Bridging the Values Gap in the Housing Sector

Our client was a housing organisation. They did sterling work for their tenants and just like many others, they talked about important values like teamwork, creativity and honesty. When we first began working with them, these values were on posters on the wall and their website, but both leaders and colleagues told us they often felt like empty words – they didn’t always feel like these values were a part of their daily work. They wanted change.

The organisation also told us that they wanted everyone to feel included. But sometimes, employees still had doubts, didn’t trust each other, or felt like they weren’t being heard or understood. To make their values a real part of their work, the organisation’s leaders wanted something more than just words. They wanted people across all levels to have genuine conversations – even the difficult ones!

Turning Words into Action

The leaders realised that what they said needed to match what they did. Values like teamwork and honesty weren’t just things to talk about. They needed to be a real part of how people worked together. The CEO told me that ‘it was like having a fancy brochure that promised a lot but didn’t deliver in real life. What really matters is how employees experience these values in their daily work’. He pledged to lead from the top on this one.

The Challenge of Equity and Inclusion

Yes, these were big and important ideas, but they only mattered if they changed how people treated each other every day. If employees still felt unsure or didn’t trust their co-workers, then these important ideas weren’t making a real difference.

The Magic of Talking to Each Other

Our solution was simple: they needed to have meaningful conversations. Conversations that became bridges that connected people and helped them understand each other better. What they learned from our programme was that when people talked openly and listened to each other, trust and respect grew.

In a world where some people worked from the office and some worked from home, these conversations became even more crucial. Not only in official meetings but also during a quick chat over coffee, a friendly video call, or a casual talk. These talks became the key to keeping the team together and making sure that the values they talked about came to life.

Making Values Real

To really change the organisation, values couldn’t just be words on a poster. They had to be a part of how people talked and acted at work. It was about respecting each person’s differences and making sure everyone felt heard and understood.

When values became part of everyday conversations, the magic happened. Employees felt proud of their work, connected to their team and like they could be themselves. In this new way of working, values weren’t just something to read on a wall, they were the principles that helped people work well together.

The Key to Success in the Hybrid World

In a world where people work from different places, having meaningful conversations is like glue holding the team together. These conversations are the secret to building trust, even when the team is far apart.

In short, meaningful conversations are not just a nice thing to have, they are a must-have for the modern workplace. They are the way to turn the values into real actions and to make sure that everyone feels included and equal. In a world where the office could be anywhere, conversations are the bridge that connects everyone in a truly special way.

If you want to learn more about our workshops on meaningful conversations, we’re here to help. You can reach out to us at ideas@smartworkingrevolution.com.