Benefits of working with us

Career development

• No matter what area of our fire service you work in, we are committed to support your personnel development and career pathway.
• Through our learning and development programmes, all employees have access to a suite of training courses to enhance and develop their skills throughout their career with us.
• There is also opportunities to gain accreddited professional qualifications (role dependant).
• Every employee will have regular meetings and annual review with their line manager to discuss their development and training needs.
• Continuous professional development  payments up to 50% reimbursement (terms apply)
• Professional membership fee reimbursement (if linked to role)
• Leadership and management training including ILM accreditation
• Long and short term secondment opportunities
• Opportunities to attend seminars and networking event

Culture

• We are committed to creating a positive culture and continually improve the diversity of our workforce to reflect the community we serve.
• We have established Service Values
• Employee Support Networks – we care about each other so we have a number of established supportive employees forums. The purpose of the forums are to meet and raise issues of common interest, share experiences, views and ideas, as well as consulting on Service’s policies and procedures and being able to feed back.
  • BEING (LGBTQ+)
  • Ethnic Minority Forum
  • Faith and Belief Forum
  • Men’s Forum
  • Parent’s and Carer’s Forum
  • Women’s Forum
  • Youth Forum
• Digital Accessibility Inclusion Group, that supports all colleagues to improve their digital skills and provide additional support and guidance to colleagues with neurodivergent strengths and struggles.
• Women in the Fire Service (WFS) WFS is an independent voluntary group who aim to contribute to making the fire and rescue service a place where men and women can work together professionally and harmoniously. For more information, please visit http://www.nwfs.net.

Family friendly

• Enhanced paternity and shared parental leave and pay
• Enhanced maternity pay (full pay for 6 months, plus statutory maternity pay, based on qualifying terms)
• Paid time-off to attend prenatal appointments
• Time off for dependants
• Adoption leave and pay
• Parental bereavement leave and pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Tax-Free Childcare – for further information please visit www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare
• Career breaks – we recognise the need to make provision for people to apply to take a Career Break to allow them to reconcile career, family, and other domestic commitments. Career Breaks are available to all employees with 4 years continuous service. (terms apply)

Compensation

• Competitive salary
• All employees are eligible to join a pension scheme with employer contributions above the national average (i.e Local Government Pension Scheme or Firefighters Pension Scheme)
• Occupational sick pay
• Paid time off for reservists or public duties
• Annual Leave – we offer holiday leave of between 23-25 days. This is in addition to the average 8 days public holidays, plus an additional one paid day leave, and 3 days long service leave after 5 years continuous service. (up to a maximum of 40 days)
• Access to Salary Finance – an online financial platform that offer colleagues;
  • the provision of loans
  • the ability to save via salary deductions
  • access to HM Government help-to-save scheme
  • access to financial education

 

Flexible working

We know that flexible working can be really important in ensuring you have a good work-life balance. We’re committed to helping you balance work and your commitments outside work by offering a range of options where appropriate to suit each individual’s needs.

This includes flexible working hours, compressed hours, part-time roles, job sharing roles, term-time contracts and flexible/hybrid working locations where appropriate.

 

Health and wellbeing services

The Service recognises that the health and wellbeing of their employees is important, and therefore offers everyone access to a range of services to support them in achieving and maintaining good physical, financial and mental health and wellbeing:

• Affordable private health care – our fire service enables membership access to Benenden Health which is funded by employees via salary deductions. Their services include:
  • Prompt local diagnosis, tests, treatment and surgery
  • Private physciotherapy
  • 24/7 GP Advice Line
  • 24/7 Psychological Wellbeing helpline
  • Elder Care Advice Service
• In-house Occupational Health – your health and wellbeing really matter to us, so we’ve got a great occupational health team located at our Service Headquarters to look after you.
• We provide access to personal counselling and trauma-related therapy by highly qualified and experienced therapists.
• We are committed to providing support to our employees post traumatic incidents and events via our Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) process.
• We can also arrange free private physiotherapy sessions for injuries sustained inside or outside of work.
• In-house Fitness Team – from dietary plans to exercise advice, we’ll support you to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle with support from our fitness team.
• Sports Clubs – from football to paddle boarding, there are lots of staff-run activity groups you can sign up to, offering a space to socialise and boost your fitness in a fun way!
• Sports and welfare fund – you will be able to apply for funding to support your sporting activities when representing our Service
• Pro-active health campaigns and advice from our in-house Fitness team and health and safety team
• Recently launched Menopause Guidance – developed with the help of our Women’s Forums to help managers improve individuals experience at work
• Free access to fitness and gym equipment – every fire station and our Service Training Centre has fitness equipment which can be used by all colleagues.
• Eye care – we recognise that some roles mean you spend a lot of time looking at a screen. That’s why every two years you’ll get a voucher for eye tests and money towards a new pair of glasses.
• Access to The FireFighters Charity– who offer a number of professional services to fire service employees and their families. The Charity offer a range of support programmes which include rehabilitation and recuperation to members of the fire and rescue community in times of need. The Charity also offers short breaks designed to help those who have suffered injury, illness, stress or bereavement.

 

Discount schemes

• Eligibility to the Blue Light Card will provide you with savings at hundreds of retailers, including supermarkets, restaurants, cinema, DIY, holidays and electronics, to name a few.
• The Credit Union – As a member of ECFRS you will have access to become a member of the Credit Union which may help save or borrow money through a range of products which meets your financial needs.
• Many local retailers and restaurants offer special discounts to ECFRS employees with a valid ID.
• Cycle to work scheme – popular scheme which saves you 25-39% off the price off a new bike and accessories

 

Free car parking

• Recognising the importance of making access to work easier and convenient, free car parking is available to all employees at all our fire stations, HQ and sites.

 

Work wear/equipment

• You will be provided with Service uniform/personal protective equipment (PPE), technology, equipment and resources to enable you to do your job (role dependant).

 

Trade Unions

We recognise the following trade unions at ECFRS:

• UNISON
• Fire Brigades Union
• Fire and Rescue Services Association
• Fire Officers Association (FOA)

 

Reward and Recognition

We want to reward and recognise employees for a job well done and we thank employees through a variety of methods including: long service awards, staff events, monthly awards and commendations.

If you’d like any more information on employee benefits please contact the HR Support Team on 01376 576199 or email hr.support@essex-fire.gov.uk