A North Staffordshire-based charity is celebrating after being named the UK’s Best Charity to Work For.
Dougie Mac came out top of the latest league table compiled by independent employee engagement specialists, Best Companies.
The charity, which came seventh on the list last year, also received a three-star rating – the highest possible ranking – by the Best Companies 2023 Accreditation meaning that the hospice is now classed as a World-Class Organisation to work for.
The Best Companies accreditation is based entirely on employee feedback where earlier this year more than 400 Dougie Mac employees were encouraged to complete an anonymous survey to have their say about working at the hospice.
More than 75 per cent of employees completed the confidential survey, sharing their thoughts on eight key areas, including leadership, wellbeing and how they feel working in their team.
In addition to the charity sector list, Dougie Mac also made strong headway in the regional and national lists, featuring at 14th and 16th respectively.
Chief Executive David Webster said: “We’ve always regarded ourselves as a world-class hospice and a charity that local people can be hugely proud of but it’s fantastic to get external confirmation and evidence of just how special this place is.
“It’s particularly poignant to have gained this achievement in our 50th year; a landmark for Dougie Mac that we are tremendously proud of. The staff and volunteers at Dougie Mac deserve the most profound credit and thanks for all they have achieved and continue to achieve on behalf of the local patients and community.
“We hope we can continue to receive the most superb support we get every year from local people and businesses.”
Dougie Mac, also known as the Douglas Macmillan Hospice, is based in Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, and provides specialist palliative care for adults, young adults and children across North Staffordshire who face cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
Its success was announced during Best Companies Live, a seminar hosted by TV’s Dan Walker, where David appeared as a panellist discussing the importance of employee engagement and how to create a culture that supports employee wellbeing.
