Measuring up: Benchmarking in the UK medical research charity sector

In May 2018 we circulated a survey of 50 questions to our member charity CEOs and formal representatives. This resulting report is the first of its kind, providing UK medical research charities with crucial benchmarking data to inform the management of their organisations and staff.

Any organisation can only be as good as the people it recruits. Staffing decisions are among the most important that charities make. Over recent years, employment law has become increasingly wide-ranging and ever more complex - subject to constant change. Consequently, our member charities need to take a proactive approach to managing their employees and the working environment.

For a PDF version of this report please contact our Communications Officer, Leo.

If you have any questions please contact our Impact Analyst, Jocelyn.

With thanks to the RSA group and participating charities.

3) Benefits and flexible working opportunities

Key findings

There is variability in the benefits charities offer and this largely depends on charity size.
Charities are more consistent in what flexible working opportunities they offer.
Most charities offer 25 holiday days and about half of charities increase this initial allotment with the length of service.

Questions

What benefits do you offer to employees?
What flexible working opportunities do you offer?
What is your organisation’s FTE basic holiday entitlement, excluding bank holidays?
Does this entitlement change with the length of service?

What benefits do you offer to employees?

Other responses included:

Death in Service
Enhanced maternity pay
Eye care vouchers
Subsidized group training sessions
Free car parking
Medical cash plan
Travel insurance
Perkbox
Free tea and coffee
Tenancy deposit loan

What flexible working opportunities do you offer?

(Select all that apply)

What is your organisation’s FTE basic holiday entitlement, excluding bank holidays?

The standard entitlement is that “almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday per year (known as statutory leave entitlement or annual leave). An employer can include bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave.”