A photo of the Senior Web Development Team

Over the last year the Web Development Team in The Health Informatics Service have been focusing on improving colleague experience. They have been using the results of the last NHS Staff Survey to focus their actions and make meaningful improvements across the team.

Specific areas they wanted to look at from the previous survey were:

  • Team members often meet to discuss the team's effectiveness
  • Enjoy working with colleagues in team
  • Colleagues are understanding and kind to one another
  • There are opportunities for me to develop my career in this organisation

Now the team have annual focus meetings to discuss where they are on their journey as a service and what they will be focussing on over the next year to make improvements. These are not manager led improvements, but improvements driven by the team.

All colleagues have regular 1-2-1s with their direct line manager with a free agenda. It allows them to discuss anything that is on their mind, whether that is a specific piece of work, ideas, or struggles inside and outside of work. They have also set up 1-2-1 sessions with peers within the team to get different insight and to speak with someone different.

They also have mini team building exercises throughout the year to build better working relationships in an informal and fun way. A quarterly social outside of work also helps create friendships and connection across the team.

The team also use the CHFT TED tool surveys as a team annually and review as a group the results so they can collectively agree what is a priority to try focus on and how they can all make that happen.

Web Development Manager, Becky Wootton, said: “I know if anyone in the team is facing an issue, they will be supported by someone. I’m proud of the environment we have created as I know from what I hear directly and indirectly people do feel they can speak up and there is general happiness with coming to work.”

This year's Staff Survey opens on Monday, 29th September, so you may want to start thinking about your achievements so you can share them when the time comes.