You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
From the frontline – pre-tenancy support co-ordinator Ruby Pease
Ruby Pease, pre-tenancy support co-ordinator at CHP, discusses dealing with vulnerable customers, reforming the NHS and teleporting
Tell us about your job.
In my role, I will be in contact with anybody coming through our doors into a new tenancy. Prior to signing up a customer to one of our properties, I will assess their situation so that they can make a decision based on what they can afford. This includes whether they are entitled to any benefits and that payments are correct.
I provide support for customers with their claims by offering home visits and preparing relevant forms to alleviate any stress during their move. My role also includes identifying whether our customers have any additional needs.
How did you get into housing?
I was very lucky. I had only graduated from university the previous year and wanted a change from my previous job, and this one came up at the right time.
My main priority was to find a role within a company that had the customer at its heart, one that cared for the well-being of people – this is how I ended up in housing.
What is the best part of your job?
Knowing the value of my role for vulnerable customers, and seeing the impact my work has on customers’ ability to make informed decisions on their quality of life is fulfilling.
What’s the worst part?
Being the sole pre-tenancy support co-ordinator can take its toll during busy times as it leaves less time for everyone. Caseload management can definitely be difficult at times.
What would your superpower be?
I absolutely love to travel so I would love to be able to teleport. Not only would this help with busy times by being able to go on a lot of mini-breaks, it would also save time on travel to and from work, as well as during customer visits.
What would you change about the housing sector?
I would love to change the turnaround time for social rented properties. Often the biggest concern for customers is the overlap between previous tenancies or getting removals sorted due to the short notice.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
Reform the NHS. The amount of money wasted on missed appointments or items that are easy to pick up over the counter at a pharmacy is phenomenal.
What’s the most private thing you’d be willing to admit to your colleagues?
I already admit a lot! In a team like mine, we need to offload to each other so nothing is off limits any more.
Future of Work Festival
New for 2019, Inside Housing’s Future of Work Festival will bring together HR and organisational development professionals from the housing sector to discuss and explore the challenges of how to successfully evolve towards the working environment of the future.
Seize this opportunity to rethink your workforces and workplaces by reconsidering the roles of individuals, organisations, automation technology and how society will approach work.
Assess and benchmark your business strategy with the leaders in the housing sector:
- Defining the Future of Work: what does it look like, what will be the implications, how do you rethink your workforce strategy?
- How to embed Electronic Data Interchange into your workforce, attract the widest pool of talent, be authentic and innovative, keep your workforce happy and productive, and position your brand
- Identifying, assessing and closing the skill gaps: what skills will be required in the future and how do you prepare for the undefined?
- Appealing to and maintaining a multi-generational workforce: how to address differing career aspirations, expectations, behaviours and values
- How best to implement the best tech, for example, big data, artificial intelligence, automation, blockchain and the Internet of Things. How will this change workplace skills and wages? How do you evolve towards a ‘STEMpathetic’ workforce?
- Providing your HR and OD department with the right skills and toolkits to revise talent, organisational structures and business models. Be social and environmentally friendly, and data driven – investing in disruptive tech, skills training and ethical use of tech
- Promoting well-being and employee experience
- Introducing training and learning as part of the career path
- Embracing agile working – understanding how flexible and alternative working arrangements can boost productivity
The festival will take place on 17 September, at Westminster Bridge, County Hall in London.
