Weeknotes: Resourcing

Social Purpose

Yesterday evening, I spent a lovely evening catching up with two former colleagues from Accent Group. I last worked there five years ago having “retired”. Good to hear the success of the Digital Team and the people involved. Everything changes and nothing changes.

They commented on my LinkedIn blog about fractional resources. Indeed I had a lot of interest about it generally. The view from inside a housing association is that appointing contractors is a risky affair, some fit well but some can be disruptive. We recalled a few good and bad examples.

But as I told them.… my post was not about contractors.

Business Need

Based on numbers it appears that the team has increased by about 50%. Growth has usually been as a result of reactive demand for projects that needed expert skills.

I find myself in Golden Marzipan commissions talking repeatedly about skills, capacity and capabilities. I think each one is subtly different.

Lack of capacity is usually about poor planning, assessing priorities or business demand driven by internal conflict.

There is also lack of data, digital and technology skills generally. That’s a whole different blog – lots of reasons and under investment in training and supported qualifications. Just as an example the Eighth Annual Report of the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts says that Government has fewer than half the digital, data and technology professionals that it needs! Ditto social housing and likely to get worse when training budgets get prioritised for housing qualifications. I’m in favour of both btw!

So what is a lack of capabilities? One definition is:

the means by which an organisation brings together its people and other resources to respond to changes in the business environment and deliver value to its customers and stakeholders.

In other words, understanding how the world is changing, rapidly, through technology and responding accordingly.

Data Driven

A lot of the digital demand and growth in the sector had been about data capabilities as a result of consumer behaviour and regulations.

My discussion midweek with recruiters James and Jamie, was about the supply and demand of specific data skills which let’s face it are broad and deep and challenging for the generalist like me to understand. Do I need a data developer, data visualisation expert, data modeller, application analyst or data scientist? Probably all of these.

For smaller housing associations this is an unlikely ask. I’ve seen recent examples of recruitment adverts seeking all-rounders with salaries well below market rates. Sometimes you can get lucky!

But data is a good example of where I think we could either collaborate or buy in skills on a fractional basis, and I’m not just taking about contractors or freelancers.

Digital Impact

I’m calling this the 70–20–10 principle where:

• 70% of your resources are employed in-house
• 20% are temporary or shared
• 10% are partnered experts

Here’s half a dozen ways that could be applied:

1. Recruit a shared resource with your neighbours, a great way to demonstrate practical collaboration.
2. Buy skills by the hour from platforms like Upwork, the online marketplace that matches registered users to find, hire, and collaborate with remote workers.
3. Create a graduate or apprenticeship programme to build for the future.
4. Create a partnership with a data consultancy – seek to work with them 2–4 days per month using different skills and transferring knowledge.
5. Build a register of good freelancers, contractors and former staff. Keep them regularly informed of your plans.
6. Work with a fractional executive to provide expert advice, guidance and ownership of your digital strategy.

You don’t have to do everything by yourself.