Central Consultancy & Training has an extensive track record of working with stock transfer and other housing organisations.  Our experience suggests the process of transfer - whether to a traditional LSVT housing association or a Community Housing Mutual - can act as a major catalyst for change.  If the change process is well designed and managed it can result in significantly better outcomes for tenants and communities.  It can also help to build the capacity and capability of staff working in the housing sector helping to protect service quality in the future. 

Local authorities working to secure the resources to deliver the WHQS by 2012 are finding that the best possible advice helps to maximise successful delivery of the chosen option.

In our experience of working with managers, staff and tenants of local authority and successor organisations the following support is most necessary:

• Involving staff and getting their “buy in” to the future, building a consensus
• Engaging staff, their employee representatives and managers as stakeholders in helping develop the future vision,  strategy and values
• Developing the skills and capacity of the staff team to build confidence and competence
• Developing the understanding of managers about the technicalities of the process and equipping them to support their staff through change – while continuing to deliver services!
• Staff engagement with the shadow board (where transfer is proposed)
• Designing the future performance management infrastructure to support success.

We have practical experience as Independent Staff Advisers throughout the options appraisal and transfer process, and have worked with Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC since 2002. We have been able to share our learning from that experience with other Heads of the Valleys Authorities.

We also work with shadow and new Boards to help them build the board team, develop effective partnership working with their new executive teams, get to grips with the business plan and develop effective governance. We offer a speedy and pragmatic approach to developing the governance infrastructure required to support future registration as an RSL.

Involving staff and getting their “buy in” to the future

Prospective transfer organisations are simultaneously embarking on the road to building a new structure and identity, delivering customer expectations and laying down the foundations for community regeneration and involvement. Our experience has taught us that if such profound change is to “stick”, staff need to be actively involved, prepared, empowered and motivated to bring about and sustain the future.  Our role is to advise and support managers and staff in this process and to support effective working arrangements between managers and the shadow board. Our approach creates and sustains staff involvement and commitment to the process, developing individual and organisational skills and internal capacity building. 

In our experience new housing organisations need support to bring about a significant change in culture building on their local authority roots to meet new challenges in a highly regulated social sector subject to commercial pressures, a wide range of stakeholder expectations, and directly accountable to its tenants as customers with increased expectations.  Such change challenges staff to work outside their comfort zone.

The structured involvement of staff can include active engagement in a change management strategy, the development of the Offer Document (both through staff representatives and the support of an Independent Staff Adviser), and/or a “Staff Offer” document.   Regular, structured communication mechanisms are essential to ensure staff are fully briefed about the developing plans and prevent voids emerging which can be filled by rumour or misinformation.   

Our work involves:

• Building a picture of the baseline level of understanding and commitment towards transfer – through staff questionnaires, interviews, focus groups or workshops
• Developing a draft management of change strategy and action plan for consultation with staff and with the shadow Board – this can include the development and support of staff change champions and leaders of the change process
• Advising on the consultative and involvement framework and timescales.

The role of the Independent Staff Adviser (ISA)

Staff facing the possibility or prospect of transfer are often concerned about job security, salaries, pensions and terms and conditions, opportunities for training and personal/career development. They have anxieties about future expectations and may be angry or frustrated with the situation they and their employers face.   Early staff engagement can reduce fears and develop individual skills and personal empowerment.  It also helps to reassure staff that the processes adopted in the future (for e.g. selection) will be ‘fair’.

An ISA can help you manage the change process effectively through:

• Establishing effective communication, consultation, involvement and support structures for staff during the appraisal, approval process for transfer and the ballot, developing systems that will continue post transfer.
• Providing technical advice and support concerning the transfer options and their implications for staff
• Assessment of proposals from the perspective of staff and provision of independent advice
• Providing technical advice to employee representatives on an ongoing basis
• Providing regular staff newsletters, and confidential free-phone and email advice and support to individuals  
• Providing HR advice and support concerning TUPE, terms and conditions of employment, polices and procedures for the new Trust, including pension arrangements and the development of an HR strategy
• Developing a change management and organisational development strategy to support staff, senior management and the shadow board through and beyond the transfer process.

Defining and engaging stakeholders in the new organisation’s vision, strategy and values

Helping housing organisations to understand their operating environment and the organisation’s strengths and areas for development through facilitated work with Boards, staff, tenants groups and stakeholder events.   Such work involves building a consensus towards a new vision and values as well as key strategic objectives.

To enable managers and staff to ‘vision’ the future and address issues of greatest concern a staff conference can be invaluable, covering for example:  

• An introduction to the transfer process and the options for change
• The proposals: purpose, objectives and structure and links with the wider community.
• What’s my role? What’s in it for me? How can I contribute?

