Longhurst Group logo Working Smarter Together During the Coronavirus pandemic, we’ve had to significantly change how and where we work, closing our offices to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep people safe. Our Working Smarter Together strategy details how and where we’ll work in the future. HOME ABOUT US WORKING SMARTER TOGETHER View page menu Working Smarter Together We’re making some changes to the way we’ll work and provide services. During the Coronavirus pandemic, we’ve had to significantly change how and where we work, closing our offices to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep people safe. Although we’ve not been able to spend as much time in our communities as we’d like, we’ve learned how to communicate with customers and deliver services in a different way. By travelling less, being more efficient and accessing our offices less often, we’ve also reduced our impact on the environment. Listening to customer feedback, before and during the pandemic, we know we need to be more responsive to improve the way we deliver services and answer your queries. This has helped us understand what we need to do to realise the benefits of our new way of working. We’re always looking at how we can do even more for our customers and provide services that make a real difference. By working more closely with you and staying connected with the communities we serve, we believe we can do even more. Our vision for the future is to work smarter, more flexibly and from fewer locations. You can find out more about this by watching this video. What this means Some of our offices won’t reopen following the pandemic, and many of our colleagues will work locally within the community without being based in an office. As we return to delivering our usual services, we’ll visit customers and our communities more often. We’ve kept an office location in each of the three regions we cover – the East, South and West. Our offices in the East Our offices in the South Our offices in the West The benefits Making savings to reinvest in our services Having fewer offices and travelling less will reduce our operating costs and we’ll reinvest these savings into improving the services we provide. Reduced emissions from vehicles and buildings will also lessen our carbon footprint. Working more closely in our communities Having more people working locally in the community will help us have a closer connection with our customers. Alongside enhanced opportunities for customers to use technology, we’ll significantly improve the service and the experience you receive. Improving our digital services This approach follows customer feedback about seeing more colleagues within our communities and receiving an improved digital experience. As well as having homes you love, we want you to access services you can rely on and in a way that suits you. Ensuring colleagues have the right tools to provide our services This new approach will also help our colleagues to improve their work/life balance, meaning they’ll be happier, more productive and have the tools they need to ensure you receive an even better service. Over time, we want to offer more effective digital services that provide you with greater opportunities to use technology and communicate with us in the way you choose. And when life changes for you, we want to make sure we can be there to help, providing the support and guidance you need to maintain a good quality of life. What's next? In the coming months, as and when restrictions change, the offices we’re keeping will begin to reopen to more visitors. As we improve our digital services and have more presence in our communities, we expect that fewer customers will attend our offices. After everything we’ve achieved in the last year and a half, we’re ready to embrace this new way of working and confident it’ll enable us to do even more for our customers. If you have any questions about our new way of working, please email yourquestions@longhurst-group.org.uk Updated: 16 November 2021 Useful information Contact Longhurst Group Our Improving Lives 2025 strategy Call us: 0300 123 1745 Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram TikTok Accessibility Policies Data Protection Terms of use Openness Cookies Policy Modern Slavery Statement Our Performance Standard terms of purchase Duty of Candour Safeguarding Staff Privacy Notice You Said, We Did Longhurst Group, 50 Newhall Hill, Birmingham B1 3JN | T: 0300 123 1745 | A charitable housing association registered as a community benefit society (Reg. No. 8009) and registered with the Regulator of Social Housing (No. L4277). Registered Office: 50 Newhall Hill, Birmingham B1 3JN. VAT Reg No. 326 0270 36. A member of the National Housing Federation.