Attracting and retaining healthcare talent

The challenge

Bupa Dental Care needed a compelling employee value proposition and employer brand to unite, motivate and reconnect talent to their purpose, and effectively manage a time of change in its sector and organisation.

To support change management for Bupa Dental Care (BDC) , we were tasked to unite the company behind the new ‘Dental Health is…’ strategy with a revamped employee value proposition. Then, we developed an audience-driven channel strategy that would communicate the new direction in a way that ensures patient-facing teams felt valued, heard and confident in their role.

First, we needed to find out what Dental Health meant to decision-makers.

Facilitating the Senior Leadership Teams workshop
Consultation with Senior Leadership Teams
The solution

We approached this brief with awareness of the challenging context in which dental practices are operating.

To reflect priorities and perspectives from all areas of the business, we led a consultation with Senior Leadership Teams, to listen, gain buy-in for the new ‘Dental Health is…’ strategy, and build momentum. This took the form of a three-hour workshop with interactive and engaging activities.

Following the successful launch of ‘Dental Health is…’ Consultation with Senior Leaders, we extended the discovery process and opened up the conversation to practice teams in an engaging, effective, and energising way.

To gather as many voices as possible, we designed a discovery toolbox for area managers to engage practice teams. The activities within evolved from the leadership event workshop, creating a high-quality, creatively-led discovery toolbox. The process of opening and unboxing was designed to set the tone for a fun and collaborative experience.

After working with the Bupa Dental Care team to develop the EVP, they asked us to build on this by conceptualising new and engaging ways to reach Dental Practice staff and Bupa employees. Previously, internal communications had been disjointed and difficult for employees to engage with.

One of the solutions we brought to life was an award-winning quarterly magazine that features updates from Senior Leadership, highlights the work of individual practices and signposts employees to relevant training and development opportunities. Over 1,800 magazines are sent to 400 dental practices each quarter.

With the EVP in place to boost job satisfaction, loyalty and retention, the BDC team asked us to develop an external-facing Employer Brand Proposition that would supercharge recruitment of dentists, nurses and other clinicians and position Bupa as the employer of choice within the dental industry.

We conducted an extensive discovery process, including workshops with the leadership and people teams, in-depth competitor analysis and quantitative benchmarking research. We tested positioning territories directly with clinicians, nurses, hygienists and students, turning the insights into a distinctive, motivating and credible direction for the brand.

Facilitating the Senior Leadership Teams workshop
Practice discovery toolbox contents
Discovery toolbox tutorial video
Practice Health magazine cover
Practice Health magazine infographic spread
Practice Health magazine and Practice Pack assets
The result

The EVP has become a north star for Bupa Dental Care, guiding them in how they communicate and engage with their staff, winning:

  • Best Employee Magazine at the 2024 Institute of Internal Communications awards

As a result, the Dental Health is.. Strategy has been widely adopted across the business with an understanding and acceptance of it demonstrated at all levels. The recommendations made in our Channel Strategy have led to a wholesale review of their current communications channels, assessing how these can be improved and made more efficient. From more targeted email communications to more purposeful use of their chosen employee communication platform.

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