Nicholas Craig

Mar 25 2005 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

It's always good news to know we have the UK's best among our businesses.

I was, therefore, delighted to read that Norcare Ltd, a charity I have been involved with since it began 20 years ago, is in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For.

It beat off 13,000 applications to win a place in the coveted list, and did so with its first-ever submission.

Norcare tops the poll for North- East small companies in the top 100 list at number 33.

It deserves its success. It is a thriving business with a motivated workforce, sound plans for the future and an outstanding chief executive.

It is easy to dismiss charities as the soft end of business, but the third sector are having to work in challenging circumstances which would defeat many private sector companies. Significant grants have been cut and volunteers are being reduced while demand for Norcare's supported housing and community-based services grows year on year.

All the more amazing that the team spirit at Norcare is second to none. In a survey conducted for the Sunday Times 100 companies list, Norcare employees overwhelmingly agreed that they enjoyed going to work - 87pc laughed a lot with other team members and they all went out of their way to help each other.

How many companies would be confident of those results in their own in-house surveys?

If Norcare was in the private sector we would be shouting about its excellent financial management and strong forecast from the rooftops.

Norcare has adapted astutely to changing times and needs. However, as a third-sector business, it is not recognised by our local business community and media as being the great regional resource it is.

We tend to ignore many excellent entrepreneurial businesses because they are charities and are not seen as being serious players.

The entire sector is, however, becoming sharper, slicker and faster, because it is having to fight hard for funding from government and the private sector.

At the core of Norcare's success is a committed workforce.

Employees feel that together they make a difference.

Employee satisfaction as a central value underpins all successful, people-centred businesses.

It's good that a well-regarded national publication has recognised a local company's excellent effort.