Our business strategy is underpinned by a suite of directorate plans and supporting strategies, each setting out how we will work together to exemplify our values, observe our priorities, deliver our objectives and achieve our vision.
In terms of measuring our success, we only measure what matters to our customers, the business and the Council. We understand how successful we are by regularly checking our performance against these key areas:
- Customer satisfaction with our services; their home and their neighbourhood
- Ensuring our homes are safe, of a high quality and are classed as decent
- How likely customers are to choose us as a service provider and recommend us to a friend or a family member
- How well we manage tenancies and support customers to sustain them for the long term.
- How engaged our customers are and which involvement platforms are having the biggest impact on service improvement and development
- How much rent we’re collecting and how we manage arrears
- How long our homes are empty and how much that costs us as a business
- How efficient we are in terms of how much it costs us to manage and improve our homes, our overheads, and any savings we make in the delivery of our services
- The impact of our investment in communities in terms of their wellbeing, health, financial and social inclusion, and empowerment
- How engaged our teams are and how happy they are to work for the company
- How interested people are in working for the company and how long they stay with us
- How much income we’ve generated from the sale of our services
- How many homes we’ve added to the overall stock and what that means in terms of our “reach” to new customers
By 2023, we would like our performance to reflect best in class compared with other housing
providers. In addition, we also aim to have achieved the following outcomes:
- Institute of Customer Service Accreditation in recognition of our commitment to providing an outstanding customer service.
- The majority of our customers are engaging with us digitally and helping us to improve our services.
- SHIFT accreditation making us stand out as a housing provider with a difference. By meeting challenging environmental targets, we’ll show we’re caring for our environment, reducing fuel costs for our customers and providing higher quality homes and work spaces.
- We can demonstrate we are delivering effective homelessness prevention services.
- We are maximising the impact of the funding we access to support our most vulnerable customers with complex needs.
- An agreed comprehensive solution to housing and support provision for elderly people in the borough.
- Regeneration programmes on the ground and in progress in of some of our most difficult to let and manage neighbourhoods.
- Formal partnerships with the Council, charities and the voluntary sector to support our customers with the most complex needs to access a home and stay in it.
- An increase in the sale of housing services to the residents of Gateshead and other landlords operating in the area.
- Customer financial stability through our work with partners to provide training, learning and employment opportunities and our investment in community development and social enterprises. We can prove a direct link between this work and tenancy sustainment.
- Increased recognition of the housing company, with more people selecting our tenancy offer first and recommending us to a friend or family member.
- More of our people working in communities providing face-to-face support to our customers and their communities.
- A renewed “people offer” which underpins a positive company culture in which we’re offering excellent employment benefits and training packages to attract, retain and nurture the very best talent.
- An increase in the percentage of employees who are proud to work for The Gateshead Housing Company.
- A clear workforce strategy which will enable us to plan effectively for the future and provide new opportunities for apprentices and graduates to learn and develop their skills in the business.
- We’re clear on the steps we will take in partnership with the Council to safeguard the future of the HRA.
