Listen: A tailored approach is key to an effective reward strategy and supporting a culture of community at retirement living provider Housing 21. In this episode of the Employee Benefits podcast, Ian Hodson, director of people and culture, explains how the employer ensures its benefits are relevant to, and therefore valued by, its specific workforce demographics.
Hodson details some of the challenges faced by these employee groups, and some of the benefits that the organisation has introduced to help support them, from a focus on pensions and retirement savings for a certain group, to healthcare provision that is affordable and accessible to all.
At a glance
Housing 21 is a housing and care provider with 34,000 properties across the UK providing retirement living and services to residents over the age of 55.
Typical job roles include housing managers, care managers, carers, domestic service assistants and the regular central services including people and culture, IT, finance, marketing etc.
It has 4,200 employees with an average age of 49 years. The average length of service is four years.
What are the primary business objectives that impact on benefits for the coming year?
Digitalisation, employee absence and employee retention, along with ensuring resident satisfaction which the organisation will assist with by creating the culture that allows employees to thrive and removes the barriers that prevent them from doing so.
Career history
Ian Hodson joined Housing 21 in 2023, having previously held positions including director of people, performance and culture, and head of reward at University of Lincoln, and roles in HR, finance and reward at Prudential, Mars and Moy Park.
Hodson says: ”My teams have won the Grand Prix at Employee Benefits Awards three times which I am very proud of, but in my career I take the most satisfaction from pushing the agenda forward, being innovative, challenging and then seeing others develop; and hopefully always maintaining a perspective of fun.”
