Spire Homes get Gold Stars from Staff!

Published by Ceri Jackson for Longhurst Group in Housing and also in Communities

Spire Homes have reached starry heights as they have joined the ranks of social housing providers highlighting themselves as some of the best employers in the UK. The Rutland and Northamptonshire housing provider now boasts 2 star accreditation from Best Companies.

Organisations within the housing sector are popular employers and are increasingly proving themselves to be amongst the best places to work in the UK with the number of Housing Associations receiving accreditation from Best Companies growing from 8 to 32 between 2006 and 2012.

Asserting ‘outstanding’ star quality depends entirely on happy staff as employee opinion forms the main basis of assessment; the award is designed to recognise those organisations who demonstrate a high level of commitment to their workforce. The superstars who work for Spire Homes scored their satisfaction with the organisation sky high as a result of strong leadership, dedication to training and personal development, and high levels of staff engagement. The community focus of Spire Homes’ work is also popular amongst employees.

Workforce well-being is not a new concern for Spire Homes and prioritising staff contentment has resulted in long term staff retention; a quarter of staff have worked for the housing provider for ten years or more. Valuing their employees has reaped reward for Spire Homes as not only have they secured a new, star studded accolade but their performance is consistently ranked in the top 25% of housing associations.

‘Our staff are our biggest asset and we are proud of the work that they do. These are difficult times for many and our staff continue to offer help and support and do a fantastic job no matter how challenging the circumstances may be. We’ve worked hard to create a vibrant workplace which encourages and empowers our staff to do their jobs well and have fun along the way. This award is a testament to our staff and shows what a great place Spire Homes is to work’ shared Julie Doyle, Managing Director.

Competition is tough so Spire Homes had to shine bright to claim their star studded accolade. In 2012 over 1000 organisations applied for star status but less than half achieved accreditation; 2 stars were awarded to less than 180 organisations across the whole of the country.