Roda, is one of our dedicated Property Customer Service Co-ordinators, answering the phone to tenants calling in with repairs requests and making sure that appointments are booked in. Sometimes though, interactions with tenants leave her feeling disheartened and bullied.
Roda says:
“One call has really stuck with me. A tenant called last year to report a repair, and while I tried to help find a solution for the problem, the tenant wasn’t happy and began to call me names. It felt really personal and I came off the call feeling attacked.
“This wasn’t the first time this tenant had been verbally abusive towards me and other staff, and it was becoming increasingly challenging for myself and colleagues to do our jobs effectively.
“I recognise the frustration that often accompanies property-related issues, it’s human nature after all, but the personal attacks make it difficult to be productive. In an effort to remain professional, I kept calm during the call, but the hurtful remarks have stayed with me.”
Despite telling her colleagues that she was fine, Roda couldn’t shake off the feeling for the rest of the day, and the incident left her feeling nervous about future interactions with that person. The impact of negative experiences like these extends beyond the immediate incident. It affects the mental and emotional well-being of staff members.
Roda says:
“When I left work that day, I spoke with my friends and sisters about what had happened and to get some support and advice on how I could handle it next time. There’s just a nicer way to speak to people, and I think it’s important that everyone recognises that they’re speaking with real people. It’s not helpful for anyone to take frustrations out on each other. I’m just here to try and help as best as I can.“
At CCHA our values form the core of who we are, to be brave, caring, genuine, respectful, trustworthy and honest. We want to promote a culture of mutual respect and create a positive environment for everyone. This is why we are urging everyone to #BeKind.