Putting our behaviours into practice

Putting our behaviours into practice

Introduction Our behaviours are an important part of One Housing. They are designed to shape how we work - they are the ideas and approaches that form the foundation of everything we do. We need to be clear about how to put our behaviours into action and have a shared understanding of what each one means. This booklet is here to help explain our behaviours, what they mean in practice, and how everyone in the organisation is expected to incorporate them into their everyday work. In each section you ll find a detailed definition of a behaviour and what it means. Then opposite there s a fold-out guide for different groups of people to bring each behaviour to life. We hope it s helpful and if you have any questions please talk to your manager. Contents COLLABORATION 10 AMBITION 14

RESPECT 18 ENGAGEMENT 22 EXCELLENCE 26

WHY WE HAVE BEHAVIOURS In all our roles at One Housing, we have to interact regularly with customers. For some people these will be internal customers and for others these will be our residents and clients. We re all professional and have clear standards of work we uphold. Our behaviours help to guide us in how we go about doing the work we do. They provide a useful point of reference so that all of us know what behaviours are acceptable and what are not. They also help to illustrate what our culture is like and are a strong basis for communicating and working well with each other. Our Executive Directors are all champions of one specific behaviour. HOW OUR BEHAVIOURS WORK Each behaviour collaboration, ambition, respect, engagement and excellence describes a broader set of behaviours we d like to see everyone following. The descriptions in this booklet are not a complete list, they re good examples of what we want to see (and what we don t). So as you read through, you may think a behaviour needs to include some other factors, and that s very welcome. This is just a starting point because everyone has their own role and finds themselves in different work situations. Also, the way we ve described the behaviours comes from discussions we ve had with staff directly. People live and breathe our behaviours every day and it s important to capture their experience and use that to help define what our behaviours mean in everyday language.

COLLABORATION Someone or a team that has the drive and energy to become more of a united workforce; has effective working relations, improved partnerships with people, customers, residents and stakeholders and consistently champions team working. Shares their knowledge and resources to maximise opportunities and outcomes and the benefits this has brought to the organisation.

What it means in practice COLLABORATION We work seamlessly across teams, departments, and grades, with our partners, and other organisations, for the benefit of our customers. We recognise that we all work towards the same goals, and each of us is an integral part of the whole and no one can succeed without the others. We proactively share updates and knowledge quickly with those who need to know, and are affected. Whoever is the first point of contact for an issue makes sure the right people get involved and takes responsibility for facilitating the solution until our customers are satisfied. Collaboration is not: delivering on our own goals at the expense of others other teams, other departments or our customers. ignoring the bigger picture the impact our work and our actions have on the wider organisations. working in silos, making decisions in isolation and without considering the impact on others. only focusing on one s own individual or departmental success. faling to include others or deliberately excluding others. exclusively relying on e-mail, without bothering to followup with customers and colleagues by phone or in person. taking advantage of others kindness, helpfulness and supportive nature.

Everyone We proactively share relevant knowledge, information and updates with colleagues, customers and partners. We work well with anyone respecting their individual style. We look for personal contact where possible and even if we have done our bit we still take the first step to follow up. We take responsibility for an issue at the first point of contact and take ownership of getting the best solution for our customers across different departments. Managers For managers this also means: We proactively work with and communicate with other managers and departments. We encourage cross-departmental working and take immediate action when we notice people who are only thinking of themselves and their own success. Senior managers & executives For senior managers this also means: We are dedicated to challenging and breaking down silos, tunnel vision and lack of big picture thinking. We bring out and communicate the benefits and best ways of collaborating and working together as a team across One Housing. We encourage our people and teams to be open, share knowledge and information with each other, and work closely together across departmental boundaries and grades.

We help and support our colleagues no matter which department they are in as we recognise we all rely on each other. We make an effort to regularly update and communicate with people involved in or affected by our work. We aim to get to know and understand how One Housing works as a whole; and proactively build our own networks across the organisation and with our partners (where applicable). We are dedicated to getting the best from each of our team members and encourage contributions and sharing knowledge. We include our teams in decision making as much as possible. We develop collaborative solutions with external partners. Where possible we consult with our teams, and include them in the decision making process. We work with external partners to create collaborative solutions for the benefit of One Housing and our customers. We promote cross-departmental projects and sharing to increase connections and information flow across departments.

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AMBITION Someone or a team that has the flair and ability to think outside the box to come up with innovative ways to improve existing processes and ways of working. Suggestions increase efficiency, lead to cost savings or improve the service we deliver to residents or customers in another way. Also includes the personal drive and desire to grow in the organisation for self and others.

What it means in practice AMBITION Ambition to us means continuously challenging ourselves to learn new things, to discover better and more efficient ways to deliver our services, to look for opportunities to innovate and to stay ahead of the curve. We are committed to creating solutions together that will deliver our targets and corporate plan. We are passionate about what we do, and are dedicated to continuously improving ourselves, to bring out and support our customers ambitions and make a difference in their lives. Ambition is not: taking the credit for someone else s work or ignoring the whole team s contribution to one s own success. only focusing on our own ambition without considering the wider organisation. being out for oneself and pushing through one s own agenda whatever the consequences. always taking, never giving anything back and leaving it to others to make a difference. complacently resting on our laurels and failing to make an effort to find new ways of contributing and taking ourselves, our teams and the whole organisation forward. ticking boxes and just going through the motions. failing to ensure that we fully understand what our customers want, need and expect from us (and this includes colleagues, and partners), using lack of time as an excuse.

