Our members have all had to respond quickly and efficiently to first social distancing and then to the lockdown. Businesses that generally operate from central and satellite offices have had to adapt almost overnight to home working and to delivering emergency services only.
Our members also house and safeguard many vulnerable people, with some providing care and support services, so very much ‘front line’. So, our Board members in particular have helped to compile a summary of what’s been happening during the past few weeks;
• In mid to late March they reduced to providing only essential maintenance services and regulatory compliance work, switching to a full business continuity planning mode. Many have continued with voids & cleaning works whilst remaining fully compliant with government guidance on social distancing. The reintroduction of other workstreams is now becoming more likely in the coming weeks, with works such as grounds maintenance & external repair works most likely to commence first.
• Providing staff with adequate PPE has been an ongoing challenge. Many organisations have worked closely with their contractors and have encouraged a more joined-up co-ordinated approach, which has seen contractors helping to share PPE distribution.
• Some members are considering mitigation plans such as pushing back planned programmes if income remains under pressure over a prolonged period, to protect cash flow. This may result in a slower restart for planned programmes.
• Universal Credit claims have significantly increased and a common response, to help residents in difficult financial circumstances, has been to divert more staff into Money Advisory teams and customer support and services.
• There has been mixed adoption of the Job Retention Scheme (Furlough). Generally, organisations with in-house contracting teams furloughed operational staff not delivering emergency work early on, but there has been much less take up for office-based staff. Most though see a degree of furloughing as inevitable if restrictions continue.
• What is shared by all of our members is how their staff are being resilient and flexible, achieving great outcomes in support tenants and wider communities. All agree that staff are adapting well to working from home, with IT teams coming up trumps. There is a common view that the onset of more agile working has been brought forward a few years in a few weeks, with all staff being more adaptable and mobile. Once the dust has settled, it is predicted that the dynamic of the workplace will shift, and many will reconsider what it means to have an effective work/life balance.
• All members have responded with positive actions to ensure the safety of vulnerable residents. The elderly and other vulnerable people are being regularly contracted to see if they can be helped in any way to prevent them suffering from isolation and lockdown. Some have gone the extra mile, providing immediate response food parcel, referrals to welfare benefits and money advice services, lifeline alarm referrals and safeguarding referrals.
• Continuing to provide gas servicing has been one of the main maintenance issues for many, with some residents understandably being reluctant to allow access. Repair teams are doing all they can to mitigate as much risk as possible, ensuring the property has a working smoke alarm and CO2 detector. Some have increased resource in this area & provided time for staff to talk through any concerns with tenants & to make reassurance calls leading up to the booked service date.
• Positively, many staff teams are considered to be more connected than ever. In the ‘normal’ working environment, staff members may not come together and collectively discuss how to move their organisation and service delivery forward; regular calls and ‘meetings’ are now a common theme and real progressive teamwork is the outcome.
So whilst the last few weeks have doubtless seen all of our members having to react swiftly and decisively to unexpected operational changes, they have proven that workforces are truly agile, IT systems are resilient, customer care and support remains a central focus and that all staff have stepped up to the mark. We will be keeping in regular communication with our members to encourage collaboration and share ideas on how working practices will continue to evolve, as there is a gradual return to ‘normality’ and construction, repair, compliance and other investment works again start to be delivered.
If you have anything you would like to say, please get in touch ccoulson@chicltd.co.uk
