In August 2020, Matt Bullock joined Acorns Children’s Hospice as its new People and Culture Director. It was clear that the hospice’s workforce was fatigued following a period of financial instability, and the COVID-19 pandemic (which was still ongoing). Over the years, the hospice had not prioritised investment in its people, mainly due to financial constraints it had faced.
Acorns carried out an evidence-based ‘cultural diagnostic’. This included:
an engagement survey
analysing exit interview data
focus groups for staff and volunteers at different levels.
The diagnostic revealed that the culture of the organisation was consistently inconsistent. People did not feel valued, and clear silos had developed over time.
Creating a clear and consistent culture
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Why is it important to have a clear and consistent culture?
Having a clearly defined culture helps an organisation achieve its vision and mission, makes sure all staff and volunteers know what is expected of them, and helps ensure clients and stakeholders receive a consistent approach. Most importantly, it provides a repeatable recipe for success.
How the hospice improved its culture
In consultation with staff and volunteers, Acorns refreshed its values and behavioural framework. A new competency framework is based on five evidence-based ‘mindsets for success’:
Imagination
Curiosity
Agility
Collaboration
Accountability.
The hospice redefined its leadership ethos, setting out ‘Nine things that leaders do’ to help make sure all leaders are consistent in their approach.
‘The Acorns Playbook’ was launched. This sets out what it should feel like to work at Acorns, what employees and volunteers can expect from the leadership team, and what is expected of individuals. All staff have a copy of this, and it is referred to regularly, with progress updates at quarterly Town Hall style events.
To make it clear that the hospice supports individuals to develop skills and progress, career paths have been developed for every role.
Acorns uses Winningtemp, an employee engagement platform, to ‘take the temperature’ of the organisation. Every fortnight, staff and volunteers are asked a few questions, from a bank of 70 about the organisational culture. They answer anonymously. The platform has a dashboard for all leaders, so they can see in real time where there are areas that need to be addressed (or celebrated!).
Tips and advice
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Investing in your people includes making the necessary resources available. It may seem expensive, but the results are worth it and the cost is far less replacing people where roles become vacant.
If you are going to do this work, be prepared to hear uncomfortable truths. There will inevitably be criticism of the organisation! Staff and volunteers need to know you will listen and take action.
Impact and evaluation
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Acorns is using a range of data to measure the success of the changes, including:
KPIs for sickness, attrition and vacancy rates
Stability of the workforce (how many new starters stay for 12 months or more).
Engagement data collected from Winningtemp
The Employee Net Promoter Score (ENPS) (how many people say they would recommend Acorns as a great place to work or volunteer).
So far, the measures indicate that the work has been successful. Attrition rates have stabilised and 95% of new starters are staying for more than a year. Winningtemp engagement measures and the ENPS are higher than the average index score of other organisations.
Most importantly, people who work at Acorns are happier, more resilient, and know they are valued. The hospice’s income has grown and the workforce is becoming more agile. Acorns has achieved Thrive at Work Accreditation from the local authority.
Future development
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Acorns has developed a People Strategy, which sets out how the hospice will continue to invest in its people over the coming years. It includes:
