14 Oct Rewarding our colleagues: £250 Annual Bonus
Be Caring are delighted to announce that for the 3rd consecutive year we will be recognising and rewarding our colleagues as employee-owners with an annual bonus of up to £250
It has been a challenging year for the care sector, and as a local authority funded provider of social care we’re no different. As an employee-owned social enterprise, we’re committed to recognising the hard work and dedication of our colleagues, who have allowed us to continue providing care to some of the most vulnerable living in our communities.
The cost-of-living crisis is impacting all of us, increasing the importance of recognising our work force financially. Therefore, this year we’re rewarding 640 colleagues with a £50 gift voucher and up to £200 cash bonus.
Chief Exec, Sharon Lowrie, shares these sentiments, “As an employee-owned organisation, it is only right that we reward our amazing colleagues for the incredible work you do. Our ability to pay the Christmas bonus is a direct result of the hard work we all undertake to keep people safe and happy in their own homes. I am looking forward to seeing you all during the Christmas coffee and cake sessions to thank you in person. I’d also like to hear your feedback on how we can improve as an organisation but also to hear what we are getting right. Once again, thank you for being part of Be Caring and let’s keep working together and supporting one another to be the best we can be.”
Sharon Lowrie – Chief Exec
All year-round incentives
Be Caring have distributed a total of £300,000 in bonuses and incentives to colleagues this year
Throughout the past 2 years we’ve offered several monetary benefits, including attendance bonuses in challenging periods such as the summer holidays, a New Starter bonus of up to £300, Refer a Friend bonus of up to £300, and a £25 birthday gift voucher. Since January 2022, 127 of our colleagues have qualified for the New Starter bonus and a further 33 colleagues have earned the Refer a Friend bonus!
One of our Care Workers shared this review on Indeed: “A great place to work, with amazing values. I have worked for Be Caring for over 12 years and the company have supported me with my progression. Great benefits with birthday shopping vouchers, thank you bonuses and a paid Christmas bonus.”
Being a colleague of Be Caring
We’re conscious that as a sector, care is often under-valued, especially when viewed in comparison to the NHS (National Health Service) and wider health partners. We recognise that many of Care and Support Workers are on low wages, which is directly linked to commissioned pay rate from the local authority. Wherever the rate allows, we review and increase the rates we pay our colleagues, resulting in 3 pay increases in some services in the past year alone.
We also offer ‘shift’ pay in Leeds and Newcastle, ensuring our homecare workers are paid fully for their time at work, something that most local authority funded homecare providers are unable to achieve. The success of Be Caring over the past 2 years is a result of our colleagues that continue to live our values, and we understand the need to demonstrate the value of care and the value our colleagues bring to those they support and our local communities as well as the NHS.
A second Care Worker shared this review on Indeed: “It’s great to be part of an organisation that is employee owned. I want to deliver amazing care as I’m valued and part of a team. We’ve just been told about our annual bonus which will be great before Christmas. We also receive a gift card on our birthday too. It’s a fast-paced role but so rewarding made even better by the values of the organisation.”
