6th June 2012

Pressured Housing New Zealand staff signalled problems

The Public Service Association says problems with Housing New Zealand’s new call centre are the result of a hurried change management process which is putting staff under enormous pressure.

In April Housing New Zealand closed a number of local offices and set up a centralised national call centre, with the loss of up to 70 frontline positions.

The call centre has been inundated with calls meaning long delays for callers and thousands of calls going unanswered.

“Staff are working very hard to make the new system work but are frustrated because they know the situation could have been avoided. They tried to warn that the change process was happening too fast, staff needed more training and that new systems being put in place were not ready to go,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott.

“It’s a very stressful situation for frontline tenancy and call centre staff who have to answer almost all their calls by apologising on behalf of Housing New Zealand. They are now asking for training on how to cope with very angry and upset callers.”

Housing New Zealand has come out asking people to be patient but community housing organisations say many people in desperate need of assistance aren’t getting it because they’re being referred to the 0800 number and then can’t get through.

“Housing New Zealand clients and staff are bearing the brunt of rushed decision-making and government public service budget cuts which have seen regional frontline services replaced with cheaper centralised services. I think they would argue strongly that it’s hardly a recipe for better public services," Brenda Pilott says.

ENDS

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