- our NJC linked salary scheme is competitive
- our non-salary rewards are good
- we are ahead of our own stiff targets to professionalize our workforce
- we enable staff development within the organisation without the need to move elsewhere
In a little more details, the twenty five days annual leave in addition to the eight statutory ones helps keep us competitive with commissioning bodies. Our flexible approach to recording leave - measuring it in hours rather than in half days and days - gives the flexibility to take it in ways that suit you. Our TOIL and flexi-time systems combine to deliver our commitment to an excellent work/life balance and personal time management.
Our pension scheme, provided by a save and reliable (AAA rated) house hold name provider. It is excellent both in it's levels of contribution from CAYSH and its flexibility from the perspective of the employee. It's not compulsory of course but its flexibility makes it linkable to any existing arrangements you have, and for those that opt in the employee contributions are variable at any stage.
Overwhelmingly, we're a family friendly organisation. It's difficult to do the work we do without developing a very sharply focussed belief in the importance of stable family life and all our management process take this into account. It should be no surprise that we didn't need to adapt our employment policies and procedures when the Government introduced "family friendly" guidelines a few years back - we still outstrip them by some distance.
Our employee assistance program (EAP) is similar to most others and whilst I suspect the provider would demand some gushing copy at this point, the mere existence of a helpful voice at the end of a freephone offering support and advice on just about any matter concerning the caller is, I hope, good enough. If you have never had and EAP please click this link to see what is offered. Like all other EAPs the service is confidential - unless of course the provider becomes concerned for the welfare of the caller or our service users.
We expect people to take up free eye tests, and whilst nobody is strong armed to the nearest Spec Savers, the scheme is in place for good reasons over and above the statutory requirements. That said, CAYSH's IT provision is excellent for the voluntary/public sector and we don't ask our staff to work with low quality screens, keyboards or mice that might cause health problems.
What else? Well that's down to the people. CAYSH is a fun place to work as well as a rewarding one - with plenty of laughs to lighten the load of a sometimes-stressful and sad environment. We help young people who are often heroic survivors overcoming great odds and misfortune to lead normal lives. Those unaware of the real stories might consider those lives ordinary or mundane, but given the circumstances they are anything but. This doesn't happen without some low points but none that match the highs and we celebrate our successes.
