The social housing sector is no stranger to social value. It’s impossible to be when everything you do is about uplifting communities and changing lives. Whether it’s providing housing for vulnerable residents, helping people with stable employment, or building communities where locals want to spend their time, you achieve so much social good. But wouldn’t it be nice to show these impacts in a more powerful, meaningful way?
There’s no denying that the topline figures of your interventions matter. How many low-emission boilers you’ve installed. Or the number of coffee mornings you’ve hosted. But we can’t help thinking there’s something missing from these statistics: your residents.
Which brings us onto tenant surveys – the perfect way to keep real people and stories at the heart of your social value and reports. We’ve got three reasons why they’re a worthy investment for your organisation. Let’s jump right in!
They give your residents a voice
To achieve the greatest outcomes, you want to consult the people you’re trying to help. Your staff could try to guess the best way to support local residents. But wouldn’t it be better to ask them directly? It’s a powerful thing when your tenants feel heard and included in your social value journey.
Tenant surveys give your residents that voice. They allow them to have a say in where your organisation’s time and resources are best spent. And in doing so, empower you to create initiatives that are specific, relevant, and directly address residents’ needs.
The results from surveys can also add gravitas to your social value, sustainability, or ESG reports. Qualitative responses allow you to move past the outputs created and tap into the wellbeing of your tenants.
Don’t just say you care about resident satisfaction. Prove that you do by creating ongoing feedback loops. Then capture direct quotes from residents about how your quick response times have given them peace of mind.
They capture progress over time
One of the reasons social value measurement can be so difficult is because your impacts have no set time frame. A year-long initiative could keep generating social value for decades to come. And without the time and resources to spare, you can end up overlooking a lot of this long-term value.
Instead, send your tenants surveys on an ongoing basis to build the full picture of your impact. Hear how getting a family off the streets continues to impact them positively after six months. Or how attending a local support group is still providing solace to cancer survivors two years down the road. Just because an intervention has stopped doesn’t mean the outcomes have to.
They’re more efficient
Your staff could contact thousands of tenants individually and run them through a set of questions. But we doubt they have that kind of time to spare. Wouldn’t their time be better spent thinking up new services to offer? Or comparing the outcomes of different services to improve your long-term social value strategy?
Tenant surveys can easily be automated. You can create a set of relevant questions to capture both quantitative and qualitative data, and send these out to thousands of tenants in a matter of minutes. Meaning your staff can get off the phone and back to what matters most: making a difference.
Not only will automated surveys reduce your team’s administrative burden, but they’re also more convenient for your tenants. Available online, they can be completed at a time that suits them. While follow-up reminders give an extra nudge if they don’t respond within a certain period. And this means you can expect even more responses and valuable social value data. Need we say anymore?
Everything your housing association does improves lives. But too often, we see real-life stories go ignored. Tenant surveys allow you to connect directly with your beneficiaries. They provide valuable insights to shape your services and reports, and can even save your team’s time and resources in the process.
Impact’s intelligent survey functionality combines 18 input types, is available offline, and uses conditional logic to ensure relevant questions for each respondent. It’s never been easier to put your tenants’ feedback and stories front and centre. To find out more, schedule a demo or get in touch with the team on 0161 532 4752.