In organisations with diverse roles and locations, frontline voices can easily get lost. In Housing Associations, this challenge is even more real. Frontline teams, housing officers, repairs operatives, cleaners, support staff, keep things running daily. But how often do they get to shape the bigger picture?
Often, there’s a disconnect between what happens on the ground and what the boardroom hears. Frontline teams don’t always speak up. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t feel safe, valued, believe anything will change OR, they just simply don’t have the right feedback tools to share their thoughts.
So, let’s explore what frontline teams might not say, and how you can create space for their voices. We’ll look at why traditional feedback tools fall short, and how Housing Associations can build better listening cultures that genuinely bring frontline voices into decisions. When people feel heard—and see real change—engagement rises, and the whole organisation benefits. We’re talking about improving culture, retaining more of your top talent and seeing tenant satisfaction increase.
What they might not say (But need you to hear)
Even the most committed and engaged frontline workers might hold back from saying what’s really on their minds. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t feel there’s space, safety, or point in speaking up.
Here are some things that often go unsaid, but quietly impact morale, productivity, and performance:
- “I don’t feel heard.”
When feedback doesn’t lead to visible change, it chips away at trust. People start to think, “What’s the point in saying anything?” - “Our systems don’t work for how we actually do the job.”
From clunky tech to inefficient workflows, frontline staff often have to find workarounds just to do what’s needed. But raising it might feel like a waste of time, or worse, like complaining. - “I’m stretched too thin.”
Housing Associations are feeling the pressure, from rising demand to recruitment challenges, and so are their people. But frontline teams often power through in silence. - “I wish leadership understood what it’s really like out here.”
Not out of resentment, but from a genuine feeling of disconnect. Strategic decisions don’t always reflect day-to-day realities.
These unspoken truths don’t just stay with the individuals feeling them, they ripple out across teams, services, and ultimately, the tenant experience. And if they’re not acknowledged or addressed, they start to show up in the data: in tenant satisfaction scores, staff turnover, increased complaints, and missed KPIs.
So why aren’t organisations hearing this feedback clearly, and what’s getting in the way? Let’s take a look at why traditional approaches to listening often fall short, especially for frontline teams.
Why traditional listening doesn’t cut it
Most organisations run engagement surveys, team check-ins, or occasional staff consultations. But if your listening methods aren’t designed for frontline realities, you won’t get the full picture.
Here’s why:
Accessibility barriers
Many frontline roles don’t involve a desk or regular email access. If feedback channels aren’t mobile-friendly or easy to access on the go, they’ll be underused.
Generic survey questions
What matters to an office-based policy team is often different from what matters to someone doing repairs in tenants’ homes. One-size-fits-all surveys miss crucial nuance.
Lack of follow-up
If feedback is collected but never acted on, or no one explains what’s happening next, trust in the process fades fast.
Fear of repercussion
In small teams or close-knit sites, employees might worry about being identified. That fear can lead to silence, even when something important needs to be said.
Benchmarking insight: How Housing Associations compare
Each quarter, using the collective power of over 500,000 employee responses within Hive’s employee voice platform, we bring you HR benchmarking data which looks at engagement levels, drivers, and eNPS trends.
It’s worth noting where Housing Associations stand when it comes to employee engagement. Over the past 12 months, their average employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) has steadily improved, climbing from around -8 to consistently hitting the mid to high 20s. This positive shift is a strong indicator that, across the sector, more organisations are successfully connecting with their teams and boosting engagement.
For Housing Associations managing complex frontline operations and evolving business pressures, this upward trend matters. Higher engagement and eNPS scores don’t just reflect happier teams, they correlate with lower staff turnover, better service delivery, and stronger overall performance.
So, by listening better and acting on frontline voices, Housing Associations are not just improving morale, they’re moving key business KPIs in the right direction.
Engagement Index: A clear upward trend for Housing Associations
Over the past 12 months, Housing Associations have seen their Engagement Index steadily rise from around 6.5 to 7.6. This consistent improvement signals growing connection and commitment among employees, especially important given the frontline challenges Housing Associations face daily.
Stronger engagement like this not only boosts morale but also drives key business outcomes such as lower turnover, higher productivity, and better tenant services. It’s clear that investing in employee voice and frontline support is paying off across the sector.
