How employee benefits can help the NHS break free from agency reliance

Permanent workers are your biggest asset

The £3 billion spent on agency staff in 2023/24 wasn’t just about money. It came from pressure building up inside trusts – pressure like burnout, turnover, and teams being pushed to breaking point.

And it’s worth remembering who those teams are. The NHS attracts a special kind of person: people who care deeply, give more than most, and help others because that’s what drives them. They’re not chasing constant praise, but they still need to feel supported. Lose people like that, and you also lose experience, compassion, and the kind of continuity patients depend on.

Pay rises help attract the right people (and it’s good to see them finally outpacing inflation), but they’ll only go so far. What really matters is creating an environment that makes staff feel valued and motivated to stay.

Perkbox already works with over 80% of NHS trusts, bringing employee wellbeing, benefits and engagement into one easy-to-use app – perfect for connecting dispersed, shift-based teams who aren’t sat at a desk.

And we can work with you too, helping you hold on to great people and keep them engaged for the long term.

Help salaries go further

The cost-of-living crunch is still lingering, and NHS staff feel it just like everyone else. With over 9,000 discounts and perks, Perkbox helps NHS staff make everyday life more affordable – whether it’s the weekly shop, filling up the car, or keeping the family kitted out with tech and essentials.

On top of that, employees also get points to spend on free treats – and those treats translate into little moments of joy that can lift morale on the toughest of days. It also helps you stand out to new joiners and shows your team they’re genuinely valued.

Wellbeing support built for NHS shifts

As trusts move away from agency reliance, staff will find themselves under more pressure to keep services running. That’s why looking after staff wellbeing has to sit at the heart of any workforce plan. It keeps people energised, resilient, and able to bring their A-game to every shift.

With Perkbox, NHS employees get wellbeing support that’s easy to access and designed to fit around unpredictable hours:

Curated wellbeing content, like meditations, sleep stories, and expert videos that give staff practical ways to rest, recharge and manage stress around patient care.

Online GP appointments, seven days a week, cutting down the wait for care and helping staff feel better, faster. And because they can access it from anywhere, there’s less need to take time away from work in an environment where every pair of hands is vital.

Discounts on gym memberships, helping staff look after their health and resilience, even when long shifts and changing rotas make it tough to prioritise.

A clinically led Employee Assistance Programme, offering confidential support for staff and their families. From 24/7 helplines and quick access to clinicians, to structured counselling and practical guidance on everything from debt to family pressures, it’s expert help in the moments that matter most.

Boost morale and loyalty in your staff bank

A staff bank is the NHS’s own pool of flexible workers: permanent staff who pick up extra shifts. When it works, it cuts agency use, saves money, and gives patients consistency.

But lots of bank staff still feel overlooked compared to their agency counterparts, and that can make agency shifts more appealing.

With Perkbox, you can change that dynamic by giving bank workers the same sense of recognition, reward, and belonging as the rest of your team.

Our reward and recognition tools help you:

• Celebrate people for living your values or going the extra mile
• Give shoutouts peer-to-peer, not just top-down
• Let managers reward with points staff can spend on what they want
• Mark milestones and achievements

For bank staff, feeling recognised can be the difference between picking up a shift with you or heading to an agency. Give them that feeling of belonging, and loyalty grows.

Make everyday life more affordable

Life outside of work can feel just as demanding as life on the ward, with everything from rising costs to the strain of long, unpredictable hours piling on the pressure.

Benefits that help lighten that load show NHS staff they’re supported in every part of life – on shift, at home, and everywhere in between.

Here are just some of the ways Perkbox helps:

• Home and Electronics: Access to the latest tech and home essentials through salary payments, with no upfront costs, fast delivery, and a huge range to choose from. It’s a practical way to support financial wellbeing for NHS staff, helping them afford the things they need without the strain of big upfront payments – an important lift for people already giving so much on the frontline.
• Cycle to Work: One of the UK’s widest selections of bikes and equipment from leading brands, with savings on tax, NI and pension contributions. A healthier, greener, more affordable way for NHS staff to commute – giving them freedom and reliability when public transport doesn’t always fit around shift patterns.

Deliver and measure

We don’t need to tell you NHS HR teams already have their hands full – we’d be preaching to the choir. That’s why Perkbox plugs into your existing systems, trims admin, and shows you what’s landing with staff – from the benefits they use most to the recognition that makes the biggest impact. All of which frees you up to focus on the people, not the paperwork.

And because you can brand and personalise the platform, staff see it as part of your trust. You can use the platform to share updates, welcome new joiners, and drive internal comms – keeping your teams connected across wards, sites, and shifts.

Turning reliance into resilience

Agency spend is under the microscope, and trusts are under real pressure to get moving. While the situation certainly comes with challenges, particularly as the sector’s come to rely so heavily on agency workers, it also comes with a chance to build something stronger.

We’re already working with NHS organisations to strengthen their workforce, deliver savings, and give permanent staff the employee experience they deserve.

This is the perfect moment to build on the support you already give your people – and we’ll help you take it even further.