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“I want to have an influence on how IAG is delivered nationally within social housing. That’s why I am acting as an ambassador for the matrix Standard as I believe passionately it’s the way to create the best possible service for tenants and their families.”
Pathways2work At Family Mosaic
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Changing culture
Being an Adviser is extremely rewarding but can at times be challenging and even exasperating. But that’s what gives me the buzz of excitement. Often I am confronted with a culture in an organisation that clearly needs changing. One of my favourite examples was an organisation that was totally autocratic – the very concept of empowerment was anathema. When I asked at Director level why they wanted to seek the matrix Standard for their internal services the answer was simple – “we have heard it is a good quality Standard, we believe that we need a Standard to attain competitive advantage and we should be able to tick the boxes fairly quickly”.
“Not quite as simple as that,” was my response as I explained what the matrix Journey involved and how I would want to commence my Advice sessions by benchmarking the organisation, speaking to employees and partners. In fact, the first member of staff I met confirmed the task ahead – his vocabulary seemed to be built upon the word ‘No’.
No, he had no real idea of what the Company was trying to achieve or where he fitted into it – “all I do is come here, do what they give me to do and keep my head down.” “No, they don’t have staff meetings. No, I don’t talk to my colleagues because it’s every man (equality had not landed!) for himself. No, there aren’t any staff meetings. No, no one speaks to me about my performance – the only bit I look forward to is my pay cheque. No, I’m never asked for my views because they wouldn’t listen.” Although perhaps at the extreme end of the views given to me by members of staff, similar points were made by his colleagues.
During a brave and confrontational further meeting with the Directors, I conveyed to them where I perceived shortfalls and I must give them great credit for listening to me and accepting a great part of what I was saying. I encouraged them to believe that a workforce that was better supported, helped and developed was more likely to contribute to the business aims and objectives, thereby adding value.
And so the rather torturous Journey began. And we made rapid progress. A staff survey and staff meetings straightaway paid dividends in getting out into the open the grievances and queries that had been harboured for years. Review and the communication of relevant policies and practices was a task that benefited from the staff input, a staff handbook coordinated essential knowledge or indicated where to research further. An ‘Away Day’ brought new perspectives to the business plan and linked to individual objectives.
For the organisation this was wonderful but for me there were signs that it was only being accomplished to achieve matrix Accreditation. Bluntly I advised that I did not believe they would succeed in their Assessment without better indications that their cultural change would be sustained. Their commitment was forthcoming and their new approach showed itself to me in raised morale, greater efficiency and increased business. And I was extremely delighted when the news came that they had become Accredited.
From my viewpoint, the key aspects in this instance were me giving them at the outset a full and realistic explanation of the matrix Standard, encouraging benchmarking, consultation and involvement. Working through the elements was then a logical and worthwhile process with discernible outcomes.