The frontline roles are more complex since the 90s and the people we house are more challenging. What can we learn from the emotional support provided to social workers to change our culture?
As change and transformation specialists, we’ve noticed that the role of frontline housing staff has undergone a dramatic transformation of its own over the past three decades. What was once primarily about managing tenancies, repairs, and rent has evolved into something far more complex. And nowadays, these professionals are often on the front line, facing crises that would test even the most experienced social worker or emergency responder.
Frontline housing staff regularly bear witness to human suffering and trauma, from tenants grappling with mental health crises to families trapped in heartbreaking housing situations. They’re frequently finding themselves in deeply personal, emotionally charged, and sometimes even dangerous scenarios they never signed up for. And more worryingly, have insufficient training to handle.
Social workers in Children’s Services are given proactive support to ensure they don’t take home the problems they deal with during the day. The culture recognises the risks to staff and there are layered support mechanisms to protect wellbeing as individuals and teams. This contrasts materially with the housing sector.
So, here’s the question we need to ask ourselves: Is it time to move beyond ‘sink or swim’ and learn from the way social workers are supported?
The Emotional Toll of Housing Roles
The experiences faced by frontline housing staff can be difficult for them to manage. Justin Hunt, a former Housing Director, now turned Associate Consultant with Trueman Change, reflected on his own career and realised that he had built a long list of emotionally demanding situations that he or his staff/ colleagues had managed over the years. These included:
- Permanently decanting whole tower blocks of families following a fire
- Graphic deaths in properties
- Physical violence in receptions or homes
- Verbal abuse
- Negative public social media
- Suicides
- Political bullying
- Toxic internal cultures and restructures
- Distressing anti-social behaviour cases and crimes against vulnerable tenants such as cuckooing
- Tenants who have experienced severe personal trauma
- Neighbourhood regeneration where whole communities are broken up
- Inability to transfer households suffering extreme personal circumstances due to a lack of available homes (mainly 3 and 4 bed properties)
- Severe disrepair cases due to aging stock, contractor negligence or poor strategic decisions
- Tenancy and employee fraud taking advantage of the social aspect of the sector
- Loneliness in both tenants and staff
- Extreme drug and alcohol use in staff
When Justin discussed the emotional demands of housing with experienced colleagues, they all had a similar list. They also agreed with Justin that the role has changed and it's time to start supporting staff in a way more aligned with the nature of the job in 2025. The reality is the sector is losing good people because we aren’t recognising the extent of the emotional demands that staff face.
A Career in Housing in 2025?
Based on his experience, would Justin recommend a career in housing to a 17-year-old now? He told us, "Yes, it is one of the most rewarding and varied careers around. We deal with the reality of life at its best and worst, and housing is at the heart of social policy. The good far outweighs the bad. We just need to provide more support to our staff for the immediate challenges, but also the cumulative impact to ensure it is attractive to the new generation of frontline colleagues."
Time for Change
Trueman Change recognises the urgent need to do better. And that’s why we’re hosting “Time to address the emotional demands of the housing sector," an online event designed specifically for housing professionals in local government and housing associations. We don’t have all the answers, nor are we therapists qualified to help with the emotional toll of housing roles. But in this one-hour session we will commit to creating space for reflection, providing expert insights, and exploring practical strategies for addressing the emotional challenges of the job.
Our expert panel combines lived experience with strategic expertise. Justin Hunt will share what he's learned from decades in housing; Lucy Trueman, an organisational psychologist and Managing Director at Trueman Change, will provide her deep expertise in workforce resilience; and a senior leader from Children’s Services will offer valuable insights into the shared challenges of high-pressure public sector roles.
Together, we’ll tackle hard-hitting questions, such as:
- How have frontline housing roles shifted over the past three decades?
- What concrete steps can organisations take to support their teams better?
- How can leadership foster resilience and prevent burnout?
You will also hear how our organisational psychology driven approach brings these topics to the surface, helping you to design jobs well and provide the right environment to support your team's wellbeing.
You’re Invited
We believe this event has the power to make a difference - not just for housing officers, but for the communities they serve. Your work matters. Your wellbeing matters. And change starts now.
Join us on Friday 9 May to be part of this essential discussion. Because it’s time to take better care of those who care for our communities.
