Hi everyone, and welcome to the first edition of Inside Places Management Magazine! We know from your feedback that sometimes it can be hard for you to keep on top of the communications we share online, so this is the first edition of a regular magazine which will land on your home doormats every two months – bringing the stories straight to you.
This is your magazine – it’s jam-packed with stories that feature our fantastic Colleagues, that reflect what’s important to you, and shine a spotlight on the great work you do every day.
Here are some of the things we’re talking about in this edition:
■ How you and your Colleagues are Doing the Right Thing for Customers and each other, day in, day out (pages 6-7).
■ What we’re doing to help meet growing demand for repairs and the steps we’re taking to start making the repairs experience effortless for both you and our Customers (see opposite).
■ How you can get support with your mental wellbeing (page 7)
■ The progress we’re making against our You Said, We Did themes – for the latest updates, turn to pages 8-9.
■ How we’re helping both Customers and our People with increasing costs of living – turn to page 3 for an update on our Community support and for information about how you, our Colleagues, can receive assistance.
… And lots more! So, grab a cuppa and have a look. Then, we’d love for you to let us know what you think of this magazine and what you want to see in it in the future – email us at PM.suggestions@ placesforpeople.co.uk
During the coming weeks and months, you will be seeing and hearing a lot more about a new drive within PfP called “Effortless.” Put simply, this is making things easier for our Colleagues and Customers; making it easier for Colleagues to do their jobs; making it easier for Customers to interact with us and removing friction and the things that get in the way.
Specific to Places Management is “Effortless Repairs.” We want to really improve the repairs and maintenance experience for Colleagues and Customers. It will focus on things like improving triaging at the initial Customer enquiry stage, improving scheduling, better contractor management, more
Electrical Supervisor Peter Moore explains how his team are coping with high demand
Hi Peter! What’s your background at Places Management?
I’ve just celebrated five years at the company but I’ve been in my current role for eight months. My job is making sure the guys and girls are doing what they should be doing but also ensuring they themselves are ok.
It’s a tough time for complaints and workload…
It certainly is. To be honest, we’re very short staffed and no matter what you do, you’re always in catch-up mode. It feels a bit like fighting fires on a daily basis. Management is trying to get things sorted but the lack of people, the lack of systems and the poor software are making things difficult right now.
And recruitment is tough too. It took six months for me to get two roles filled. The quality of the applicants (and the number) just weren’t good enough. Preston, for a similar role will have something like 20 or 30 applicants!
Have you fed back these issues to the bosses?
Absolutely. A few years ago this was a place where you maybe wouldn’t want to stick your head above the parapet. Today, you can go to Greg, go to Tim, as I have done, to discuss what is going on. Thankfully, they are very open to those discussions and welcome the feedback.
What’s the morale like in your team?
We’re in a relatively new structure and the feedback is that the operatives are feeling a lot more supported. They have a communication base now and it certainly helps when you have former Electricians looking after Electricians. Before, they were managed by general trade supervisors and that caused all sorts of problems because they didn’t have the experience or knowledge to lead the team properly.
We are trying to create a real team environment with more frequent, face-to-face meetings and getting a database together where the guys can discuss problems or share knowledge in an informal setting. An “electrical community” let’s say!
So what’s the best part of the role?
I’m enjoying the opportunity to create something new that will improve things for everyone. There is a degree of autonomy or free rein in the job, where I and the other Supervisors from across the country can get together and work on things like best practice and driving how the future might look.
All the Supervisors have all been taken from the tools within Places for People and are all on the same wavelength. We all bring something positive to the table!
The Money Advice Team (for Customers in England) and Financial Inclusion Team (for Customers in Scotland) offer the following support: maximising income through benefit take-up; help with budgeting; applying for funding and grants; signposting to specialist support services; benefit queries, and financial hardship.
Customers can be helped by using a referral form found on Our Place. Help is in the form of vouchers for energy and shopping, home essentials, help with rent payments, white goods, and furniture.
Customers who are at risk of not being able to pay rent or their service charge will be supported by the Income Recovery Team (IRC). Colleagues should contact the IRC directly at 01772 666 444 if they have any concerns.
This fund is for assisting Customers who have been identified to receive help in reducing their arrears or to prevent eviction or legal action which would leave the Customer at risk of becoming homeless.
Every issue we’ll highlight different assistance available to Customers and Colleagues
For
Q Hi Colin! How long have you been with Places Management?
