RCN judged one of Sunday Times 'best companies to work for'

Published: 12 March 2012

For the second year running, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has been judged as one of the best companies to work for in the UK.

The RCN was the only trade union and professional association to feature on the annual Sunday Times Best Companies list. Overall, the RCN was awarded 21st place out of the top 100 not for profit companies to work for across the UK.

The overwhelming majority of employees (84 per cent) said that they were proud to work for the RCN. Highlighting the importance of listening to the workforce, over three quarters of staff (78 per cent) feel that managers share important information with them.  A similar number (78 per cent) feel that managers take an interest in their wellbeing

Singled out for praise was the RCN’s score for providing a Fair Deal in which the organisation scored second for the benefits it provides. Employees also believe that they receive fair pay for their responsibilities (80 per cent).

The list of companies is derived from the views of employees and the policies and processes of employers. Randomly selected staff were surveyed across seven areas including: leadership, wellbeing, my team, fair deal, giving something back, my company and personal growth. Companies had to be successful in each area to make the final list.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN said:

“To be part of this prestigious list is a real honour and true testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff. They continually strive to provide our 400,000 members with the best possible service, supporting them in the vital jobs they do.

“We are proud of the policies that we pursue as an employer, and we aim to set an example to healthcare organisations where our members work. It is really important for us as an organisation to listen to staff, involve them in decision making and act on their concerns – this is how organisations improve. Our staff value this and we believe it helps them in their work with members. We are immensely proud of this tremendous achievement.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact  the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.
The Best Companies to Work for 2012 list was published on Sunday 11 March at www.bestcompanies.co.uk