Everyone We proactively seek out learning and advancement opportunities, and share our knowledge and experience with our team. We challenge ourselves every day to be the best we can be, and to do what we do in a better and more efficient way. We make sure we understand how our personal ambition fits with the bigger picture of One Housing s ambition to make people s lives better and how we all can contribute and make a difference. Managers For managers this also means: We motivate and inspire our people to work towards the same goals and challenge themselves to be become even better. We proactively recognise and appreciate our people and our customers who have done things well and achieved more than anyone expected. We create and communicate learning and advancement opportunities for people. Senior managers & executives For senior managers this also means: We clearly communicate what One Housing s ambition means for our area. We actively challenge and support our teams to continuously improve and seek more effective ways of delivering our services. We encourage and support celebration of achievements. We stay ahead of the curve by continuously seeking to innovate and develop new services.

We are passionate and committed to the goals we share with everyone in our teams and the whole organisation and when things sometimes get difficult we remind ourselves that we are all one team and are working towards the same ambition. We take the initiative to discover how we can best support our customers social and personal aspirations. We take care to balance our personal ambitions with everyone else s, and recognise that we only succeed as a team, not as individuals. We challenge our teams and ourselves to look for new ideas to deliver current services. We help our people understand how their personal ambition aligns with and supports our overall ambition of making people s lives better. We set clear objectives in agreement with our teams and team members. We create a working environment that enables quick change and accelerated growth. We inspire confidence in our teams in One Housing s ambition, our ability to achieve our goals and commitment to our behaviours. We foster creative and innovative thinking and problem solving. We create an environment where teams and team members are encouraged to bring new ideas to the table.

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RESPECT Someone or a team that appreciates others; who has trust, openness and honesty, values the equality and diversity of colleagues and customers and has the highest integrity and levels of esteem in themselves and others. They show appreciation, openness, and courteousness towards other people, residents and customers, stakeholders and the organisation as a whole.

What it means in practice RESPECT Respect to us means being courteous, open and honest. We show that we care and have empathy for our customers, colleagues, and partners. We treat everyone fairly. We accept everyone for who they are, and seek to understand them, their cultural background and how they want to be treated by us, rather than making assumptions based on our own culture and views. Respect also means valuing other people s time and effort little things can mean a lot, for example, answering e-mails or phone calls on time, following up and really listening to someone. Respect is not undermining others, being negative and constantly criticising or being rude. talking down to others and ignoring their views and potential contribution. hanging up the phone on someone, not returning phone calls or not responding promptly to e-mails. talking over others, not letting someone finish speaking or trying to impose what we think is best. playing favourites, and ignoring other people s contributions. making throwaway comments or engaging in inappropriate banter that is disrespectful to others and their diversity. blaming others, pushing responsibility away from us and not being open to feedback. assuming that one size fits all, and imposing our views on our customers. using lack of time, lack of resources or circumstances as an excuse for not being courteous and polite to others.

Everyone We care about others, our customers and colleagues and value them for who they are and who they have the potential to be. We pay attention to other people s wants and needs, and take these into account when working towards a solution. We appreciate and value our customers and colleagues time, efforts and input. We treat everyone equally in a courteous, honest and open way. Managers For managers this also means: We address any incidents of disrespect, negativity or low performance immediately. We show appreciation and care for our people. We recognise team members fairly for their efforts and contributions. We actively support our people in building resilience, and take action to proactively prevent stress levels from rising. Senior managers & executives For senior managers this also means: We proactively and consistently recognise and show appreciation for the effort and work our people do. We create a work environment where we value everyone, treat our people fairly, and celebrate diversity. We make sure that everyone has access to, is aware of and understands our core behaviours, what they mean, and our core values of equality and diversity.

We are mindful of different cultural norms and ways of doing things, especially when interacting with our customers. We take pride in being flexible and adapt our behaviour and assumptions to the person we are dealing with: their culture, their beliefs and their needs. We respect others by being on time for meetings. We deliver on deadlines when we say we will. We have an open door for our people, are approachable and actively seek contributions from team members. We recognise and strive to ease the pressure of heavy workloads where possible. We engage work ethic standards when team members performance has negative effects on others. We do whatever we can to plan realistic workloads and resourcing to prevent work pressures increasing. We act as role models for the behaviours we expect from others.

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ENGAGEMENT Someone or a team that proactively or creatively engages with and involves people, customers and stakeholder groups, particularly those who were not previously engaged in our work. Significantly increasing levels of involvement and participation among certain groups, as well as producing positive outcomes.

