No/How Pledge

• April 05, 2024

The No/How Pledge

At First City we support and provide care to many individuals every hour of every day. Whether on the frontline or within any of our internal service areas we are fortunate to have amazing colleagues that each contribute to what we do.

Understandably there are times when this can be challenging to put together and orchestrate and one of the ways in which we have learned to overcome barriers is by all team members adopting the NO/HOW culture in our everyday working, day to day.

It is a simple ethos, however it can make the world of difference when put into practise, as it encourages morale, a sense of teamwork and feeling valued as well as increasing potential benefits across the business.

The NO/HOW PLEDGE was developed over a decade ago when we put down on paper the way we worked and the way we wanted to build on from this type of practise and its now an expected culture across all of First City Care Group and it is a requirement of all and every member of staff to work in this way.

What is a NO/HOW Approach?

It involves each one of us trying as far as possible to be flexible and willing in our approach and our responses when colleagues or customers ask for help or assistance.

• We try to avoid saying NO’ to each other’s requests unless there is a significant reason we cannot say YES - (like a safety reason that cannot be flexed at all).

• First City want to make the maximum positive impact on the lives of the individuals we support and each other, saying yes and looking at requirements with a purposeful approach which sometimes includes stepping outside comfort zones and making reasonable adjustments or changes following requests

• We look at whether there is a ‘reasonable adjustment we could make so that we can say ‘YES’ to a request instead of saying ‘NO

• We try to adopt a universal respect for each other’s Job Roles and the responsibilities that go with it. Therefore, focusing on being a ‘TEAM’ and all being a valuable part of it. Everyone is busy and the more we join forces the less issues we face individually!

• We expect staff at whatever level to be open to making reasonable adjustments to meet the demands of our business and to promote and encourage positive customer experience as well as growth within this to grow our services. Thinking outside of a confined box – this enables us to say ‘HOW’ am I going to help my colleague achieve this request?

• Be Open and Honest with each other about our needs and requests, feeling comfortable to adopt this approach without fear of offending colleagues and feeling confident that all colleagues within First City Care Group from each department or branch will always act for the best interests of The Staff, Customers, and the business.

 When you break it down, it is simply about having a ‘CAN DO’ and never a ‘THAT’S NOT MY JOB’ approach to any matter to achieve the best possible results for Staff, Customers and for the Business First City Care Group.

The experience of all customers and the impact that First City have on their lives is of paramount importance. Whether it be setting and achieving goals and aspirations, striving for independence, it is our privilege to consider HOW we achieve what matters to the individual and to make it so.