Being a small organisation doesn’t mean you can’t be a great employer

Earlier this year, we were recognised as one of the Sunday Times Best Places To Work 2025, and won in the non-profit and charities sector (small) category. We see this as recognition of and testament to these values and the changes we made in recent years.

In today’s challenging work environment, we were struck by feedback from our colleagues that showed a 0% staff flight risk (people considering leaving), 0% well-being issues (a happy team), 92% confidence in management and 90% feeling of staff empowerment.

Hybrid, flexible working is the norm because, even before the pandemic, we introduced a collaborative working policy that offers a range of options, built on trust, but focused on outcomes.

“Some may feel these awards are a vanity exercise, but we believe it shows what a small landlord can do and achieve”

It was the few years away from social housing that taught me what truly flexible working can bring, thanks to my inspirational boss at the time, Graham Clarkson. The challenge was to get the wider team used to a different way of working, away from the legacy of the previous leadership and management style.

We constantly review what we offer to our teams in terms of employment options and policies. If we can make it better or add a new benefit, we will.

Some may feel these awards are a vanity exercise, but we believe it shows what a small landlord can do and achieve. What makes the Sunday Times accolade even more rewarding, is that it follows us winning the Best Older People Landlord category at the UK Housing Awards in November 2024.

The judges highlighted our 95% tenant satisfaction measures overall score, along with our outstanding impact and ambition. They also picked out how our sound financial management has allowed us to transform our existing homes alongside developing new ones.

We believe the delivery of new, high-quality homes is where Sutton Housing Society has shown bold creativity by establishing a long-term development pipeline. A structured plan of rooftop airspace sites has identified an almost 40% increase in new homes in 12 different locations, all achieved without purchasing a single square metre of new land. Several of these sites have already secured planning approval.

Small landlords often build sporadically, delivering a scheme and then looking for the next. We wanted a pipeline that would increase our significance in the eyes of decision-makers and make building new homes our ‘business as usual’.

Just as importantly, we set about transforming our existing homes. Rooftop development is technically challenging because you construct homes in and around existing residences. Despite delays, we did not receive a single complaint from residents.

“Working in social housing can be tough, and we try to be realistic about what is achievable for our size and by being proportionate in what we do”

How has this been achieved by a landlord of such small stature? Because of our values: we listen, we are personal and kind.

Working in social housing can be tough, and we try to be realistic about what is achievable for our size and by being proportionate in what we do.

We avoid overcomplicating things, so that every key document, whether it is our corporate plan or our corporate strategy, is just two pages long. Simplicity makes everything easier for us and the wider team.

Having worked with some great people over the years, but also some managers who taught me more how not to do it, the empowerment we have created at Sutton Housing Society is built on focusing on positive experiences.

We have fun and we encourage honest feedback at every level, with politeness being the only condition: tell us what we can do better, but say it nicely.

We hope our story can inspire more small providers to work to their strengths and aim high. We are always happy and available to share our experience.