Home care has never been a higher-demand sector, with care providers continually looking for quality staff, aspiring care professionals and senior carers who prioritise job security, good rates of pay and a role that is rewarding and contributes to the local community.
One of the difficulties for any care job applicant can be deciding which posts are the right fit for their skills or knowing which agencies or companies are likely to offer the best benefits, training, support and opportunities for career progression.
Guardian Angel Carers, a nationwide home care specialist, has put together some tips to help, explaining what to look for from a great home care company and some of the factors applicants should focus on when comparing roles and vacancies.
What Makes a Home Care Provider a Top Employer?
As in any career decision, it’s well worth taking all the time you need to research potential employers, exploring reviews, ratings, testimonials, and even what current or former staff feel about the organisation.
One option is to look at Glassdoor. This recruitment and jobs site invites employees to leave ratings against companies, looking at aspects such as diversity, inclusion, rates of pay, working standards, support, opportunities and whether a business offers a positive workplace culture.
Guardian Angel Carers home care services Chichester is rated 4.8 stars (out of a maximum of five), with reviews noting that ‘everyone is approachable and kind’, ‘the office staff [are] always on hand to talk to’, and that it is a ‘lovely, caring company’.
Of the 16 territories covered throughout the UK, a further 12 have the same fantastic rating, with the remaining branches not yet reviewed. These feedback scores may be more meaningful than any other information in the public domain, and having previous employees categorise an employer as ‘a brilliant company to work for’ and with an ‘amazing culture’ is a superb endorsement.
While comparing rates of pay, bonus and reward schemes and other factors like paid mileage for travel between care clients and funded training is undoubtedly beneficial and important to every carer, it’s also essential you check that your selected employer takes good care of its staff.
Which Awards or Accreditations Should a Reputable Home Care Company Have?
Many carers initially verify that any provider they are considering working for is properly registered and regulated by the appropriate body. In England, that is the Care Quality Commission, and in Wales and Scotland will be the relevant Care Inspectorate.
Regulated care providers are inspected periodically and awarded a rating ranging from Outstanding and Good down to Requires Improvement and Inadequate. The Welsh and Scottish regulatory ‘scoring’ systems work slightly differently and are based on points:
- 1 = Unsatisfactory
- 2 = Weak
- 3 = Adequate
- 4 = Good
- 5 = Excellent
These records are worth considering and can give an idea about the standards, quality processes and internal controls in place. However, we’d also suggest looking at other awards, memberships, and registrations that can denote a care company that is committed to onward progression.
Guardian Angel Carers, for example, has been recognised as a Top 20 Home Care Group by Homecare.co.uk and is a member of the British Franchise Association and Homecare Association. The latter is the only UK membership body that helps to shape home care standards.
What Should I Look for When Deciding Which Home Care Jobs to Apply For?
We mentioned the practicalities like pay, so let’s take a closer look at the variances between remuneration packages.
According to Indeed, the current average salary for a home care worker is £11.52 per hour, £1,487 per month or £20,998 a year. Firstly, a high-quality employer will normally offer above the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage where possible.
The minimum a business can pay a member of staff aged 23 and above is currently £10.42, rising to £11.44 from April 2024 onward. Guardian Angel Carers is a nationwide home care provider, with each branch independently owned and managed by our franchisees – but all adhere to our commitment to career opportunities and fair rates of pay.
Among the numerous vacancies open to interested applicants, branches are offering comparable pay rates of:
- Full-time CareAngel: £13.90 to £15 for off-peak and peak hours.
- Companionship Carer: £13.50 per hour.
- Weekend Care Assistant: £13.90 to £15 per hour for off-peak and peak hours.
- Evening and Weekend Care Assistant: £13.50 to £14.50 an hour for weekday and weekend hours.
In addition to those sector-leading pay rates and higher pay for bank holidays, evenings and weekends, each branch also provides funded professional training, paid holidays, support with further qualifications such as a Health and Social Care Diploma or NVQ, paid mileage for journeys between placements, and pension contributions.
Including additional benefits and training in your comparisons can make a significant difference – a role with an attractive hourly or monthly salary and funded training offers you the chance to acquire professional qualifications and continue learning new abilities while earning a comfortable wage.
Picking a Home Care Employer With Values-Based Care
Finally, we’d recommend selecting businesses with a commitment to values or a defined mission that aligns with your priorities.
Even though a care company may be a profitable enterprise, the responsibility for caring for individuals who may be vulnerable, elderly, exposed to isolation or dealing with health conditions is significant, and a care provider should have compassion and respect at the heart of its ethos.
Here at Guardian Angel Carers, we have a set of principles that underpin our work and that every franchisee applicant adheres to – covering essential areas such as professionalism, reliability, friendliness and quality.
A home care company that represents these values and focuses its efforts on providing gentle, sensitive, and respectful care to each client is a great choice of employer and ensures that your workplace experiences will be positive.
For more information about Guardian Angel Carers, our home care jobs, or your nearest branch, please get in touch or visit our recruitment pages for further details.
