Housing 21 properties are based around a scheme system; each court comprises residential properties with on-site facilities such as hairdressers and laundrettes as well as social activities that build a sense of community. In schemes where care is required there is also a restaurant and kitchen facilities. From a functional point of view, each individual property operates as its own separate ecosystem, with everything in the scheme empowered to the manager, from day to day running through to communication with the team and wider organisation.
This can lead to fewer opportunities for employees, the courts exist as bubbles, with few opportunities to connect with people and colleagues outside of them. However, as a platinum Investor in People employer, Housing 21 have so much more that they can offer employees in terms of wellbeing, social connection and engagement.
As Director of People and Culture, Ian wanted to create a new fit for purpose function within the business that empowers and educates colleagues and gives them the tools to do things for themselves, rather than putting everything through an overstretched manager.
As part of this, they brought the payroll function into the People and Culture department, away from Finance, to “join the team and join the dots,” says Ian. It was acknowledged that the payroll was a key part of ensuring the employee experience was one where financial wellbeing was a core focus, and the transactional payroll also offered opportunities to align more closely with employee benefits.
