HCRG worked hard to understand the needs of diverse teams from 8 local organisations. We were particularly impressed with the onboarding events which were flexibly planned to support staff who didn’t have their own transport or who needed to drop in, pick up kit and go. In the days after transfer, senior leaders travelled the breadth of BSW to meet staff, listen, share and ensure their needs were met. Transferring over 2,000 staff was a huge undertaking but HCRG managed it well, keeping us fully informed at each step of the process, and ultimately ensuring a smooth and safe transfer of services to the benefit of our staff and citizens.
Scalable onboarding model protects the wellbeing of staff and their patients
Our teams were recently nominated for HSJ’s Independent Healthcare Providers Awards 2026. We were recognised for our staff onboarding model alongside our NHS commissioning partners – who awarded us three flagship contracts to transfer thousands of healthcare workers, and the services they provide, into our organisation. Here’s how we did it.
3,306 new colleagues from 14 incumbent providers
Each with their own systems, processes and cultures – representing a 60% increase in our overall workforce.
A new blueprint for supportive onboarding
We know from experience that employment transfers are often unsettling, so we created a new Onboarding & Workforce Wellbeing Programme to support and welcome our new colleagues. We wanted to address not only the logistic challenges of integrating so many different systems, processes and cultures, but also:
- To reduce stress during an unsettling time
- To ensure safe service transition for patients
- To help our new colleagues focus on their day jobs
- To prove we’re not just ‘a private company’
- To improve morale and retention
A practical and human solution to welcome diverse communities
We drew on our experience of hundreds of previous transfers to create inclusive tools for different services – from sexual health services in Leicester and Rutland to children’s community services in Surrey Heartlands, and integrated community-based care in Bath and North East Somerset, and Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW).
1. An onboarding app and website to begin transfers
We started by engaging staff who were transferring with key information and an easy way to share personal details before starting – reducing anxiety, improving preparedness and supporting a smoother transition.
2. Tailored onboarding journeys
For managers we created a development framework that supported them to understand organisational processes, policies and expectations – through virtual and self-led learning sessions that scheduled flexibly around service delivery.
The manager and new starter paths include tailored 100-day journeys that include:
1. Pre-joining welcomes
Buddy assignment and resources provided
2. Joining inductions
Onboarding navigation and training
3. Post-joining team-building
Check-ins and recognition
3. Key resources
Connect & Collect events
To prepare people for day one, meet their team and demonstrate HCRG’s difference and values.
Bitesize induction
A streamlined programme designed to help staff quickly understand essentials like payslips and policies.
Welcome bag
Including configured laptop, phone, cover, kit, flask, notepad, anti-bac, pothole care pack, and possibly a gift voucher.
Onboarding Navigators
From digital support in the app to a locally based Onboarding Navigators trained in the most common queries.
100-day communications
With welcomes, checklists, updates, team talks, payday notifications, surveys, support services and celebrations.
Top 15 Best large Companies to work for
We measured improved staff sentiment across all-staff surveys throughout and after the transfer period, achieving 13th place in the large company rankings.
A transfer model that scales up and down
Our programme strengthened communication, trust and flexibility across contexts:
- In BSW, the approach supported thousands of staff across multiple settings.
- In Surrey, we adapted to medium scale with tailored welcome events.
- In Leicester & Rutland, a smaller cohort required a more targeted approach.
By proving its adaptability across very different footprints, the initiative has established itself as a scalable template for future NHS workforce transitions. And we’ve already repeated it for mobilising child and family services in Warwickshire in December 2025, with more on the way in 2026.
91% of colleagues feel welcomed to HCRG
By week six, 91% agreed that either their manager or colleagues were making them feel welcome.
Universally relevant core principles
Already, our Onboarding & Workforce Wellbeing Programme’s learning, products and tools are being used to support new transitions to HCRG, with principles that apply to any scale of transformation:
- Early engagement
- Practical support
- Manager development
- Feedback-driven improvement
Are you looking to implement change but concerned a transfer will be too disruptive? We can help make it smoother.
Workplace change is naturally disruptive, but worthwhile if you can preserve morale in the short-term while achieving long-term gain. With a proven model of delivering transformation anywhere, we’re able to move rapidly to stand up mobilisation programmes while further improving the experience of staff joining the organisation.
After 100 days, the services we were nominated for were well on their way to transformation – read more about their successes here:
