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Local businesses are competing for the title of 'Jersey's Best Workplace' as part of a new initiative launched by All Island Media which will help them unlock insights about their teams.
In partnership with CompassJersey, the employee engagement award seeks to identify the gold-standard of employee satisfaction in the island.
To identify a winner, businesses will be benchmarked against each other and receive detailed analysis.
Before the analysis gets underway, Express spoke to several businesses who have decided to take part in the process. So far this week, we've heard from Randalls and Valla. Today, Lizzy de Carteret, Practice Manager at St Martin's Surgery, explains what the GP practice hopes to learn from the awards and what a good workplace culture means to them...
We opened our doors in the midst of the pandemic, in June 2021, joining an already well-established and respected sector. From our humble beginnings, where we had precisely zero registered patients, I am so proud at how far we have come.
All of us at St Martin Surgery are so grateful to each and every person who has registered with us as a patient. Thanks to their support, we are now set to open a brand new branch surgery in St Helier in 2025.
St Martin Surgery would not be the success it is today without our fantastic team. If an employee can see evidence to demonstrate that their voice is being heard and that they are supported, this positivity spills over into their overall performance. Happy employees equals happy patients.
By taking part in Jersey’s Best Workplace initiative, we hope to not only shine a light on the employees of St Martin Surgery, giving them the recognition that they deserve, but also enhance employee engagement and promote and maintain a positive workplace culture.
Encouraging a culture where employees feel valued assists our team in improving the service we offer our patients; continually striving to achieve an environment where patients are treated with the same respect and empathy that our employees themselves would wish to receive.
Transparency: People feel more secure and supported if they have a clear understanding of business operations, changes and developments. Secrecy over upcoming change can fuel worry and anxiety.
Where appropriate, we aim to foster an ‘open door policy’, where employees can ask questions or voice any concerns. Transparent communication is vital in ensuring that people understand motives behind certain decisions and feel assured about the outcomes.
Trust: Trust in your colleagues is imperative for a harmonious work environment. A lack of trust discourages open communication. Employees need to feel that they are safe to speak up if they are struggling with something, or wish to share an opinion or idea. Mutual trust, support and respect is the backbone to any successful business.
Connection: A sense of connection and belonging can make all the difference. At St Martin Surgery, we aim to achieve a culture where employees are treated equally, regardless of their role. Every employee contributes toward making the business a success and no one person is more important than any other.
Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and their opinions respected. A friendly and connected culture creates a sense of security and contributes toward improved wellbeing and productivity.
A business could offer the best product in the world but, if you do not have the right people onboard, success will be hard to come by. Jersey’s small size makes it unique, in that word of mouth can spread fast. In a competitive job market, a positive workplace culture can help a company stand out and thrive.
As a business, we aspire to support and empower employees. However, we are very much aware that we are not perfect. The old adage ‘every day is a school day’ comes to mind. Life is ever changing with new challenges around every corner.
Employers, therefore, need to continually evolve, learn and adapt in order to provide a supportive workplace culture. The feedback from this initiative will provide us with vital insight into where investments and improvements could be made.
Equally, this will help us understand what’s working well and where we can put measures in place to future-proof the business.
I believe that this initiative will provide us with the tools required to become more dynamic and responsive, whilst also taking into consideration the thoughts and expectations of each individual team member.
Identifying trends will help build future strategies and ensure we attract and retain the right people. As mentioned previously, St Martin Surgery plans to expand in 2025, by opening a new branch surgery in the heart of St Helier. This venture will not be a success without the commitment and collaborative support of our wonderful employees.
Top-performing companies will be highlighted in a special Jersey’s Best Workplace publication distributed in print and online through the Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express. Winners will be honoured at a special awards ceremony in March 2025.
In addition to the survey results, compensation and potential to be crowned 'Jersey’s Best Workplace', entrants will receive an All Island Media advertising credit and an annual subscription to the digital edition of the Jersey Evening Post.
For more information, and to register, click HERE.
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