How to actually listen to frontline teams
So what works? Here’s how Housing Associations (and other complex organisations) can create a listening culture that includes and empowers the frontline:
1. Make feedback easy and accessible
Use tools that are mobile-accessible, quick to use, and built for busy teams. Think QR codes in break rooms, employee voice platforms that send survey links straight to handheld devices.
2. Go beyond surveys—enable everyday listening
Always-on listening channels give people a way to share ideas or raise concerns in real time, not just when the annual survey comes around.
3. Guarantee confidentiality
Especially for sensitive topics or honest criticism, people need to know their feedback won’t come back to bite them. Use platforms that protect their identity—and be transparent about how confidentiality works.
4. Show what’s changing
It’s not enough to gather feedback, you need to close the loop. Share updates, celebrate small wins, and let people see how their voices are shaping change. You can even include your people in planning what happens next. Make it a collaborative action planning process, and gain employee buy-in and confidence along the way.
5. Involve the frontline in problem-solving
Don’t wait until after changes are made, bring frontline voices in early. They’ll spot issues others might miss and help make new processes or policies more practical from day one.
Pulse surveys are a quick way to check what’s working and what’s not. And in complex organisations, especially those with frontline teams, it’s vital to gather a mix of perspectives, so changes don’t end up only serving office-based staff.
6. Prioritise psychological safety
If people don’t feel safe speaking up, even the best tools won’t surface real insights. Psychological safety, the belief that it’s safe to be honest without fear of judgment or consequence—is foundational to genuine employee voice. Without it, survey participation drops, candour disappears, and issues stay hidden. When people trust they’ll be listened to, not punished, they’re far more likely to share what really matters.
Why we know listening works
We’ve seen first-hand how better listening can transform organisations, especially when it comes to connecting with frontline teams. Across Housing Associations and other complex structures, the impact is clear: when people feel heard, things start to shift.
Here are just a few real-world stories from organisations that put listening at the heart of how they work, and saw the difference it made.
How Wythenshawe Community Housing Group boosted engagement with Hive Surveys and expert support
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) transformed employee engagement by partnering with Hive, using Hive’s engagement surveys, peer-to-peer recognition feature, and expert Employee Voice consultants to replace slow, inaccessible feedback methods. This shift helped create a culture where both frontline and office teams feel genuinely heard.
Within a year, WCHG increased its engagement score from 7.9 to 8.1, raised its eNPS from +36 to +44, and achieved an exceptional 78% survey response rate. Leveraging Hive’s detailed insights, WCHG targeted specific challenges, especially in health and wellbeing, improving that area by 0.3 points.
This data-driven, people-centric approach contributed to WCHG earning Investors in People Gold accreditation and winning top industry awards for culture and employer excellence. Their story highlights how listening to frontline voices with Hive’s tools and expert guidance drives real business impact and a thriving workplace.
How Berwickshire Housing Association strengthened culture and engagement with Hive
Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA) partnered with Hive to boost employee engagement and embed core values through regular, confidential surveys and peer-to-peer recognition with Hive Fives.
Following a leadership change, BHA sought a strategic, people-focused approach to culture led by Chief Executive Michelle Meldrum and People and Culture Lead Lynne Bryce. Hive’s data-driven insights helped BHA identify key areas for improvement, such as clearer role expectations and enhanced communication, leading to practical changes like a revamped performance management framework.
Hive’s People Science approach enabled BHA to understand the drivers behind engagement scores, with expert support ensuring survey data translated into meaningful action. The introduction of Hive Fives fostered a culture of recognition, with over 2,000 values-based peer recognitions exchanged among BHA’s 52 employees, embedding values deeply into daily work life.
High engagement survey response rates and an impressive eNPS of +20 reflect growing employee trust and satisfaction. BHA sees Hive as a vital partner in continuing to strengthen its culture and align its people strategy with its mission.
Listening isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a performance strategy
When frontline workers feel heard, they’re more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to stay. They give better service, spot opportunities for improvement, and strengthen trust with tenants.
And in a Housing Association, where service quality, tenant satisfaction, and operational efficiency are under constant scrutiny, that kind of insight and engagement is priceless.
So if you’re serious about hitting your KPIs and delivering a service you can be proud of, start with your people. Create space for them to be honest. Make it easy. Make it safe. And above all—act on what they share.
Because your frontline teams see everything. The real question is: are you listening?
