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There’s a danger the sector is rushing into poorly thought-through change
The new normal is only a few months old but there is a danger some organisations are rushing to transform the way they operate in a poorly thought-out manner. Take some time to think through long-term consequences of any changes you are planning, argues Eamon McGoldrick
Unsurprisingly, we have seen an acceleration of uptake of home-working and the provision of services online because of COVID-19. When lockdown first started, we had weeks of stress trying to facilitate increased working from home and ensuring we continued to provide vital services to our residents.
We have now moved to a calmer phase, where many organisations are deciding how they should provide services in future. For example, do we need offices or as much office space as before? Can we leave public reception spaces closed and continue with the current level of online provision?
These are very valid questions, but I would caution against making permanent decisions until we have had sufficient time to monitor and reflect on the changes, which to some extent were forced on us in a short timescale. You may need 12 months to see whether the current new normal is the right one for your organisation.
Here’s why.
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Staff surveys suggest the move to more home-working has been welcomed. They may have been able to achieve their perfect work-life balance, fitting in Zoom meetings with playing with the kids and walking the dog.
But are we looking at this through rose-tinted glasses? Overall, we have had great weather since lockdown and the kids have been off school, which has incentivised working from home. But it will be a completely different ball game in January, when temperatures will be more than 20 degrees lower and it gets dark at 4pm. Sitting in the garden with a laptop won’t be happening!
So have you made provision to compensate staff when their heating bills increase because they are working from home? Have you ensured you are fully compliant with your health and safety and insurance requirements for those working from home more permanently?
Many landlords have in recent years insourced repairs and maintenance services, significantly increasing the proportion of their staff who cannot work from home. These staff, together with caretakers and estate service officers, may feel excluded from the benefits and freedoms that some of their colleagues will get. This needs to be managed carefully.
One chief executive told me he has banned the phrase “working from home” and talks instead about “agile and mobile working” because it makes manual staff feel more comfortable as they recognise those concepts.
Moving onto board and governance, I chair a group board and can certainly see the benefits of online meetings. Attendance has improved and meetings are very focused. We may continue with committees meeting online for the indefinite future, but I am not yet ready to see full board meetings permanently online and away-days must get back to face-to-face as soon as possible, as they are as much about networking and bonding, as blue-sky thinking.
Also, don’t forget performance and quality. At the outset, regulators were sympathetic to landlords’ challenges with lockdown, but as we return to In-depth Assessments and proper regulatory interventions, have you taken your eye off the ball on compliance, Value for Money and key performance indicators such tenant satisfaction? If so, think again, because we have a reinvigorated Housing Ombudsman and a new Building Safety Regulator on the way!
Finally – and, in my view, most importantly – what impact have recent changes had on service users? I am concerned that some organisations will make changes without listening to their residents.
Not all scrutiny panels are fully back up and running, and when did you last do a tenant satisfaction survey? The NHS has dashed to implement Skype consultations, which are fine for many patients, but they cannot replace the need for a physical examination in some cases. Similarly, you can do some arrears interviews online, but a lot of work involving anti-social behaviour and domestic violence will require home visits or face-to-face meetings.
All change is good – provided it’s implemented after full discussion and consultation with residents, staff and boards.
We have had huge and rapid change, and I think a decent period of time is needed for us to monitor, reflect and consult with all stakeholders before we make any irreversible changes.
Eamon McGoldrick, managing director, National Federation of ALMOs
