NHS to private sector - workplace norms

[Motorina]

As posted in my "bloody dogs" thread, I have a new job!

After 22 years, I'm moving out of the NHS and into the private sector, in a non-clinical role. That stuff you see on the news about people fleeing the NHS? Yup, that's me.

I am ridiculously excited, but also aware it's going to be very different. And I have no idea of the groundrules. How do pensions work outside the NHS? What are expectations around overtime? Sick leave? Workplace culture?

What are the things I don't even know enough about to ask?

I know a lot of the policy stuff will be in my contract (it's in the post...) and a lot will be workplace dependent. But the underlying assumptions won't be. What should I know?

Thank you!

I have also made the same move (NHS - private sector) so following with interest!

Sick leave usually statutory
Pensions about the same if not a bit less
Free stuff whatever scheme they use.. cinema discounts etc
No expectations to work ot but you can
Maternity statutory.

It's nothing like the nhs but also you have work life balance so that's the main thing. Go home and not think about work.

@fairycakesandtea7 good luck!

It feels strange. I'm so used to 'this is the national contract'. You're on band whatever, no give or wiggle room, but equally really good sick leave/mat leave etc (not that I've ever used the latter, and rarely the former!). So having it all up in the air is weird. I'm also fairly boggled that they've got back to me promptly, and the recruitment process has taken weeks and not months. This is not my norm!

One more question: the job advert says, "Bonus up to blah percent of salary..." How do bonuses work? Is it expected you'll get it unless you really screw up? Dependent on financial success, and split across everyone like a tip? Or hard earned and given only to the best and brightest?

@toor thank you, that's helpful. I don't take much sick leave anyway (and am long past the age where maternity might be an issue) so unphased by that. I know there's a free stuff scheme but have no details.

Pension does matter to me. I know there is one. "Contributory" is all I know right now. Would it be normal for the employer to pay in too?

There's a mandatory minimum that employers have to contribute to your pension. Some will enhance that, some won't. It's unlikely to be as good as an NHS pension so you may find that you want to devote a good portion of any salary increase to topping up your pension contributions.

Depending on the company but bonuses are normally every year and based on several things. Usually the company performance determines how big the pot is then your performance against agreed objectives work out how much you get out of your max amount.
For instance the company meets its target, you can get your max bonus and you meet your objectives so you get all x% of your salary.
Company does super well, they celebrate and say this year you can get up to 110% of your bonus so you have the potential to get more that year.

All those questions are employer dependent

Also if you look the new employer up on glass door it might tell you what they offer for pension and other leaves.

It depends on your role .
I'm in a senior non clinical role in private sector and I definitely work more than my contracted hrs.
There is no such thing as overtime..it's just the job.
However for example my PA..if she has to work over hrs she gets flexible time leave back.
So it very much depends how senior you are and what you are doing.
My pension is quite generous and we have various benefits like gym membership etc.
Sick leave is discretionary..
Bonus payment is down to your end of year review. You have to have been outstanding to get a bonus with my company and payrises also dependent on ratings.

I wouldn't make a move without fully understanding the impact on pension.

Pension, this is the big one ,remember you will be in a defined contribution rather than a defined benefit / career average scheme. In simple terms this means the eventual pension is neither quantified or guaranteed. In general the employers will put in between 5% and 10% depending on how generous they are. For comparison the NHS currently contributes 20.68% . DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR NHS PENSION it will stay there and continue to be index linked until you need it when you retire.

You are also unlikely to have much in the way of death in service, widows pensions or ill health retirement., at least in comparison to what the NHS scheme offers. In the event that you need this, retaining the albeit dormant membership of the NHS scheme may give you some support.

Sickness is very dependent on employer, we employ ex NHS staff and they are generally quite shocked even though we don't use any of the formulas and are pretty flexible. We give statutory in probation (although we do often improve on this depending on circumstances) and then 6 months full pay and 6 months half.

Overtime, non existent its usually you work the hours to get the job done although once you are established people are generally happy to give time off in lieu or flexing for the odd afternoon off.

Thank you all, that's really helpful. I'd reached the point where I was hanging on in the NHS purely for the pension and sick leave, but hating turning up every day. If I'd been ten years older I might have gritted my teeth and stuck with it, but you can't work 15 years in a job you hate just for the pension! Whereas I'm genuinely really excited about this job, regardless of what the benefits are.

@cyclamenqueen yes, planning on leaving the NHS pension untouched so it's there for later. I do have some years in the 'old' scheme, but am now on the new one, which I think is less generous in any event? I'm also planning on overpaying into the new one (I assume that's a thing?) on the basis that the salary is significantly higher so I can afford to do so. Death in service etc isn't a concern, as I have no dependants.

I think 'working the hours to get the job done' will be a very different mindset, and probably the biggest change for me. I do plenty of unpaid overtime as is - the NHS would collapse if it weren't for goodwill people staying on - but it's more in the context of staying late after a shift, rather than being expected to work to the job need.

"I'm so used to 'this is the national contract'. You're on band whatever, no give or wiggle room,"

I spent a brief stint in the NHS and I have colleagues who were there for much longer, and I think this sort of rigidity affects more than just pay and conditions in the NHS. Understandably, the NHS is an absolute behemoth, so most people are just tiny cogs in a big machine. Equally understandably, the need to balance the risks of any changes negatively affecting patients means the evidence requirements for effecting change are large, which leads to a lot of inertia and lack of innovation. Many (not all!) private companies have quite a different culture in that respect - it can take some getting used to!

Oooh what's the job? How did you find applying for jobs? Congratulations!

I’ve done the same but remained clinical and I hate it. I wish I’d never left my old job I. The NHS. It’s a totally different job job and patient type. I love my job role but hate the way the hospital is run. I’m thinking of returning to the NHS.

@Motorina do not overpay into a defined contribution scheme without getting independent advice. Remember that because it is dependent on investment performance you may not get that money back, also schemes vary wildly. I would get the details of your employers scheme and then get some independent advice, make sure its from someone who understands the NHS scheme as well so they understand the interaction when you retire. If you are on your own this is super important.

You are right about life not being a dress rehearsal, no point in being miserable even if the pension is good.

As long as you have no preexisting conditions there is usually an option to have private health insurance at a discount.

Sick pay can be dire, as can pension provision, it just depends on the company / hospital.

Benefits - if I'd worked with no break I could phone the kitchen and get a sandwich delivered. We also had free fruit juice in the canteen.

Where I worked they rarely paid overtime but you got lost of time in lieu.

I got sent on a lot of free courses. We had reps visit more and often they brought goodies for us, cake or something.

Where I worked, a lot of the doctors and patients were Jewish, so we didn't officially get Jewish holidays but everyone was trying not to be working and not in hospital so they were very quiet.

I was in London, when there were tube strikes the department would pay for a taxi if there was no other reasonable way to get in. I rode a motorbike so I was usually asked to start earlier on those days.