View publication - Chartered Institute of Housing

TALENT MANAGEMENT – CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO?
Supporting excellent customer service – A second example of projects aimed at
developing frontline staff and customers is our adoption of structured training
programmes to achieve excellence in customer services, both internally and externally.
The Mary Gober International (MGI) programme is one such approach and focuses on
the development of psychology or mind set, as well as language and behaviours,
necessary to provide excellent services. This begins with an initial interactive two-day
seminar combining tutoring with video input, quizzes and token prizes to help engage
the delegates and embed the methodology. Subsequent sessions reinforce the learning
until it becomes second nature and we move closer towards sustained and consistent
practice of good customer skills.
Follow up surveys of staff suggest the skills and concepts learned have made significant
improvements in their ability to provide excellent customer services. This is particularly
noticeable in the way complaints are handled, with staff taking ownership and
responsibility for problems and finding solutions.
Learning cafes – An additional example is that of learning cafes. These provide
informal learning opportunities for staff to meet and learn from each other on topical
issues. Utilising the extensive skills, knowledge and expertise of team members, a typical
session lasts around a couple of hours. These have included subjects as varied as
domestic violence, minute taking, sexual health, managing stress and resident
engagement. Colleagues welcome the opportunity to share learning with each other
and promote an effective learning organisation.
Finally, a great deal of effort is placed on building the capacity of customers to better
regulate the Group’s services. Customers have been leading on redefining co-regulatory
structures in the Group and identifying the learning and development activities
necessary to enable them to scrutinise performance more effectively.
Coherence of approach – Frameworks such as Investors in People (IiP) and Investors in
Excellence (IiE) are helpful in providing structure and coherence around learning and
development initiatives. One of the leadership development projects is based on ‘Going
for Gold’, a reference to the new IiP Gold Standard, which is a key objective for the
Group when it is assessed for re-accreditation.
The desire for a more holistic approach led us to develop a learning partnership with
CIH. This partnership comprises three strands: in-house study opportunities leading to a
Level 3 Award and Certificate in housing; provision of carefully targeted short modules
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