Productivity is a term frequently discussed within social housing, especially in relation to repairs and maintenance services. However, measuring and improving productivity is far from straightforward. While it might seem like a simple issue of ensuring operatives are working efficiently, the reality is that productivity is an output of a range of interrelated tasks, processes, and resources. To truly understand and address productivity, we must look at a variety of factors, including supervision, task complexity, operative skill levels, and even the structure of incentives.
Key Drivers of Productivity
In the context of social housing, the productivity of operatives – from repairs teams to asset management staff – depends on a mix of factors:
- Planning and Scheduling
One of the greatest contributors to operational efficiency is how well jobs are planned and scheduled. Poor planning leads to delays, double visits, and wasted resources. Scheduling operatives efficiently, ensuring they have all the materials and access they need to complete a job in one visit, is crucial. - Operative Skill Levels
Productivity can’t be separated from the competency of the workforce. Operatives need to be well-trained, not only in the technical aspects of their jobs but also in customer service and time management. Investment in ongoing training, especially in an environment where regulations and best practices frequently change, can significantly improve productivity. - Materials and Supply Chain
The speed and efficiency with which materials are available to operatives is another key driver. Delays in receiving the necessary tools or parts can lead to longer job completion times and impact the overall productivity of the workforce. A streamlined supply chain is essential to ensure operatives can remain on-site and complete tasks without disruption. - Task Complexity
Some tasks are inherently more complex than others, and the time needed to complete them varies. Productivity can’t be measured solely by the number of jobs completed in a day without considering the difficulty and scope of the work involved.
Why Bonus Schemes Can Be Counterproductive
It might seem intuitive to incentivize workers with bonus schemes based on the number of jobs completed. However, this approach often leads to shortcuts being taken, with quality sacrificed for speed. In the long run, this leads to more repairs and can result in tenant dissatisfaction – a counterproductive outcome. Productivity should instead be aligned with quality metrics, such as first-time fix rates or customer satisfaction scores, which give a more balanced picture of performance.
This first part sets up the discussion of productivity as a multifaceted issue, paving the way for future posts to explore specific solutions, performance measurement methods, and best practices for enhancing productivity