From creating special needs and residential accommodation for vulnerable individuals to regenerating thriving communities, Catalyst is one of the UK’s leading housing associations in the South East. They have over 21,000 homes available to rent or part-purchase aimed at those needing help to secure a home.

The Challenge

To increase housing stock by 25% in three years, through the organisation’s structural reform

The need for affordable housing in the UK has never been greater. To meet this need Catalyst took on an ambitious growth plan that aimed to increase its housing stock by a further 4,000 homes in just 3 years.

Specifically, they identified the need to move away from being a hierarchical organisation, where leadership rested only with the top team. It recognised that, to deliver a tough business agenda, the capacity and capability of their leadership had to be extended to middle managers. This would improve teamwork and collaboration and lead to greater efficiency and responsibility within the organisation.

They engaged with us to help them achieve those aims.

The Approach

Develop leadership and collaborative working through a bespoke Leadership Development Programme

We designed a bespoke Leadership Development Programme for 113 senior leaders and managers with a number of critical and integrated components. It comprised an online 360° feedback tool used to provide the necessary information to set personal and professional objectives. A range of leadership workshops addressed the collective needs of the leadership population that emerged from the 360°process and the Strategic and People Plan. Exec team development workshops were designed and facilitated to support the successful delivery of the programme. Following this, we facilitated conferences for the leaders involved, drawing on what was learned from the other elements of the programme with the aim of further driving change at the organisational level.

Results

A boost in output through improved teamwork, efficiency and personal responsibility

As a result of the leadership programme, Catalyst is now performing far more successfully as an organisation.

Judith Foss, Human Resources Director at Catalyst, says, ‘TLC’s unique mix of organisational development expertise and psychological understanding has brought us better teamwork, greater efficiency and increased production. Employees are also willing and better able to take on more responsibility.’

Since the success of the initial programme, Catalyst has rolled out the same programme to 30% more leaders and managers, bolstering efficiency even further so that its affordable housing schemes can reach even more communities across the UK.