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News

Smart moves at Testway Housing

Date issued: 18th September 2009

Earlier this year Testway Housing Ltd, the large Hampshire based social housing provider responsible for a portfolio of over 5000 properties, took the step of seeking to optimise its use of staff and offices in the organisation’s support services team. Working with distributed team specialists CAL (www.teamr-cal.co.uk), Testway ran an educational workshop for staff looking at areas where 'smarter working' techniques can be adopted leading to distributed team performance improvements.

An externally facilitated workshop helped the Testway team discuss how they could get ‘fit for the future'. Subjects included examining how the staff communicated internally, how well they worked together as teams with a discussion around the holes, barriers and challenges to effective team performance within the service. Staff became more aware of the business context in which they work. The process facilitated a debate among the staff and development of an action plan which led to improvements in the overall management process.

Linda Mothersole, Head of care and support services at Testway said she was delighted with the programme, she went on, "We now have monthly ‘being brilliant’ awards. The team nominate people who have done things that have made a difference to us or to our customers. This is at no cost as we produce a certificate and take their photo to celebrate our successes. At our full staff meetings all the staff want to know how we are performing against the budget in terms of savings and new business. This would never have been on their radar before! Leaders are emerging, weak links have been exposed and we are pro-actively managing performance. Added to this sickness levels are down."

On a more personal note Linda said, “The efficiencies that we have achieved have allowed me to reduce the input required from me and I am planning to reduce my hours from November!”

On the 20th October CAL are co-hosting a free seminar in Southampton with Primary Business Support, a management consultancy that specialises in the social housing sector. The event will be focused on housing sector practitioners looking at improvements in performance which can be achieved within housing teams. Enquiries about the event and place bookings can be made by email to events@primarybs.co.uk



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