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28 August 2018 | Comment | Article by Emma Poole

Innovative solutions for dealing with challenging times in the social housing sector


At Hugh James, we are always looking for ways that we can proactively add value and help our clients address the issues they are facing through practical steps that take account of the legal framework.

In recent months we have invested a great deal of time listening to the social housing sector to make sure that the steps we take are tailored to our clients needs. The Community Housing Cymru Leadership Conference in May highlighted the need for an effective approach to tackle the stressful encounters often suffered by frontline staff. As an intrinsic part of these roles, this can be a difficult problem to solve as an employer with a duty to look after the health and well-being of employees and over time the relentless nature of these hostile or upsetting events can take their toll leading to more long-term absences and a demoralised team.

As you might expect from a sector that leads the way in creativity and innovation when faced with a thorny issue, many of our clients have already taken steps to give their employees a helping hand. A strategy that many have found effective is introducing mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy as a means of training employees to change their thoughts about events rather than the events themselves. So successful has this approach been that some have even appointed in-house clinical psychologists and set aside meditation rooms to further facilitate the practise.

Keen to introduce this approach to others in the sector or share the expertise of those already familiar with it, Hugh James are delighted to host an event with speaker, Gelong Thubten on 4 October. Thubten speaks to audiences all over the world about how we can recharge our mental batteries, change how we reflect on events in our lives and live in a way that shows empathy and compassion. Thubten works with the Samye Foundation in Canton, Cardiff who have worked with the social housing sector for a number of years and have a strong understanding of the sector.

We would love to hear about your experiences with this approach, so please get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Author bio

Emma Poole

Client Relationship Manager

Emma Poole leads relationships with Hugh James’ clients in social housing and third sectors, representing a dedicated team consisting of over 150 lawyers, paralegals and support staff. In this role she uses her extensive commercial knowledge of the legal issues faced by organisations in these sectors, and takes account of the unique culture, values and political landscape that drive their development.

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

 

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