THE PRIZE ASSET of Sandwell Community Caring Trust is its staff. Looking after the elderly and disabled is not easy, and the charity believes the key to making sure society's most vulnerable people are treated with dignity and respect is to treat their carers the same way. It's working: the trust is second overall in our employee survey for charities and public sector organisations and takes first place with a positive score of 80% for questions on Wellbeing. Staff love working for the organisation (81%), the top score. Employees have also put the charity in the top 10 for all eight factors that contribute to Sandwell's overall score. Established in West Bromwich in 1997, the trust has 28 sites in the West Midlands and southwest with more than 600 clients. Staff help adults with physical and learning disabilities and provide residential and daycare for the elderly. Work rarely interferes with their responsibilities at home (83%) and they are happy with the balance between work and home life (80%), both in first place in our survey. The trust offers free occupational health and counselling services. The workforce (mainly women) records the highest positive score among mid-sized organisations for remaining stress-free (86%). Managers regularly cover care shifts and muck in with employees, who say their bosses are excellent role models (77%) and supportive (80%), both top scores. Geoffrey Walker, the chief executive for more than 30 years, inspires staff (74%). Bosses acknowledge a job well done with positive comments, small gifts and meals out. Staff say they have all the support they need to provide a great service (79%) and they do not feel the charity takes advantage of them (72%), both top scores. The typical job at Sandwell is care assistant, earning £16,700. People feel they are paid fairly compared with people in similar jobs elsewhere (71%), the second best score. sandwellcct.org.uk