A I joined in December 2021 as our Head of Projects.
Q We hear that very early on you also got involved with looking at our supply chain…
A Yeah, I was asked to build a small team from around the business to see if we are getting value for money. Although supply chain sits under Procurement with tendering, compliance etc., we were able to get down to the nitty-gritty of what was going on at the coalface, if you like…
Q What did you and your team find?
A The first work was looking at our supply chain in respect of boilers. We eventually discovered we had been overcharged to the tune of £380,000,
“Miss Jones complained about damp and mould in her property. She was disabled, her daughter was her carer and her previous home with us had also experienced damp and mould.
“I appointed a surveyor and, in addition to the mould, it emerged that her wet room had a step which was a possible trip hazard. Three weeks before Christmas, we decided to take Miss Jones and all her possessions out of the property, and got to work.
“We treated the entire house for damp and mould, installed a new heating system, decorated throughout, we even fitted some flooring she had bought. We sorted the wet room and addressed the fact that she didn’t have proper wheelchair access to the property. We also installed a new wheelchair charger.
so received that back in credits. Then we were asked to undertake some stock audits on our vans – which was one hell of a job when you think about all the different trades involved – and found that there wasn’t really a robust system in place for monitoring and controlling what was in our vehicles.
Through manual checking, and in just three months, we audited 29% of the fleet and found – through there being too much, or not the right stock – £1.8million value for the business!
Q What was next for your guys?
A The rest of the fleet’s audit was passed on to our Regional Maintenance Managers and we moved on to auditing the catalogues of our suppliers to look at potential cost savings through price efficiencies. That work is ongoing…
“Throughout the whole process, there was never a ‘that’ll do’ attitude. From ensuring suitable kitchen units were installed and actually lined up properly, to redoing the tiling, to ensuring the internal doors fitted correctly – we made sure Miss Jines got the best job possible. I even rang up a door company and secured a showroom door, which he showed me on his phone, in order to save some precious time!
“The main thing is we managed to get the Customer into her house before Christmas. And I’ll take this opportunity to say sincere thanks for all the hard work and brilliant attitude from our People.”
QTim Weightman recently announced a new role for you in and around complaints...
A I had dealt with one or two serious complaints whilst doing all the work I’ve just explained, and as time went on I seemed to be getting more and more. I guess my approach was working, so Tim and Greg Reed asked me to support the Customer Focus Team with the management of our Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints, with personal responsibility for the most complicated cases. I’m recruiting a team, largely seconded from within Places Management, as we speak.
Q Why do you think you were given this new responsibility?
A Maybe because I’ve got good attention to detail, I think outside the box and try to
always be solutions-driven? I always put myself in our Customers’ shoes and say to People “would you have this in your house? If it’s not good enough for you, it’s not good enough for our Customers.”
Q What have been the main challenges?
wrong, we have fantastic Colleagues at Places Management, it’s just sometimes we have to go the extra yard – and that takes a different mindset.
Q We’ve shared a Customer story (below left). What are the main lessons learnt from that and other cases you’ve been involved in?
A
To be honest, some of the solutions we have found for Customers have meant spending more money than might seem necessary, if you adhered rigidly to our policy wording. Also, shifting perspectives away from the whole “we’ve always done it this way, so…” approach can be difficult sometimes. Don’t get me
A Every complaint is different but I guess it’s that “thinking outside the box” thing again – what’s the best way to have a happy Customer? It might not be the most straightforward solution, but what actually gets the results? Also, my early life as a joiner might have given me the attention to detail that is needed to resolve complicated problems. But I think the biggest thing is probably trying to remember that the Customer is at the heart of what we do. A happy Customer makes sense, not only reputationally but more often than not, financially.
Q What would you say to anyone who comes across an unhappy or struggling Customer?
A
Don’t walk by, you need to make that call. Everyone is empowered to do the right thing – you are the eyes and ears of our business!
MOOR OF THE SAME!
Joiner Thomas Moorcroft showed an admirable can-do attitude when he came across a scenario that could quite easily have comprised both our Customers’ and the general public’s safety.
He explained: “I had started working in a void property and spotted nearby an electrical cupboard, linked to an overhead street light, hanging off. The door was all twisted with sharp metal edges. Given it’s on a pedestrian walk-through I felt it wise to carry out a temporary repair. Sorted for now…!” Nice work Thomas!
After Before
WELLBEING AWARD!
GREAT OUTDOORS!
