Once more the year is almost complete and I am left to reflect on the 12 months that have passed. The team has grown, changed shape (geographically and promotions) and we have strengthened resource more than ever before.
We have worked tirelessly to support our community with recruitment and training solutions, round the clock, using innovative (and at times creative) ideas to resolve staffing gaps and skills shortages.
We have laughed, cried and at times sighed at the challenges thrown up throughout 2017, but we made it…and we are in finer shape than ever.
This end-of-year blog always feels like a sort of ‘queen’s speech’. I really feel a sense of privilege in being able to write it on behalf of all my teams. Of course, I asked for their input – what did they want me to celebrate on their behalf. I was inundated, so I needed to really be concise in considering what to say. So, it goes a little like this…
A few years ago, our business launched our set of values, what we wanted to achieve in everything that we did. Quality, Respect, Community, Innovation and most importantly to New Directions Social Care – Integrity. We work within a very special sector – one that hits the headlines frequently and we are proud to support the work of the very brilliant people that choose social care as their career.
Our teams feel a sense of responsibility to ensure that we represent the sector to the very best of our abilities. So, for us Integrity as a value is echoed in all that we do day-to-day. Our teams are working to support businesses and candidates who work in some extremely volatile settings. Our job is to listen, to understand and to create working links and relationships between our candidates and clients that everyone enjoys.
This is what we feel makes us unique, we never compromise on quality – and in that is a sense of duty to ensure strong matches that maintain the right recruitment objectives. Put simply – if you are happy, we are happy.
Our sense of team spirit (banter) is at an exceptional high. We have recruited some real characters this year that have helped us to self-reflect as an organisation. One thing that has been echoed time and time again in our 1-2-1 and team meetings is just how much trust is placed upon us by our candidates and clients – we never want to abuse this, we want to manage it responsibly – so we talk…a lot.
My big message (drum roll please…) this year is about talking; about using our integrity to make sound judgements on behalf of our stakeholders, but also in ensuring that we as a team encourage self-care. Talking is a huge part of that and we want our standards of dialogue never to drop. That friendly word in the corridor with one of our Support Workers can change the shape of their week.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone that works with us – in all weathers, at all times, in all conditions. You really are our heroes. You keep us buoyed and we are often overwhelmed at how much you deliver to your communities. So, please enjoy the festivities as best you can and we look forward to a prosperous and uplifting 2018 with you all.
Sarah
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