• Customer focus and the engagement agenda: building knowledge and awareness, and identification of training needs.

Such events provide information, but the primary aim is to involve individuals in the change and ensure staff feel they have a voice.   Initial sessions for managers equip them to support their staff more effectively.
 

Castle Vale Community Housing Association A programme of Board, management and whole staff events to support transfer of the local Housing Action Trust’s staff to this community based organisation.

Working with Boards to ensure effective Governance and advising on/auditing Governance Systems and Practice

While this may be within the lead consultant’s brief we recommend Board development work is linked as soon as possible to the development of the senior management team. The effectiveness of relationships between both teams is essential to underpin effective Governance.  We have a national reputation for our work in this area and work extensively with tenant and community representatives, Elected Members and independent members in traditional housing associations and stock transfers, and tenant led and community associations.

We are able to provide advice on good Governance practice and create robust systems to comply with Registration criteria.  Governance audits/reviews post transfer can help to ensure that arrangements are systematically applied and reflect the needs of the organisation as it develops.We also provide coaching support for new Board Chairs.

For experienced boards we can advise on and audit governance systems and practice and support continuous improvement and board renewal through board appraisal and governance improvement planning.

North Shropshire District Council & Oswestry District Council Team development processes for these Shadow Boards including getting to grips with business planning Wirral Partnership Homes We supported this new stock transfer with Board review, appraisal and development and helped them develop their governance infrastructure Solihull Community Housing We have been working with SCH’s board and staff teams since its establishment as an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMOs enable some English authorities to retain ownership resulting in a closer relationship than with traditional stock transfers) Optima Community Association Board development programme and individual board member appraisal

Designing the performance management infrastructure to ensure success

Research into the experiences of staff during the transfer process in England has shown the need for improved performance management systems and culture in a post transfer environment.  This continues to be important with new housing organisations also facing inspection in their early years.

Chelmer Housing Partnership This Organisational Development programme included a redefinition of values and development of core competencies, design and introduction of a performance management framework, development of a reward strategy (including performance based pay) and a cross-organisation ‘Customer Focus’ culture change programme.

Developing the skills and capability of the management and staff team

Years of financial constraints mean there is often a legacy of under-investment in staff training and development within local authority housing departments.  This can lead to pent up demand for training and development at all levels within the organisation, demand that needs prioritising and managing.  A skills audit and training needs analysis with full staff involvement enables the organisation to identify the scale of needs, agree priorities and identify budget requirements.  The resulting Training and Development Strategy is reflected in and linked to the business plan, and to transfer needs and demands.

One of the radical changes transfer or similar radical change brings is in the roles and expectations placed on existing managers. We have experience of developing managers’ existing skills base and enhancing their ability to support staff during the change management process so that they can tackle the new environment with confidence.

Whitefriars Housing Group We introduced a performance and development management system to all staff of this large stock transfer, provided management skills training for implementation from supervisory to Chief Executive level and identified what further development was required including Managing Difficult Staffing Situations.

Integrated Board Development Programmes

We offer programmes of governance support to Shadow and post transfer Boards designed to accommodate regulatory requirements and reflect best practice. These include

• Corporate Governance - ensures that Board members are aware of their roles and responsibilities and of the key decisions they will need to make in the pre- and post-ballot phases
• Effective Board meetings – including how to keep focused on the key roles and responsibilities of the Board, team working and decision making
• Being an effective Board member
• Strategy and Business Planning
• Finance: the Board’s responsibility for financial viability
• Risk Management: the Board’s role     
• Continuous improvement
• Equality and diversity issues for Board members
• The Board as a Landlord
• Strategic asset management
• The Board as an employer  - including Chief Executive & Director remuneration and the role of the remuneration committee
• Procurement and development

Investing in Research and Development and disseminating learning

We believe in helping organisations to capture and disseminate learning and best practice.

In 1997, on the basis of our substantial experience of working with LSVTs we were commissioned by the Housing Corporation to research the effectiveness of the stock transfer process.  This culminated in the publication “Hitting the ground running: the human and organisational dimensions of stock transfer”.  Arising from this, we were commissioned jointly by the then DTLR and the Corporation to develop a “Housing Transfer Project Management Toolkit” to assist local authorities and their consultants.  The Toolkit was launched in January 2002 by Sara Webb of the Community Housing Task Force for use by authorities in future transfer programmes.

We were also commissioned by the Housing Corporation to develop a national “Competence framework for Board members of registered social landlords” (currently being revised for its third edition to reflect greater tenant involvement in governance and the requirements of community based organisations).  The framework is widely used and has provided the underpinning competencies for two nationally recognised qualifications for Board members.

For further information on any of the above ask for one of our flyers.