We loved this transformation of a communal garden, thanks to dynamic duo Vanessa (pictured) and Steve Olsen. Lovely stuff, guys!
THAT’STHESPIRIT!
Her manager Lynne Jackson said: “Karen oozes the SPIRIT values but prefers to remain in the background I just think she deserves to know how much I appreciate what she does on a daily basis.”
To help us respond to demand for repairs and increased calls about damp and mould, we have been asking for your help by working overtime. If you’re interested, please let your manager know or email andrew.corcoran@placesforpeople.co.uk
A deserved well done to Kevin Floyd who has been appointed Electrical Trade Supervisor for Scotland. And massive congratulations to Cleaner Claire Cain for passing her six-month probationary period with flying colours!
Electrician Jamie King really went the extra mile for one of our vulnerable Customers.
Following the Big Colleague Survey and the resulting focus groups, mental health and wellbeing was highlighted as a topic that needed greater visibility. The health and welfare of our People is vital, so here’s a reminder of some of the different tools and information that can offer you support…
1 Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – Carefirst provides a free and confidential helpline on a wide range of subjects such as stress, debt, and relationships. Username: lifestyle1234 Password: carefirst.
2 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)
– we have individuals who have been trained to give Colleagues support on mental health issues. If you need support from one of our MHFAs, please email mhfa@placesforpeople.co.uk
3 Able Futures – delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
4 Courses on Mental Health and Wellbeing – Places Academy has a variety of different courses for you to explore including Managing Stress, Mental Health Awareness, and a Wellbeing Toolkit.
5 Yammer - Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing – a Yammer community to share your thoughts or hints and tips for keeping motivated and managing stress. For access to more information, please visit the Health and Wellbeing section on Our Place.
Jamie had completed his electrical checks on an elderly gentleman’s home but subsequently received a call saying that the Customer’s boiler wasn’t working. Our man returned to the property, assessed the situation and immediately arranged for a Places Management Boiler Engineer to attend the same day. He also checked in later to make sure the Customer was happy, safe and warm!
The Customer’s granddaughter said: “Jamie was so efficient, polite, helpful and caring. It wasn’t necessary but he went above and beyond to make sure all was ok. We are very grateful.”
This year’s theme is Anxiety. Any suggestions for activities or ideas for awareness pieces are welcomed into the PM.suggestions@ placesforpeople.co.uk inbox.
Why not send a card to a valued Colleague to thank them for their help and support? Show you value and recognise the contributions they’ve made by clicking on the link you can find on Our Place: https://thankyou. placesforpeople.co.uk/Home
Lovely to see Site Caretaker Desmond Ward get some positive, direct feedback from a Customer. Our favourite comment in the note was: “Everyone needs a Des in their life!”
Don’t forget to check vacanciesour on Our Place!
Places Management prides itself on listening to feedback from our People and, where possible, turning those views and experiences into genuine change within the business. After all, you guys are the ones who really know what will work best!
Across a number of channels, including our Big Colleague Survey, discussions with managers and forums like our Places Management business briefing, you have raised several issues...
You were concerned about spending limits on company credit cards. As part of You Said, We Did, we are pleased to report that these limits have now been increased for managers.
The daily transaction limit for Trade Supervisors will now be £1,000 per single transaction. The monthly spend limit has been increased to £2,500. Please remember to use these sensibly and try and use the supply chain where possible.
We will be introducing a range of vans from Citroen, Vauxhall, and Peugeot, and we’ll also be introducing Fords when their supply chain problems ease.
Last year’s fleet survey found that 73% of Colleagues told us that their vehicle was suitable for the role they carried out, but that the top preferred vehicle was Ford. As you may know, in 2017 we actually moved away from Ford (because of service standards, cost, availability, theft risks and reliability issues) and entered into a sole supplier agreement with Peugeot.
Thanks to your feedback, we’ll empower managers to choose vehicles that best suit your needs. Each Trade Supervisor/ Regional Manager will be able to select from a list across three manufacturers (Peugeot, Citroen, and Vauxhall) from April 2023. We’re also going to add Fords when we can, but right now the delivery times are up to 12 months.
Following your feedback, all new vans will come with air conditioning, sat nav, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay as standard. We’re also reviewing inverters as part of the new racking for vehicles.
You asked about electric vehicles, but the market for electric commercial vehicles is still lagging behind that of electric cars and the infrastructure within our estates is too far behind to offer charge points. There are only a handful of hybrid products in the market, and in limited supply but we’ll continue to review this.
