The HIP Season 4 so far - Your download of Key Insights and Learnings in the UK Housing Sector!

Season 4 of The HIP Podcast promised to be our best yet and boy have our guests delivered. This season really gets into the big issues and tough questions the housing sector is facing today. Through thought-provoking chats with industry leaders, we uncover fresh ideas, bold leadership, and new perspectives on everything from housing and care to inclusivity and sustainability. Here are five key takeaways from the season so far:

1. Balancing Care, Housing, and Affordability: A Housing Association's Mission

In our conversation with Wendy Evans-Hendrick, CEO of Orwell Housing, we dug into the challenges and rewards of managing an organisation that provides both housing and care services. With 31 years of experience, Wendy discusses the importance of integrating care and housing to serve vulnerable populations, including domestic abuse survivors and individuals with learning disabilities.

Here are her key takeaways:

Integrated Services: Wendy emphasises the importance of seamlessly combining housing and care to serve vulnerable populations, including domestic abuse survivors and those with learning disabilities.

Diversity and Adaptability: The ability to respond to the evolving needs of diverse communities is essential, as is balancing affordability with high-quality care.

External Pressures: Wendy highlights the sector’s struggles with rent freezes, the professionalisation of care roles, and the constant balancing act of meeting care demands with staffing constraints.

Wendy’s advice? Stay adaptable, integrate services effectively, and navigate external challenges with a focus on the communities you serve.

2. The Surge in Repair Demands: Meeting Rising Expectations

Paul Walker from Home Group joined us to talk about the growing demand for property repairs and how organisations can keep up. Some key insights here:

COVID-19’s Ongoing Impact: The pandemic really shifted customer expectations, especially when it comes to how they interact with repairs and maintenance services.

Data-Driven Efficiency: Using data to predict repair needs – like catching damp or mould issues early – is a game changer for service delivery.

Workforce Challenges: There’s a real shortage of skilled tradespeople, so collaboration within the sector is critical to closing that gap.

Paul’s advice? Use data, balance reactive and planned repairs, and find innovative ways to handle housing maintenance.

3. Bridging the Skills Gap: Attracting the Next Generation of Talent

The housing sector is facing a growing skills gap, and Greg Reed from Places for People shared some great ideas on how organisations can build a future-ready workforce:

It’s About More Than Salary: To attract skilled tradespeople and housing professionals, it’s not just about the paycheque. Organisations need to focus on career progression, community impact, and purpose-driven work.

Collaboration for Talent Development: Greg’s PfP Thrive initiative is a great example of how housing associations can team up to create apprenticeship programs that benefit the whole sector.

Empowering Diverse Talent: Focusing on diversity in recruitment can help expand the pool of potential employees and leaders.

Greg is showing us that by fostering grassroots talent, housing organizations can create a workforce that’s ready for the future.

4. Purpose-Driven Leadership: Making Better Decisions for Tenants

James Francis from Saffron Housing shared how having a clear organisational purpose can help guide better decisions and lead to better service for tenants. Here are some of the highlights:

Principled Decision-Making: Saffron’s focus on "doing the right thing" has really shaped how they approach tenant services, especially when it comes to creating safer communities and empowering tenants through initiatives like their Community Membership Model.

Empowering Teams: A sense of purpose across the organisation encourages staff to make decisions that reflect the community’s needs and values.

Balancing Regulations and Needs: Saffron’s approach shows the ongoing challenge of balancing regulatory requirements with tenant-focused solutions.

James shows us how purpose-driven leadership can lead to better outcomes for tenants and create long-term success for organisations.

5. Innovation Beyond Technology: Bold Decision-Making for the Future

Elizabeth Froude, Group CEO of Platform Housing Group, shared some valuable insights on how true innovation in housing goes beyond just technology - it’s about culture and leadership:

Agility in a Changing Environment: Housing organisations need to stay flexible and keep adjusting to shifting customer expectations while balancing digital transformation with human centred service.

Bold Decision-Making: Sometimes, making big, risky decisions is exactly what’s needed to move housing development forward, even in uncertain times.

Fostering a Culture of Experimentation: Elizabeth emphasises how important it is to create a culture that encourages trying new things and taking risks to drive innovation.

Platform’s approach shows that leadership and culture are just as critical as technology in creating the future of housing.

A Call to Action for the Housing Sector

Season 4 has ignited critical conversations around supporting vulnerable communities, addressing the growing repair demands, closing the skills gap, and leading with purpose. These episodes have provided practical strategies, leadership insights, and real-world examples of how organisations are tackling today’s challenges.

By sharing these takeaways, we aim to inspire more action and collaboration in the housing sector. But don’t just take our word for it - tune in to each episode (only 30 minutes long!) during your lunch break or commute to deepen your understanding of the industry’s current landscape.

All Episodes are available here: The Hip Podcast Season 4

Looking ahead, let's keep the conversation going - not just to shape the present, but to pave the way for a more inclusive, efficient, and innovative future in housing. At AJ, we are proud to lead the charge in sparking discussions and driving meaningful change across the sector.