The Relevance of Uncovering Talent in the Sector

• This blog is written by Mark Topps and Adam Purnell from The Caring View. 

Hidden amongst our social care staff and the people accessing care services are thousands of amazing talents but the two main reasons we think it is important that we uncover and find these are:

1. It can increase the level of care being delivered – By discovering, matching and utilising the unique skills and abilities of care staff we can match them to the people being supported which helps:

• Increase the quality of care
• Forge stronger relationships
• Increase social connections which leads to deeper and more meaningful relationships
• Increases enjoyment and participation in activities
• Improves communication
• Improves mental health and wellbeing
• Allows shared experiences and memories which can strengthen relationships

2. It can increase job satisfaction and improve teamwork – Allowing our staff to use their talents can lead to greater job satisfaction, which can reduce turnover and improve the overall morale of the team. Recognising and utilising the talents of our staff can improve collaboration and teamwork.

Here are some of our tips to uncover hidden talents:

• Create environments where staff feel comfortable sharing their interests and abilities.
• Encourage staff to share what they enjoy doing outside of work, as this can give you an idea of their hobbies and passions.
• Offer training and professional development programs to help staff build upon their existing skills and acquire new ones. This can help staff uncover hidden talents they may not have known they had.
• Arrange activities that encourage collaboration and teamwork. This can help staff get to know each other better and showcase their skills in a relaxed and fun environment.
• Regularly seek feedback from staff about their job satisfaction, skills and abilities. This can help you identify areas where staff may need support to develop new skills, or where they would like to be challenged more.
• Organise internal events, such as talent shows or creative competitions, which allow staff to showcase their abilities. This can help staff feel valued and motivated to pursue their interests.

And of course, last but by no means least, utilise initiatives such as Championing Social Care’s Care Sector’s Got Talent which gives a safe and encouraging space for people working in social care and those living in care services to apply to showcase their talents and allow the wider sector to recognise and celebrate skills, creativity and the contributions of people, alongside highlighting the positive aspects of social care and brings attention to the important role that care workers play in the lives of others.

Mark Topps and Adam Purnell, The Caring View

Mark Topps, Championing Social Care Ambassador and Regional Business Manager, Essex Cares 
Mark is a passionate and multi award winning social care leader who has worked in the care industry since 2004 and is currently working as a Regional Support Manager. Mark can be found regularly advocating, appearing on television, radio and podcasts and has started numerous high profile campaigns which have been debated in parliament and across the world and have a combined petition signature list of over 1.7million creating a change in legislation and culture within the industry. Mark is also the Social Media & Marketing Director at NACAS.