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W hat is the scale and reasons behind challenges in field service recruitment and retention? How can UK Housing better support repairs and maintenance skilled trades with technology to bridge gaps - and make it more attractive to stay? These were the questions (and solutions) posed at the FLS Keynote presented at Housing Digital Live: "Recruitment, retention, and making the best use of your field force".

In our continuing trend report series, here we recap the scale and key drivers behind the challenge facing field service management.

The session was anchored by Russell Thompson FCIOB of Direct Works and featured Jeremy Squire, UK Managing Director of FLS. Direct Works is a membership organisation covering Repairs & Maintenance in Social Housing, and with over 100 active member organisations managing around 50% of all units in the UK, provides a national voice whilst promoting technical expertise and excellence.

FIELD RESOURCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES

Field service operators (contractors and DLOs) are tasked with scheduling against a rising demand for repairs and maintenance skills. These are driven by "damp & mould (DMC), compliance, high rise remediation, fire regulations, and an overall lack of investment in existing stock". The requirement to be more efficient and complete more jobs 'first time' is paralleled with the need for approx. 250,000 skilled operatives. Amongst other points, DW's research shows daily pressures for field planning and dispatch teams:

• Workers are retiring
• 20% of operatives are under 30 years old and lack experience
• Gap of over 400,000 skills amongst existing operatives
• Net Zero goals are at risk
• Number of Apprentices entering the workforce is down

INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

In addition to planning with data trends, remote diagnosis, and a true adoption of IoT, the session also discussed the importance of people-focussed solutions to train and retain these critical skills:

• Including field operatives in professional progression pathways
• Front-line recognition
• Working with clean data to support success
• Align their progression with investment
• Schedule with minimised travel time to recognise and support the wish to focus on tasks and a work-life balance
• All parties understand the field service management decisions made