Your views from the field are invaluable
every day gives you a special perspective
■ Washing: Your fuel cards enable you to wash your van at any Shell garage with washing facilities. If you don’t have a Shell garage with this option, then claim back the cost of washing your vehicle through expenses via Business world.
■ Racking: The consensus is that the racking in the vehicles is excellent quality, but there’s potentially too much of it in all vans. The proposal for our new vans going forward is that they all will be fitted with a simplified version of the existing racking system.
■ Ladders & roof racks: We won’t be fitting roof racks, ladders, and pipe boxes as standard. Instead, these will be available by request, as they’re not needed for every role.
Our recent survey showed that you would prefer a larger iPhone rather than a Nokia phone. Taking this on board, some teams have already made the switch to the new devices, and the hope is that everyone will be upgraded as
A huge part of our You Said, We Did project has been your thoughts and feedback on our Reward and Competency Initiative (RACI).
What actually does RACI entail?
RACI is about employing a multi-skilled workforce that completes work to a high standard, on the first visit and gets it right first time for Customers.
What do you mean by multi-skilled? Colleagues in certain roles will be trained in a number of supplementary skills, in varying trades, in addition to their core skill and base trade.
Who does RACI initially apply to?
■ Joiners ■ Bricklayers
■ Painter Decorators ■ Cleaners
■ Plasterer Plumbers ■ Landscapers
■ Roofers ■ Arborists
How does it work?
soon as possible. To guarantee you are on the list, please ensure that your line manager has updated our order sheet.
We all know the pressure increased energy costs is having on the UK population – and especially the most vulnerable. Colleagues on the frontline have been telling us that they are encountering Customers struggling to make ends meet. That’s why we have introduced the provision of Energy Vouchers, to help where we can.
We’ve listened to your concerns about delays and have addressed this with our supplier Arden Winch who now hold a number of stocked items which will improve delivery times. You identified your favourite trousers, which are now available, along with new “over garment” options such as bodywarmers. See updates on Yammer for more details.
If you have any issues with future orders, please send these to PM.suggestions@ placesforpeople.co.uk
Keep your feedback coming on You Said We Did by emailing PM.suggestions@ placesforpeople.co.uk
Colleagues (who opt in) complete a self-assessment. This is followed by a line manager appraisal with scores determining the level the Colleague is at on the RACI scheme. The line manager will, along with the Colleague, create a Personal Development Plan in order to become multi-skilled.
What’s in it for me?
This will create greater opportunities for development and progression and a tangible increase in Customer satisfaction. There are also opportunities for increased rewards:
All Colleagues will be on Level 1, as this is the baseline spot salary for their contracted trade. Level 2 will prove a 2.5% increase to the spot salary. Level 3 gives a 5% uplift.
On March 8, we marked International Women’s Day by inviting blogs from two of our female Colleagues, who discussed their experiences of working at Places For People. Highlights of their comments included:
Electrician Carla Hutchinson on working at Places for People
“There are still some oldfashioned opinions about females in this industry – I’ve heard the odd comment here and there. However, the team I work with has never made me feel like I was treated differently for being a woman and I’ve never felt inferior or excluded. I can see the effort Places for People is putting into encouraging women in the trades – it’s promising.”
Landscapes Contracts Manager Teresa White on advice to potential recruits
“Just do it! It isn’t anything you expect it to be and, although it’s still a male-dominated area of the organisation and sector, more women are joining the ranks – and bucking the stereotype that it’s a man’s world.”
If you’re interested in having a voice or being an ally, why not join our Gender subgroup for our Inclusion and Belonging Colleague Network? Contact co-leaders Regan Spence or Abigail Carmichael, or Rachael
Atherton, Equality and Inclusion Manager
Contracts Manager Keith Green shared on Yammer how he marked the fourth anniversary of his open heart surgery – by notching up no less than 25 miles kayaking! Congratulations on an amazing recovery, sir…
The North East Gas Team enjoyed an extended Team Talk with a trip to the Winlaton Hydrogen Homes near Gateshead. Hosted by our boiler contractor Baxi and Northern Gas Networks, the visit included a presentation geared towards social housing and how hydrogen will fit into the future energy mix.
As part of a series of “Deep Dives,” our Group Board recently visited PfP Communities in Leeds. This allowed them to meet the People who really make a difference and to see first-hand the opportunities and challenges that we face. Later on in the day, Stanley House in Leeds hosted an informative Drop the Mic session where our People had a free and frank exchange of views with members of our leadership team, asking the questions they most needed answered.
