Above all, it`s a people business

In an age fixated on targets and numbers, Wates Living Space prefers to see its customers and staff as people rather than just numbers. The attitude is neatly summed up with its strapline ‘above all it’s about people’ – but it’s what goes on behind the scenes that show this is no mere sloganeering

Wates Living Space now has the chance to shout about the ‘quick favour’ jobs and little ‘fix its’ its tradespeople are asked to do for its customers while out and about.

They’re the kind of little jobs that can make a big difference to people, and so exactly the kind of stories a company like Wates should be flying proud from its mast. Likewise, they’re the kind of jobs its tradespeople won’t think twice about; done and dusted, all part of the service.

In part, it’s a measure of Living Space’s professional approach to business, but also a reflection of its people-focused business culture. The effect is to foster a workforce ready and willing to ‘chip in’ which goes towards creating the added value and community involvement that Wates as a family-owned business is keen to pursue.

“Wates is very committed to working with local communities,” said business development manager John Fedden. “We have a Wates Community Day every year, with everybody in the organisation committing some hours to some community work. Last year we donated over 8,000 hours by Wates staff nationally. That included the chair, chief executive, the family, right through to the regions and the people working at site level.”

In the North West region, Living Space was involved in around 12 projects, together with its sister divisions operating out of the same regional HQ. A typical project saw Living Space get together with its supply chain to fit out the kitchen of Timperley Congregational Church, and so refurbish the premises with more modern facilities. It’s all part and parcel of the company’s intent to be a part of the local community.

“Some of the community things don’t have to be massive,” Fedden added. “Little things done for a few people in a school, or a few people in a church can make a massive amount of difference. Wates is probably guilty of doing these things but never telling anybody, but if that’s a guilt, well, I’m very pleased that we do it.”

Sarah Smith, Living Space’s marketing manager added: “We work in communities, in partnership with housing associations, and we don’t want to go in and just build houses or put kitchens in – we want to leave a legacy, we want to make a real difference to the community. So, we’ll run a local Building Futures programme, we’ll work with local tenants organisations, we’ll sponsor events, hold Christmas parties, all that kind of stuff so that we do integrate into the community instead of going in, doing the work, then disappearing back out again.”

Living Space, part of the wider Wates Group, focuses on social housing, typically Decent Homes and refurbishment type work, but also newbuild projects. Across the regions, the division last year built or refurbished 21,000 homes. It works with some of the major players in the North West’s affordable housing scene, including Southway Housing Trust, Northwards Housing, Trafford Housing Trust, Calico Housing, Places for People, Riverside and others. Living Space North West is also a part of the Impact Manchester consortium. Along with its main operational base in Sharston, it maintains three local offices in the Wirral, Trafford and one in East Manchester, so the company clearly gets about a bit, reaching out far and wide to the communities out there.

“Living Space is a significant player in affordable housing in the North West. We have about 80 staff employed directly,” Fedden said. “We carry out work in people’s homes on the Decent Homes programme, we also work in care homes, tower blocks, newbuild, and so on. Within all this, we’re very much into the feeling that above all it’s about people. So, we can have all the businesses, talk about the business, whatever, but none of these would be successful without the good quality of the staff we have.”

The company has a strong in-house training culture to support and develop its people, and is committed to promoting the industry to young people in schools and colleges, as well as pulling in people from the areas where it works. It runs a strong apprenticeship scheme and is heavily involved in developing the industry as a career choice for women.

“We go regularly into schools, firstly to talk about health and safety,” Fedden said. “But we’ll also go in and talk about women in construction, apprenticeships, training – about how men and women can become involved in the construction industry. We are developing opportunities for people to come and learn and develop skills and grow within Wates Living Space.”

Last year, Living Space organised an exhibition at Manchester City Hall to promote jobs and careers within the construction industry, again targeted at a diverse base, but always with an eye to promoting a greater involvement of women. Around 23 per cent of the company’s workforce nationally is female, working across all trades, from admin, through professional, to resident liaisons and trades. Representatives were duly on hand to explain about the industry and their role in it. The company has also frequently featured on local radio and Manchester’s Channel M to talk about women in the industry and career opportunities generally.

Building Futures is one community-based take on putting the company’s views into practice. Established just over two years ago to fill a gap in the market of provision, the scheme provides intensive training for the over-25s. Within this age-group, it aims to help exoffenders, parent returnees, and those who have been out of work for some time. Typically, it provides training for 12 people from the local area where the company is operating. At the end of the scheme, participants are guaranteed an interview for a position with Wates or one of its supply chain partners.

Last year, the company put 100 people through the Building Futures scheme, and two thirds of them are still in paid employment six months down the line.

“Everything just leads back to Wates being a caring company,” Smith added. “One that’s committed to developing the employees we have and to bringing in the best staff – and if we have to wait for the best that’s what we’ll do.”