Working in social and supported housing means we often deal with difficult situations, engage with vulnerable clients and diffuse conflict with tenants. It’s likely that at some point you will experience abuse from people you are trying to help, in fact nearly half of all social housing workers have experienced aggression or violence at work. While the training you’ve undertaken has given you the tools you need to successfully navigate these challenges, the experience of your first social housing role can sometimes be overwhelming. It’s important that you learn how to spot any early signs you’re struggling with your own self-care and wellbeing, and how to ask for help.
Why It’s Important to Look After Yourself
Maintaining your self-care and wellbeing is as important as helping others. When you're feeling good, you can provide better support. Your well-being affects how well you can understand and communicate with others. Having good self-care and stress-management skills also helps prevent burnout. So, by taking care of yourself, you're not only looking out for you but also making sure you can offer the best help to others.
Spotting Signs of Stress
It's crucial to learn to recognise signs of stress early on so that you can access the help you need or be able to offer help to your colleagues. Watch for indicators like increased irritability, changes in mood, or a decline in performance. You might also experience some physical symptoms such as headaches or fatigue.
If you do notice signs of stress in yourself or others, you should be proactive about accessing support from your supervisors or workplace assistance programs. Having a strong network of peers or a mentor who understand the unique pressures of working in the social housing sector can also be a valuable resource for getting help with your self-care and wellbeing at work.
Key Self-Care Skills to Develop
You should also develop some key skills that will help you manage stress, self-care, and wellbeing throughout your career in social housing.
1. Time Management
Knowing how to prioritise tasks and allocate your time appropriately will help you manage your workload effectively and reduce the stress and anxiety that comes from having too much to do. By learning to set realistic goals and deadlines you’ll avoid feeling overwhelmed. There are lots of time management tools and apps available but the simplest and most effective are dynamic calendars and to-do-lists.
2. Stress Management
We can’t always avoid stress! Which is why it’s important to be able to spot sources of stress, whether they are work-related or personal, and have techniques on hand to address them. Healthy ways to cope with stress include practicing stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness and knowing how to establish boundaries to prevent work from taking over your personal life.
3. Communication
Improving your communication and collaboration skills can be incredibly valuable in helping you manage your self-care and wellbeing at work. You’ll be better able to express your needs and concerns effectively to you supervisor and establish boundaries and priorities with your colleagues. Good active listening skills and empathy will also help you to foster positive relationships with your colleagues and service users.
4. Resilience
Being resilient means being able to bounce back from setbacks and adapt well to changes. You can do that by cultivating a positive mindset that is focussed on finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Resilient people often see challenges as opportunities for learning and development not as roadblocks to success.
5. Self-Reflection
Having insight into your thoughts, feelings and behaviours is a key self-care skill that will help you understand what causes stress for you at work and why you react the way you do. Self-reflection lets you assess your work-life balance and make any changes needed. Set aside a regular time to reflect on your day-to-day experiences and long-term goals and take time for self-care activities that bring joy and relaxation.
With these skills as part of your toolkit you’ll be better able to manage any stressful or challenging circumstances you experience, and they are valuable soft skills to have as part of your career development too.
Other Ways to Support Your Wellbeing at Work
It’s likely that your employer has procedures and policies in place to help you with your wellbeing and work as well as mental health and wellbeing support available as well. Make sure to check your employee handbook or ask your supervisor for any information available. Some examples of support your organisation may have available include:
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Training
• Employee Assistance Groups, Employee Resource Groups, or other peer support groups
• Wellness Action Plans
• Counselling
• Exercise or Meditation Classes
• Financial Advice Services
• Quiet Spaces, Prayer, or Meditation Rooms
• Pastoral Support Services
• Flexible Working
As you start your career in social housing it’s important to remember that these support services are available to you, and to remember that it’s OK to ask for help if you are struggling with aspects of your role or your mental health and wellbeing.
At Vetro we offer expert advice and recruitment support in the supported housing sector. Learn how to develop your career, grow your abilities, and find the perfect roles for you with the help and guidance of our industry-expert consultants.
If you'd like more information on how Vetro could help you find your next social housing role, get in touch or explore our hundreds of live vacancies across the UK.
