Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY 2015 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ENVIRONMENT Shepherds Bush Housing Group (SBHG) is made up of a diverse range of businesses comprising Shepherds Bush Housing Association (SBHA), SBH Developments Limited (SBHD), the registered charity Staying First and Umbrella. Established in 1968, we now own and manage around 5,000 homes. We operate in throughout west London, while maintaining a strong local, community ethos in our core areas of Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing. Staying First is now a diverse social enterprise offering home improvement, debt and welfare benefit advice, Furnish furniture re-use, small repairs and adaptations to a wide variety of clients. Our development team carries out site procurement for retail and private residential developments. Domus is our repairs and maintenance service. Umbrella offers income generating paid for services to subsidise other services. Our role continues to change and evolve with new duties and responsibilities, a new regulatory framework and a revised scrutiny regime. The political environment brings constraints and opportunities. There is on-going emphasis on resident involvement to achieve the delivery of responsive services and high levels of customer satisfaction. Electronic communication now underpins much of our approach and strategy sets the framework for delivering ‘digital by default’ across the group. Digital by default means that all communications should be available in digital format for those wanting these and encourage residents to engage with this format. Good communication is essential to understand the needs of our residents and to provide and communicate details of our distinctive services and to develop strategies for improving life across west London. Two-way communication gives a voice to our residents and helps them shape the services delivered in their communities. It also sets the parameters for the wider perception of the group and its services. Staff will continue to be a primary communications audience including addressing communications priorities identified by staff in, inter alia, the group wide staff survey. The purpose of communications team in the delivering the group communications strategy is (via delivery or facilitation):  To ensure an informed, involved and engaged workforce through good internal communication.  To ensure that residents, service users, communities and stakeholders are aware of our vision and plans for the future.

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015  To use that information to promote, build on and protect the aims of SBHG and the businesses.  Through community engagement, to listen to the needs and views of residents and service users so that the right priorities can be established and responsive services developed.  Through increased understanding and access, to help improve satisfaction with these services.  To ensure SBHG brand (including employer brand) and tone of voice are understood and adhered to throughout SBHG so that SBHG branding is respected and applied.  To maintain an appropriate and positive SBHG profile and brand identity.  To promote and defend SBHG’s reputation.  To champion and support the sector, in our and the sector’s best interest. STRATEGY The 2015 strategy provides the three year communications framework to support the group business plan and the objective to be recognised as the best in London for our homes and related services Our board has agreed a business plan with five objectives for us to achieve this: Green, growing and high quality Involving and influencing Delighting our residents A top performer Social heart, business head, local impact KEY DELIVERABLES  We will review all existing internal and external communications channels to ensure they are fit for purpose and effective.  We will deliver solutions to communications issues identified in the 2014 staff survey.  We will deliver five communication campaigns.  We will deliver the SBHG communication priority of digital by default.  We will maintain and develop the role of residents and Resident Voice in our communication activities and strengthen the Resident Approved mark.  We will develop and protect the reputation of SBHG and its businesses.  We will ensure the SBHG brand is fit for purpose.

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015  We will carry out a perceptions study to inform our stakeholder mapping.  We will retain the PlaceShapers income stream as part of our ‘involving and influencing’ business priority. 2.

OUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES AND VALUES SBHG is committed to taking a strategic approach to communications to support delivery of the business plan. The need for a Communications Strategy is driven by the need to:  To ensure that our communication aims are concisely and clearly expressed.  To provide the principles for all communication and give guidance on communication issues.  To increase awareness and influence perceptions of SBHG within the housing and not-for-profit sector as well as other identified sectors  To improve communications links and build dialogue with key corporate stakeholders  To develop and improve internal communications to ensure all staff are informed, aware and up-to-date with Group issues.  The desire to ensure that SBHG is recognised as an Employer of Choice  To ensure that the Group’s Values are upheld We put the Customer First We are Passionate We are Focussed on Performance We Respect Others We have Integrity We are United  To support the Group’s mission statement Delivering our promises through excellent performance We achieve outstanding results by being distinctive for what we do and how we do it We’re diverse by providing a range of services that reflect individual needs

3.

WHY WE NEED A COMMUNICATIONS SRATEGY The Communication Strategy’s main aims are to support the business by increasing the visibility and credibility of SBHG and its reputation with both local and national stakeholders. The communications plan has taken objectives set in the business plan and identified these as immediate, medium term and long term priorities. It takes as the over-arching objective the aim of SBHG to be recognised as the best in London for our homes and services. When developing the strategy the following timescales were considered:  Medium term

