Staff Benefits
We want you to enjoy working for Kirklees and for you to provide the best possible services to our communities. We know that kind, positive employees, who work well with their colleagues in a flexible way are those who are most productive and therefore will help us achieve our goals. Our employees are at the very heart of the services we provide to the community, to help us achieve our ambitions, we want the best possible team. In return, we will make sure you are rewarded.
What's in it for you:
- Thorough induction programme to support you in your new role.
- Personal development and career progression.
- Innovative and creative ways of working.
- Staff wellbeing programme.
We also offer a comprehensive total rewards package for our staff, consisting of competitive pay, health and wellbeing programme, volunteering programmes, staff discounts and much more. Our Employee Benefits package offers benefits through salary sacrifice, providing national insurance tax savings.
The below focuses on total rewards under NJC Terms of Conditions for Council employed staff. Rewards may vary for teaching staff.
Rewarding you now
Flexible working at Kirklees council
We offer a range of flexible working schemes across the council (subject to business needs) including:
- Mobile and Agile Working / Hot Desking.
- Annualised Hours.
- Full time/part time opportunities.
Competitive pay and terms and conditions
- We offer competitive rates of pay and excellent terms and conditions in line with the National Joint Council guidance.
- Opportunity to progress through salary levels.
- Annual pay review.
Family friendly policies
We understand that a good work-life balance is important. To support our employees we have enhanced policies including;
- Maternity/Paternity/Adoption leave.
- Special and Family related leave.
Travel and parking discounts
- Annual MetroCard discount scheme for council employees.
- Discounted daily parking is available if a quarterly or annual season ticket is purchased.
Up to 33.5 days annual leave
- 1-5 Years’ service 28.5 days annual leave, 5 Years’ service onwards 33.5 days annual leave.
- In addition to the above also 8 bank holidays.
Rewarding you in the future
Local Government Pension Scheme
Kirklees Council employees are automatically enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the few remaining defined-benefit pension schemes in the UK. There are many benefits to the LGPS, which include:
- On average Kirklees Council pays over twice as much as staff towards each pension.
- You get tax relief on all your contributions.
- You can take a tax-free lump sum payment on retirement.
- Each year you will build up a pension bases on your pay and inflation increases will be added to ensure that your pension keeps up.
- Protection should you have to retire due to ill health.
- Life cover of 3 years your pay from the first day you join the scheme.
- Dependant’s benefits payable if you die, so your pension does not die with you.
- There are no hidden fees you simply pay a percentage of your salary.
Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
- Build up a separate pot of money alongside your Local Government Pension to give you extra retirement benefits.
- Benefit from additional tax savings.
- Option to pay as one lump sum or on a regular basis.
State of the art Employee Healthcare
Employee Healthcare
Employee Healthcare is the in-house occupational health and wellbeing department providing a range of services to employees and Managers. As part of the Council's wellbeing commitment to employees we want to actively encourage you to take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing and offer you support to help you stay healthy, prevent illness and cope with difficult and challenging times.
- Self referral system.
- Online health assessments.
- Menopause support.
- Employee Assistance Programme – Care First.
- Free and confidential counselling services.
- Physiotherapy.
- Smoking cessation.
- Weight management.
- VDU voucher scheme (subject to availability).
- Annual flu vaccination programme (subject to availability).
Employee Engagement
High Five staff awards
If a colleague does a great piece of work or goes the extra mile, you can show your appreciation with a High Five. They will have the chance to win a £25 shopping voucher.
As well as three High Five winners, one winning team will be chosen every month. The team will receive a team high five certificate and one £25 voucher. The team leader can decide whether to buy something for the whole team or donate the voucher to the most deserving team member.
Support and Activity Networks
The opportunity to become involved with a diverse range of networks which provide important networking and development opportunities including;
- Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Network
- Young Employee Network
- LGBTQ+ Network
- Disabled Employee Network
- Green Employee Network
- Women+ Network
- Working Carers Support Network
- Mental Health Champions
Comprehensive Learning and Development Offer
Where can your career take you?
Kirklees Council is a large employer, we are able to offer a wide variety of career pathways for our employees. With more than 100 vacancies on average being advertised across our services and schools, there is a wealth of opportunity for career development progression. The variety of roles we offer can create many different pathways for your career.
We invest in you.
We are committed to personal and professional development of our staff. We offer a wide range of high quality learning and development opportunities that challenge and stimulate you as a learner. We have an extensive development fund linked to the Apprenticeship Levy and can offer Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for our employees to grow and thrive.
We offer a blended approach to training through online packages, webinars, job shadowing, coaching and mentoring.
Coaching
Individual coaching is available to anyone employed by Kirklees. It is a personal and confidential discussion between the coach and coachee, where the coach acts as a facilitator supporting the coachee to find solutions to agreed goals. Here at Kirklees we have over 60 qualified internal coaches who have coached over 500 employees with some great results.
Online Learning
Through our My Learning portal you will have access to a range of learning and development courses.
Rewarding you outside of work
Vivup Staff Benefits
We have teamed up with Vivup, an employee benefit scheme, that has loads of instant offers. It's quick and easy to sign up to and it's completely free! You can even download the app to your mobile to access your account wherever you are. You could save money on everyday essentials and much more including:
Online shopping, Supermarkets, Home and garden, Mobile, broadband and utilities, Health and beauty, Travel, entertainment and days out, Dining out and takeaways.
Totem Pro
A TOTUM PRO membership gives you access to over 350 UK discounts - and more worldwide – from big-name brands and local independents, you can access savings on eating out (or in!), keeping fit, high street retail, grocery shopping,travel, tech and so much more.
Cycle to work scheme
- Deductions from your pay before tax.
- Savings you up to 40% through reduced national insurance and tax.
- Receive a voucher for a bicycle and equipment up to the value of £1500 to be exchanged at cycle shops across the country.
Credit union scheme
A responsible lending scheme that provides loans that help you keep in control of your finances.
Corporate gym membership
- As a Kirklees Employee you are entitled to the corporate rate at all Kirklees Active Leisure Gyms.
- As a KAL member you can access ten KAL centres including the gym, pool & fitness classes.
Communication
Communication is key at Kirklees Council and we offer the best in modern technology to enable you to do your job well. Most of our buildings have Wi-Fi for quick and easy connectivity, we constantly review our intranet pages to ensure the whole team is kept in the loop. If you are joining our dispersed workforce and do not have access to IT facilities as part of your role you’ll receive a regular newsletter to ensure you are up to date with what’s happening across Kirklees.
The Chief Executive and Senior Leaders keep staff updated through regular blogs and videos on key topics and we have forums on our intranet for sharing messages across the council and always welcome feedback on how things can be improved.