PAUL DOHERTY PLASTERER 15 YEARS
KRIS TETLEY JOINER 15 YEARS
SADIE KELLY CLEANER 15 YEARS
15 YEARS
JENNY
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LONG SERVERS...
25 YEARS
IAN MUSKER
KEITH GREEN LANDSCAPES MANAGER
25 YEARS
GRAHAM LATTY
Q Hi Dennis! Tell us how long you have been with Places Management?
A Coming up to five years! I was part of Chorus Homes, which joined the Places for People group in 2018.
Q Describe your job for us?
A
I work mainly on void properties. I’ll go out, spec-up all the work and then supervise it getting done. I also supervise a team of five guys who work on tenanted properties mainly. I’m there for them if there are any problems or queries. Once a month, we have a sit down and go through any challenges they might be having, and celebrate any successes too. They’re a great bunch of lads.
Q What are the biggest challenges in your role?
Q You must meet people who are finding things difficult…
A big one is the demand for voids to be turned around quickly. You have to keep on top of that! Another is that you just don’t know what you are going to walk into. On some occasions, a property just needs an electrical check and a clean, and it’s good to go. On others, you think ‘blimey, what’s been going on here?’ The property might need a new kitchen, a new bathroom, extensive decoration work, upgrades – the list goes on!
A
Q And what are the best bits about the job?
A I always thought I’d make a decent manager. Also, I didn’t come from the best background, so I’ve always wanted to be in a job that helps people. The role I now have fulfils both of those ambitions. I enjoy working with people and making an impact that will change lives – even if it’s in a small way.
A Absolutely. But thankfully we have something called “Don’t Walk By” which is, if we see a tenant struggling and we feel that we can help them, it’s our responsibility to go the extra mile.
Q Can you give us an example of that, in practice?
A Well, only recently I happened to overhear a PfP tenant, we used to live next door to, crying on the phone to my wife. She was saying she couldn’t afford to heat her house properly and she and her son were actually going to bed early, so she didn’t have to put the heating on. She was also struggling to buy any food because money was so tight…
Q So what did you do?
A It broke my heart, so I put the case forward to the hardship team. They contacted the tenant and gave her some food and heating vouchers. She rang my missus, so, so grateful, saying that PfP’s help was a life-saver. It’s stuff like that, which makes this a great place to work.
Q All in all, it sounds like you enjoy your job!
A Don’t get me wrong, some nights I come home pulling my hair out! But in the main, I really, really get a lot out of it. I’m lucky to say, 99 times out of 100, I have great job satisfaction!
Dennis explains how his crazy hobby helps him reach new heights…
“I’ve just started learning to fly and I’m working towards getting my pilot’s license. There are a couple of reasons I decided to do it. Firstly, I’m scared of heights, so I wanted to confront that head-on. And secondly, my wife said I should get a hobby, some time for myself, that allows me to make a clean break from work on my time off.
“I take two lessons every month and should get my pilot’s license early next year. After that, I have the option to take a share in an aircraft and enjoy access to a plane that way. It’s all pretty exciting but there is one small snag, though. I’ve just found out that my wife is expecting our first child! Something tells me, this might slow down this flying business a bit!
Tam Ross and Richard Timms received an official Customer compliment after their fantastic work on this back yard.
Electrical Manager Sean Jones took the time to thank Billy Cauldwell (right) and Simon Ault for “going above and beyond” in helping one of our Customers.
Krzysztof Ploszaj spent a couple of days helping apprentices in Teeside learn safe digging practices and fence erecting.
Christopher Stringer didn’t let a bit of bad weather stop him celebrating the arrival of some new equipment!
We love hearing your stories, big or small – please keep posting them on Yammer!
Welcome to new members of the Midlands Region Response and Void team, Carl Finn, Joshua Raithby and Jacob Johnson.
Regular Yammer poster Ross Degnan (thanks Ross!) shared how he was able to fix a Customer’s open vent system clogged with wood and debris. Looks like he had his work cut out!
Find the eight differences between these two pictures and circle them. Simply complete the puzzle, take a picture of this page and email it to PM.suggestions@ placesforpeople.co.uk
Terms and conditions: Closing date for entry is 25-05-2023. Editor’s decision is final. There are no alternative prizes. One winner will be picked from successfully completed pages.