–

Up to the end of the next Financial Year 2015/2016

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015  Long term

-

2016-2019

In order for the strategy to be effective, it must be incorporated into the wider Business planning of the Group and reviewed on an annual basis. SBHG can deliver the strategy only if our performance matches our promises. All our board members, employees and contractors are ambassadors for SBHG. Everyone must play a part in delivering the strategy if we are to succeed. We must continually challenge ourselves to look at areas where performance is not meeting targets or could be improved. We are judged on what we deliver, not what we promise. We must challenge ourselves to think and communicate in new ways. We need to listen to residents, employees and stakeholders and learn from those outside the Housing Association world including private businesses and other industries. The strategy will be promoted and adhered to within the organisational culture of the Group. It is expected that all employees will be given access to elements within the strategy and that it is the role of Managers and Directors to ensure that the strategy is clearly communicated on a day to day basis. The strategy will also be integrated with and compliment other Group wide strategies in areas such human resources. 3.2

Our Principles of Communication Although our communication is undertaken through a variety of channels and formats it should always be in accordance with the SBHG tone of voice guidelines (see guidelines on Source) which sets out that all communications should be straighttalking and helpful. In addition there are general principles:  Honest, open and accurate.  Accessible to all members of the community or, where appropriate, targeted effectively at the right community level or group.  Clear, simple and user-friendly.  Consistent and relevant.  Timely and current.  Legitimate - in accordance with relevant legislation, Codes of Practice and with the Group’s own protocols and guidelines.  High quality.  Cost-effective.  Monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. We adhere to principles of Plain English in all communications.

3.3

Our Approach and Tools

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 The Group’s Communications Plan sets in place a strategy for supporting delivery of business objectives as set out in the Business and Service Improvement Plans. Sector responsibility SBHG was a founding part in the 2014 National Housing Federation Shared Voice campaign which aimed to ensure consistency in communications across the sector. As a group we have committed to be champions of the Shared Voice key messages which must form part of all communications. We deliver homes that people can afford We invest in people and communities We are in it for the long-term Our five interlinked campaigns will support delivery of these messages. For each campaign:       

Target audiences are identified from stakeholder mapping. Their need from us identified The offer from us identified Additional messages identified The communications channel identified Methods of analysing the effectiveness of the communication are put in place. Options for review are identified.

The senior management team will monitor the campaigns. 3.4

Our audiences and customers Shepherds Bush Housing Group’s activities and services impact on a wide range of people. The customers and audiences we aim to reach may vary, depending on the particular information being communicated. In 2014 SBHG carried out a group wide review of its stakeholders, their needs, our offer and the communication channel. This is attached at appendix 1. In summary the audiences are: Councillors Staff Resident Voice Board Residents Customers/private landlords (non resident users of our services) Funders/grant organisations Local authorities Businesses Other housing associations Central The public

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 HCA (regulator) (Potential) Contractors/suppliers Media 4.

KEY OBJECTIVES 1. We will deliver five communication campaigns putting in a context all work across the business: Green, growing and high quality Involving and influencing Delighting our residents A top performer Social heart, business head, local impact Timescale: Medium term and long term 2. We will deliver the communication deliverable of SBHG digital by default including website development. Timescale: Medium term and long term 3. We will address the communications priorities identified by staff in the 2014 staff survey. Timescale: Medium term 4. We will maintain and develop the role of residents and Resident Voice in our communication activities and strengthen the Resident Approved mark. Timescale: Medium term and long term 5. We will develop and protect the reputation of SBHG and its businesses. Timescale: Medium term and long term 6. We will review all existing communications channels to ensure they are fit for purpose and effective. Timescale: Medium term 7. We will review our all elements of our brand to ensure it is fit for purpose. Timescale: Medium term

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 8. We will carry out a perceptions study to inform our stakeholder mapping. Timescale: Medium term 9. We will retain the PlaceShapers income stream as part of our ‘involving and influencing’ business priority. Timescale: Medium term and long term 10. We will create conditions where the SBHG brand is adhered to through a code of communications conduct. Timescale: Medium term 5.

EFFECTIVENESS & EVALUATION Shepherds Bush Housing Group adopts a continuous improvement approach to communication and the channels that we provide, including the use of systems and technology. The team will continually benchmark themselves against the market in general and their competitors. Quantitative and qualitative methods allow analysis of the effectiveness of communications and these include:       

6.

Resident surveys and feedback Staff surveys and feedback Stakeholder engagement and feedback Media coverage Analysis of take-up of services against targets Communication networks Industry benchmarking

ANNUAL REVIEW & MONITORING Based on assessing the effectiveness, each campaign undertaken will be reviewed and other campaign ideas will be identified to support the delivery of business critical messages. The strategy will be revisited and adjusted when appropriate to reflect changes in the business.

7.

COMMUNICATION There is on-going consultation on the strategy with the senior management team. They will continue to be consulted with on development.

