About Salix Homes

Salix Homes uses a performance management system, which manages all service action plans under the Corporate Plan. Managers are responsible for reporting on their service areas within the system and are required to attend quarterly performance clinics to report their performance to the Executive Team. On an annual basis each service area/team has an externally led audit carried out and the outcome is then reported to the internal audit committee. Once the actions have been agreed at the committee, the Manager is responsible for providing bi-monthly update reports to the committee. Managers are subject to monthly one to one and annual appraisals with their Managers, where both their performance against objectives and the competency framework are measured.

Salix Homes offer a robust induction process for all new starters that includes training on safeguarding, manual handling, IOSH, equality and diversity and ICT systems, combined with job specific training. They are committed to an intake of apprentices each year who are paid the minimum wage for their age and not an apprentice rate in areas of their business and they currently have two graduate roles in place who receive an enhanced salary above Living Wage, as well as their full study fees. Salix Homes offer a number of NVQ opportunities to staff within the organisation to support their development. They run “Manager Academies” on a monthly basis for all employees with people responsibilities to focus on themes impacting on the Manager. The responsibilities include delivering effective appraisals, recruitment and selection, training and more.

Every year Salix Homes hold a high-profile employee conference, which the whole workforce is expected to attend. The event aims to break down barriers and encourage maximum engagement using innovative techniques, guest speakers and personalisation. Their inaugural event in 2015 launched the corporate plan, whilst the 2016 conference was framed around their digital ambitions. Every second Tuesday of the month the operational staff are invited into staggered “toolbox talk” sessions to update them on key information and communications and to ensure messages and best practice is disseminated. All sections and teams are encouraged to hold “team away days” at least once a year to allow focus on the objectives and priorities within their areas of work. On a bi-monthly basis the organisation holds “Team Salix” events, where all employees are invited to attend and listen to key updates from the various teams within the organisation relating to the priority work within their areas. Ad hoc initiatives are often held to encourage understanding of the work that the different areas of the business do. For example, they recently held a “ten call challenge” as part of Customer Services week, where staff were invited to take ten calls from the Call Centre to build on their understanding of the work that they do.