Commitment, passion and dedication are the watchwords of staff at St Ann’s Hospice in Greater Manchester. Only 34 out of 298 employees earn more than £25,000 at the hospice and only eight of those earn more than £35,000. But salary is not what makes these people get up in the morning. Other companies can offer private pensions and trips to exotic resorts as part of their rewards system, whereas the medical and support staff at St Ann’s get tea, coffee and toast, vouchers for Specsavers and two games for one at all Megabowl bowling alleys. Even so, more than two-thirds say they are happy with their pay and benefits.

So, how do you compare a bottle of champagne for bringing in a new customer to helping someone live out their last days peacefully and die with dignity? As the charity itself says, “Every member of staff can leave work at the end of a day or shift knowing that they have made a positive difference”. Working outside the red tape of the NHS is another attractive feature, as St Ann’s is an independent charity.

The hospice aims to improve the quality of life for people with life-threatening illnesses while supporting their families and carers. Having a job that matters in a broader sense than just paying the bills motivates 88% of staff, who say the organisation they work for makes a positive difference to the world (the top score for this among all 100 best companies), while 85% feel their contribution to its success is valuable (and the second-best score here).

Staff respect and get on with each other, united by their common aim of caring.

“We’re all working to the same goal,” says in-patient services manager Sue Taylor, “We’re fortunate as an organisation that we don’t have diametrically opposed views. We’re supported by a vast array of volunteers and administrative staff, who all share the same goal.”

Teams score high marks across the board: 82% claim team-mates go out of their way to be helpful and 87% that they have confidence in their team-mates’ abilities.

There are three sites in Greater Manchester and St Ann’s offers the biggest adult hospice facilities in Britain, caring for more than 3,000 people each year. It is well-known in the community as it touches the lives of many families, while fundraising activities also raise its profile. But the hospice still finds time to try and make a difference worldwide, providing support to hospices in South Africa and Romania. No organisation in our survey scores higher (83%) for putting something back into the community.

Commercial organisations would pay serious money to “human capital” consultants if they could help them replicate the enthusiasm of the staff at St Ann’s.

The hospice movement believes “you matter until the last moment of your life”. Staff at St Ann’s do not just know and understand the values of the organisation, they live them: more than nine out of 10 say they believe in its principles and a similar proportion feel proud to work here, the second- and third-highest scores respectively.

Respite and residential care for terminally ill people — of whom 95% suffer with cancer-related illness (although services are available to those with all life-threatening conditions) — are serious issues, but at St Ann’s nearly nine out of 10 people say they “laugh a lot” with their team and 87% report them as being “fun to work with.”

The atmosphere is warm and friendly. Catering manager Paul Burgess says he is often asked what it’s like to work at St Ann’s.

“I get asked: ‘Isn’t it depressing working there?’ People think it would be very morbid and maudlin, with everybody praying and crying. Really, it’s not like that. I don’t think it’s like a hospital, it’s more like a family-run hotel.”

And cheerfulness is good for the patients.

“Talking in hushed voices doesn’t help,” says Taylor. She adds: “Our patients want to die living rather than live dying. There’s not a darn thing I can do about stopping the inevitable progression, but it brings us pleasure to make the last days better.”

Not all admissions are for end-of-life care — relieving pain for the 42% of patients who go home after a period of palliative treatment offers its own satisfaction, too.

Aside from the rewards of the job, supportive internal structures make for a good working environment. Education and skills training are identified during individual performance reviews, and in-service training is held weekly and open to all. The hospice has a dedicated institute for development and staff may job-shadow each other to gain a better understanding of different roles. Managers understand that they empower teams by offering support and training.

Terry McDonnell, the chief executive, explains the need for compassion. “I remind managers that they can’t expect staff to care for patients and families if they’re not cared for themselves.” Four out of five say they are confident in the leadership skills of senior management, the same proportion think their manager cares how satisfied they are in their jobs and an even higher percentage say they have their manager’s support.

Holiday allowance is a relaxing 27 days for all and staff can take paid sabbaticals for training activities. Maternity pay is enhanced and the hospice will match pension contributions up to 7% of salary.

But benefits and pay are not the governing rewards for the staff of St Ann’s. As Taylor says: “If you asked me which I’d rather — a fat salary or job satisfaction, I know which I’d choose.” She has worked at St Ann’s for 20 years.

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