The Sunday Times UK Best Employers are judged on eight categories including employee wellbeing, personal growth and leadership. The award also recognises workplace engagement, where companies have worked with their employees to boost motivation and productivity.
Performance and service improvement officer, Lindsay Roches, is one of Queens Cross’s newest employees, working to improve services for tenants.
“Housing associations are perhaps not on a lot of people’s radar when it comes to looking at building a career. But we are much more than just landlords,” said Lindsay.
“This is a real people centred sector all about building and sustaining communities and supporting families and individuals. However, by providing first class housing in the first instance, we provide a stable foundation that people use to achieve other things they want to do.”
Queens Cross (QCHA) manages around 4,500 houses in the north west of Glasgow but is also a focus for much of the community activity in the area. 200 staff are currently employed, including four Modern Apprentices.
“There is a strong sense of community in Queens Cross and the association has been part of the area for more than 40 years,” said Lindsay.
“Like many other housing associations, it’s a support and activity centre, providing events, classes and advice on every aspect of people’s lives from health and wellbeing, improving the environment, to money and finance. It is this desire to improve people’s quality of life that makes Queens Cross an exciting place to work and I see myself as having a long-term future in this sector.”
The Association has also been accredited by the Sunday Times as a ‘One to Watch’ employer for 2019. This is awarded to organisations showing positive signs of increasing workplace engagement.
Chief executive Shona Stephen said: “Being named as one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK is a fantastic achievement for the association.
“We want to build on this and continue to make Queens Cross an excellent place to work for existing and potential new recruits.”
Ms Stephen, who has been chief executive at Queens Cross for eight years, added: “This accolade is thanks to the hard efforts of everyone in the association and I’m very excited for the future of Queens Cross staff, area and communities.”