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 APPENDIX ONE – STAKEHOLDER MAPPING In 2014 the SBHG Communications team reviewed the stakeholder mapping. Audience Councillors

Staff

Resident Voice

They need We offer them Channels  Votes: To be  Homes for voters  Face to face re-elected  Products and  Visits services that meet  Results: They  Letters can take their promises  Local PR credit for  Opportunities to  Industry PR  Happy raise their profile (to  Third parties: constituents take credit) Residents/  Problems to  Opportunities to businesses be resolved shine in the eyes of the party  To look good in the  Quick eyes of their response/solutions party on problems  Funding/supp  Results ort to deliver  A better chance of projects/prio happy constituents rities/promis  Safe bet (reliable, es well established)  To be able to go back to their constituents (quick response)  Enjoy their  Great office  My Place job (environment)  Beehive  Feel  Great location  Briefings recognised  Training  Staff awards (pay and  Benefit and reward  Staff benefits) package conference  Feel valued  ‘Well-being’  Informal peer Feel their to-peer  The opportunity to input counts make a difference networks  Training and development opportunities  Feel supported  To feel  The opportunity to  Meetings valued input  Visits  To  Opportunities to  Events influence/hav raise their profile (to  Beehive e a say take credit)  Buzz

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 

Board

Residents

To share  Structure for their solutions on knowledge resident problems  To know  Training and residents are development being listened  Results to/ valued  Recognition  To  Information understand  They can make a difference  To know they can hold us to account  To be reelected  Training and development • To feel • The opportunity to valued input • To • Opportunities to influence/have a say take credit/feel proud • To share • Training and their knowledge development • To know • Results residents are being • Recognition listened to/ valued • Information • To understand • They can make a difference • To know they can hold us to account  Homes  Homes  Help (e.g.  Services Getting back  Caring staff to work)  Advice and support  Repairs  Us to be there for them/a friend  To be able to pay their rent

Shepherds Bush Housing Group – 2015 Group Communications Strategy

  

Corporate publications Face to face Local PR

• Meetings • Visits • Events • Beehive • Buzz • Corporate publications • Face to face  Local PR  Industry PR

           

Face to face Staff Leaflets Letters Handbook Newsletters Events Rent statements Reception Website Buzz Social media

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015 

  Customers/ private landlords (non resident users of our services)

Funders/gra nt organisatio ns

   

   



Local authorities

    

To feel safe and secure/nice standard of living Quick resolution to problems To feel listened to Good service Good staff Responsive services Value for money

Good return on investment Quality assurance Good PR A professional supplier/indu stry leader To be able to demonstrate corporate social responsibility (CSR)  Homes Regeneration Employment opportunities To make use of grant funding Safeguard reputation



         

      



Peer-to-peer

Services (Furnish, housing management, Umbrella, nurseries, InComE, employment and volunteering, advice, domestic violence) Good staff Value for money Responsive services Safe bet We help them to meet their targets Deliver quality services Best practice Results We can be trusted High standards

       

Website Staff Local PR Online listings Events Social media Peer-to-peer Street signs



Trade/national PR Staff Website Corporate communicatio n tools Visits Third parties

Homes Services Building new homes Local regeneration Employment and training Saving public service budgets Delivering their

  

Shepherds Bush Housing Group – 2015 Group Communications Strategy

    

    

Face to face Local trade PR Speaker opportunities Visits Events Third parties Blogs Ezine

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015   Businesses

     

Other housing associations

      

Central

       

targets (eg digital inclusion, green)

Care for target groups Cost savings Staff and maybe volunteers To be a profitable business Good staff Deliver CSR Staff satisfaction To demonstrate their green credentials  Ideas Homes Results Partners A good reputation Funding Good staff 



Homes Regeneration Employment opportunities To allocate funding Safeguard reputation

    

Care for target groups Cost savings Excellent projects

  

  

A delivery mechanism (for CSR) Partnership opportunities ‘Feel good’ factor A way of reaching a specific client group

Good ideas Partnership opportunities Allies

           

        

 

Homes Services Building new homes Local regeneration Employment and training Saving public service budgets Delivering their targets (eg digital inclusion, green)

Shepherds Bush Housing Group – 2015 Group Communications Strategy

        

Website Council publications Website Local PR Trade PR Business networks Awards Staff Face to face Visits/events Sponsorship

PlaceShapers Industry bodies Local/Trade PR Visits Events Website Social media Networks National Housing Federation  Local/ trade/national PR Think tanks Speaker opportunities Visits Events Third parties esp local MPS Blogs Ezine Website

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Shepherds Bush Housing Group Group Communications Strategy 2015    The public

        

HCA (regulator)

  

(Potential) Contractor s/suppliers

  

 Media

     

PR Delivery To be reelected Services Good neighbours Nice communities Jobs Health care Education Transport Homes Feel secure

   

Homes (buy/rent) Services Good housing management Economic input

             

To know we are well-run Value for money A ‘safe-bet’

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Work/contra cts To get paid Flagship projects they can be proud of Good reputation Satisfied staff Good stories Sell publications Increase readership Good staff Good reputation

     

Contracts Flagship projects Nice staff Money References Contacts

      

  

Stories Ideas Informed opinion

     

 

Quality homes and services Value for money Good governance

Shepherds Bush Housing Group – 2015 Group Communications Strategy

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Websites Social Local/national PR Staff Events Our building Third parties Sponsorship Awards Shop Signage Face to face Visits Corporate publications Website Third parties (e.g. NHF) Trade PR Visits Face to face Awards Website Events Industry bodies Website Social media Third parties Staff Face to face Press releases

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