HOUSING ASSOCIATION REMOTE WORKFORCE
Agile Workforce – linking employees and the organisation
Housing associations across the UK face a broad range of unique challenges every single day. Government restrictions have placed particular emphasis on defining a new normal for many workers across all sectors. However, enabling a housing association remote workforce has been a challenge that the social housing industry has been dealing with for as long as it has existed. The difference is that now, technology is not a limiting factor. With the right digital strategy, a housing association can provide a single, excellent experience to its home-based staff and to its site-based employees.
We understand that a housing project consists of several stages. From the very first moment a team arrives on site, they need reliable connectivity.
Creating a seamless experience throughout the project lifecycle
Even before the site offices arrive and connections are established via fibre, employees need access to files, emails and even BIM data. We believe that with the right solutions in place, not only is this achievable, but the experience can be consistent. Just because the infrastructure isn’t yet developed on the construction site, it doesn’t have to mean the experience and productivity is compromised.
Take this solution one step further, to the IT support teams based either at home or in the head offices. Reliable connectivity is vital not only in providing support, but also to optimise the connection. IT staff with centralised access to the WAN can roll out uniform security policies across every single location, they can view trends on a site-by-site basis to ensure that each project is optimised to suit, and they can manage the ongoing development of housing association portfolios at every stage of the project.
Developing the IT alongside the project
Historically, housing association remote workforce's would work from laptops. But without solid connectivity in place, security and control will always be compromised. By taking the time to listen to our housing association customers, we are able to define solutions for organisations that prioritise compliance and security but not at the cost to the employee or the project.
A combination of cloud and connectivity, managed via a single platform will give greater control, improved flexibility and will enable a productive and modern workforce. It is a perfect example of technology leading change and setting the organisation up for success.
One of the greatest challenges to the social housing industry’s mobile workforce is the rolling out of new services and applications across all locations, and doing so without disruption. Protecting key services and applications via maintenance and security is vital, therefore our solutions factor this requirement in.
Enabling a seamless employee experience
By the time the project reaches the initial handover stage, a physical transformation will have taken place. However, for those housing associations that value compliance, security, agility and flexibility, that transformation will be entirely physical. From the moment the groundworks begin through to the project offices being relocated to a semi-permanent residence, employees will have seen and felt a familiar digital workplace. The result is maximised productivity, greater agility and a housing association that is ready for whatever the future may hold.
The modern workplace
With a rising number of support functions adopting a hybrid working model, the same technology that housing organisations implement to enable their project staff can be used to enable homeworking. The difference is in the adoption and management.
The use of cloud technology is no longer new, but for Timico, we believe the way in which these services are adopted and managed is key to its success. Using the right cloud provider to manage services will provide optimal results. However, a single cloud management platform which manages those services, optimises, reports and even migrates services is key to true agility.
Housing associations face significant challenges, but with employees working across projects in various stages of development, the industry is best placed to adopt modern digital strategies, setting new standards for home workers across all industries.
The tools required for home working are strikingly similar to project-based staff. Fast access to files, secure emails, voice and video calling, collaboration, and security to name a few. A digital strategy doesn’t have to be complex. The tools should empower staff to be productive and secure, and the social housing industry understands this like no other.
To learn about each of the challenges our social housing customers face and the solutions we propose, download our free guide to The Social Housing Industry Remote Workforce using the form below.
Download our Social Housing IT guide
