Welsh Housing Awards winner 2023

Excellence in professionalism, learning and development

Hafod is a socially conscious, not-for-profit organisation, focused on making lives better by building communities and making connections.

We deliver high-quality affordable homes and support services for people to maintain their independence and well-being for as long as possible. We also provide care to people in their own homes, in supported housing or in our residential care and nursing homes.

We work across seven local authority areas in Wales and help over 20,000 people each year. We continue to develop and grow and are proud to support people throughout their lifetime.

In September 2022 Hafod launched their Culture Principles and Behaviours framework. The framework was created to establish a consistent approach to professional standards and expected behaviours across the organisation. Working in support of Hafod’s mission of making lives better, the framework ensures that colleagues understand what is expected of them by their peers and their customers. The framework distinguishes between ‘Principles’, defined as ‘what’ Hafod (we) do collectively to make lives better and ‘Behaviours’, defined as what colleagues (I) do individually to align to Hafod’s principles and mission. The behaviours are then further broken down into effective and less effective indicators for all colleagues, managers and strategic leaders, making expectations clear and ensuring accountability through all levels of the organisation.

The Principles and Behaviours framework has been created in collaboration with colleagues from all areas of the organisation through direct colleague feedback, interviews, culture workshops and a cross departmental culture change group. When designing the framework, Hafod were keen to create behaviours which would be meaningful and clearly applied throughout the colleague lifecycle. The Principles and Behaviours framework was launched through a range of workshops delivered to managers across the organisation who in turn briefed their teams through team meetings and events.

In addition to this, Hafod’s learning and development team have supported the organisation with over 20 bespoke training sessions to empower teams to identify how the principles and behaviours can be developed, recognised and celebrated. During these sessions, colleagues have had the opportunity to bring the behaviours to life in their teams, identifying strengths and areas for development. Each area of development was then captured in an action plan to be implemented by team managers with the support of the learning and development team.

Hafod’s eight behaviours form a key component of Hafod’s learning and development programme. In addition to ensuring that all colleagues have the technical knowledge to perform their role, Hafod’s learning offer looks to develop skills and behaviours such as communication, change management and engaging others through a blended approach of coaching, formal and informal training and self-directed learning resources. Each year, Hafod undertakes an extensive training needs analysis comprising of a colleague survey, personal development reviews and meetings with heads of departments and executive team members. Development of both principles and behaviours has been a key area of discussion during this process.

Alignment with Hafod’s Principles and Behaviours framework is considered through Hafod’s recruitment process. Interviews and assessment days for all roles across the organisation are now designed with Hafod’s principles and behaviours in mind to attract and select candidates who demonstrate attributes in line with Hafod’s behaviours.

Hafod’s Principles and Behaviours framework has been in place for ten months and colleague adoption of the behaviours and engagement with the framework is clear to see.

Recognition of colleagues demonstrating Hafod’s behaviours is encouraged by all through Hafod’s monthly colleague recognition ‘Shout Out’. This programme enables all colleagues to nominate their peers, direct reports and managers throughout the month for demonstrating or taking action in line with one of Hafod’s eight behaviours. At the end of the month, all colleagues nominated are recognised and celebrated in a monthly round up video which is shared across the association. Nominations regularly involve instances of colleagues going the extra mile to ‘make lives better’ for the organisation’s customers. Since the launch of the colleague recognition scheme in September 2022 up to June 2023, 188 people have nominated a colleague for demonstrating one of Hafod’s behaviours.

Examples of nominations that have generated great outcomes for tenants include:

• Acting as one team to safeguard tenants in danger
• Delivering results to source emergency accommodation for tenants facing homelessness
• Enabling change to introduce a pop-up food kitchen in one of Hafod’s extra care schemes to support the local community.

The framework was designed to ensure that the customer is at the heart of each principle and behaviour, and it is no surprise that the majority of colleague nominations reflect how our colleagues engage with our customers and strive for excellent outcomes for customers.

The Principles and Behaviours framework provides a standard that our customers can expect from all Hafod colleagues and customers are encouraged to feedback to the Association if colleagues aren’t meeting the behavioural standards expected.