What it means in practice ENGAGEMENT We see everyone we work and interact with as our customers, both internally and externally. We care about what we do, and show this by listening and understanding what our customers want and need. We believe in personal contact, and would rather go and see someone or pick up the phone, than wait for an e-mail response. We do our best to make that happen within the boundaries of regulations and contractual agreements. Our business is all about finding the best possible solution and actively involving our customers, colleagues, and partners in it. When we do things well, we celebrate and share our successes with our colleagues. Engagement is not: blaming others and passing the buck to someone else rather than taking responsibility and finding a solution at the first point of contact. waiting for someone to get back to us without taking the initiative to pick up the phone to follow up. only engaging with the people we know or feel comfortable with, and ignoring other people s skills and experience. making customers wait when we could resolve issues immediately. being inflexible and too focused on a procedure ( computer says no ) without creatively looking for possible alternative solutions. ordering others around and failing to listen to their views. failing to bring people with us by explaining why something is important, why something cannot be done or takes a certain time. focusing only on the problem and complaining without taking responsibility for suggesting solutions.

Everyone We pay attention and listen to our customers, we acknowledge their views, we make sure we understand how we can best help them, and we anticipate their needs as much as we can. We care about the wider implications and impact of our actions on our customers, other teams and our partners our key question when we do anything is to ask: who else needs to be involved or to know? We are only satisfied when our customers walk away with a smile on their face and are content with what we have done for them. Managers For managers this also means: We consider the effects of our actions or inaction on our colleagues, our customers and our reputation. We consult and seek our people s input, and share all relevant information, where appropriate. We maintain an open door policy for our people by being approachable and supportive. We give regular, positive, and constructive feedback to our people. Senior managers & executives For senior managers this also means We know and embrace that we are role models for engagement and customer service focus: this means we show our customers we care, consult with them throughout the process and do whatever we reasonably can to achieve the best possible solution. We make sure that our teams clearly understand the purpose and standards of our organisation and their role in making these happen.

We do our best to maintain positive relationship even when others are frustrated, stressed or angry. We are approachable, open-minded and we care about finding a solution with our customers that everybody can support. We maintain positive and effective working relationships with our colleagues in every part of One Housing. We want to understand others, their needs and expectations by listening carefully and clearly communicate what we can and can t do for them. We make sure that our people celebrate their successes and inspire our teams by sharing their proudest moments. We pride ourselves in bringing out and using, wherever possible, our people s unique skills and experiences. We continuously promote the aims of One Housing so that our teams can connect with and live that purpose. We use a range of communication methods to listen to and interact with our staff. We create the supporting mechanisms and behaviours that makes our organisation a vibrant and interesting place to work. We aim to be as visible as we can by walking the floors and speaking directly with our people at every opportunity.

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EXCELLENCE Someone or a team that shows continual hard work, dedication and commitment and goes above and beyond the remit and responsibilities of their role on many occasions. This includes excellence in terms of customer service and cases and dealing well with difficult situations to get a positive outcome.

What it means in practice EXCELLENCE We get the basics right first, and then look to exceed our customers, including our colleagues and our partners, expectations. We do what we have promised to do in a highly professional way and then look for ways to go even further. We continuously want to improve what we do, how we do it, and we pride ourselves in always being one-step ahead of the curve. Where we can make positive changes, innovate, and get a better result, we do. Excellence is not: being satisfied with just doing the minimum we have to do. not doing what we have agreed to do, failing to deliver within promised timescales or to quality standards. only going the extra mile when asked. unwillingness to go above and beyond what is expected of us. working in isolation and failing to take advantage of the expertise, insight and support of other colleagues. squandering valuable resources which includes materials, space, money and someone else s time.

Everyone We focus on getting the basics right, and deliver what we promise on time, swiftly and efficiently at the point of initial contact, to our service standards and within required regulation. We aim to be the best, and are determined to deliver over and above our customers, colleagues and partners expectations in depth and in breadth. When we deliver anything, we ask ourselves: what else can we do to wow our customer? We are always looking to achieve the best possible solution for our customers. Managers For managers this also means: We regularly facilitate team reviews that identify and action service improvements for our customers, our colleagues, and partners. We encourage knowledge sharing across our teams, with other departments, with our customers and with our partners. We motivate our team(s) to continuously strive for service improvements and personal development. We work to embed excellence as habit, something that we automatically do even in difficult situations. Senior managers & executives For senior managers this also means: We clearly articulate and communicate what we mean by excellence. We ensure that our people know our service standards and what we expect from them. We promote our people s development, acting up and skill enhancement opportunities across our teams. We hold everyone to the same standards, and ensure that we apply suitable measures across the organisation.

We have a value for money mindset do everything to the best of our ability and creatively make the most of the available resources. We clearly communicate what we expect from others, what we will deliver and make sure they agree. We are proactive in expanding our skills and experience to other fields and consider how we can support other departments. We recognise when to escalate and ask for support from colleagues and managers. We prioritise based on what is important to our customers and our colleagues, and not just ourselves. We make sure that our service meets quality standards. We recognise excellence in our teams and team members. We share and communicate examples of excellence across our team and other departments to inspire teams to innovate and excel.

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Published June 2015 One Housing Group Limited is a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. Registration No:20453R. Homes and Communities Agency No: LH0171. Registered Office 100 Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH.