By Peter Luck, Business and Operations Director, ROCC
One thing I hear repeatedly from housing professionals up and down the country is: “There just aren’t enough hours in the day.” It’s a familiar sentiment. Whether you’re overseeing repairs, juggling compliance or managing front-line services, the demands keep increasing. Not to mention that budgets, resources and time remain painfully limited!
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. I believe that the real opportunity in housing today isn’t just better services or lower costs, it’s about transforming how people work.
My vision centres around freeing housing professionals from rigid and restrictive systems, removing the constant pressure to do more with less. Housing providers deserve the freedom to work how they want, where they want and when they want.
I am firm in the belief that this is achievable.
Release the shackles of the old model
I have spent a long time working alongside housing teams and it’s crystal clear: the way many people still have to work is stuck in the past.
Too often, housing professionals are overloaded with admin. Outdated tools and systems mean staff are still forced to sit at a desk and push data around, jumping through unnecessary hoops that limit the positive impact they can have on tenants. They’re firefighting all day, every day.
Not only is this incredibly inefficient and unsustainable, but quite frankly, it’s not acceptable anymore.
Imagine a different kind of workday
So what’s the alternative, I hear you ask.
I believe housing professionals should have control over their working day and not be dictated to by outdated systems or office-bound workflows. The tools and environment should adapt to their needs, not the other way around.
Work how you want
People can only work to their full potential if they feel empowered.
Housing systems should streamline processes, offer intelligent prompts and eliminate repetitive tasks. This means that instead of wasting time searching for information or completing unnecessary forms, staff should be guided by intuitive tools that simplify decisions and allow them to focus on impact.
Work where you want
The working world has moved on. Productivity is no longer tied to a physical desk in an office, and teams can now stay connected and effective wherever they are.
With cloud-based technology and innovative mobile technology, like that offered by ROCC, housing professionals can manage repairs, review performance and connect with colleagues from the office, home or out in the community. This includes all communications with tenants.
Work when you want
Newly improved flexible working conditions also mean that the 9-to-5 model doesn’t reflect the rhythm of housing services any longer.
Housing staff should be able to access information, manage their responsibilities and review key data at a time that suits them. The system should be available when they are.
Reducing the burden, restoring the balance
In the housing sector, we are fortunate to have a huge number of dedicated, passionate professionals. Unfortunately, too many are burnout, which puts our industry at risk of losing top talent. The sheer volume of work and the constant pressure to deliver can be incredibly draining.
This isn’t just a technology issue – it’s a people issue.
As a sector, we need to create working environments that empower staff, support wellbeing and reduce stress. The ripple effects of this can be huge, leading to:
- Improved performance (individually and as a business)
- Enhanced service quality
- Boosted morale
- Better tenant outcomes
- Faster delivery service
- Reduction in complaints
- A more motivated and resilient workforce
Why real-world experience matters
As I’ve already mentioned, what really drives successful transformation in housing is the people behind the technology.
The best implementation and support teams aren’t just IT experts; they’re former housing professionals who understand the unique challenges and pressures of the sector. They know what it’s like to manage voids, deal with emergency repairs and navigate compliance audits.
Plus, they bring real empathy, practical solutions and a deep understanding of how housing teams operate.
From my experience, when you work with people who speak your language and who’ve walked in your shoes, the whole process becomes more collaborative and effective.
Transformation is already happening
Fortunately, I’ve already witnessed some housing providers take bold steps towards this new way of working, streamlining processes for housing professionals and enhancing the tenant experience.
When systems and processes are designed around how people actually work, not how software is traditionally built, everything changes.
For example, those responsible for managing repairs and maintenance no longer have their heads buried in spreadsheets and can now rely on intelligent scheduling. Plus, mobile operative workforces are fully in sync with back-office teams and tenants.
These aren’t small gains – they’re game changers.
Looking to the future: A better way of working
What drives me every day is the belief that housing professionals deserve better.
They deserve systems and processes that enable them, not hinder them. They deserve support that understands their challenges and helps them overcome them. They deserve to work in a way that’s flexible, empowering and human.
The future of housing isn’t about doing the same things faster. It’s about doing things differently.
I want to see management given the freedom to work on their teams, embracing technology that fits around their employees’ lives and embracing wellbeing as much as they value compliance and efficiency.
Are you a housing professional who feels stuck in old ways of working? Seek comfort in knowing that there is a better way and that change is possible. There are already people who are ready to walk that journey with you.
Let’s make work better for everyone.
