This August we are recognising not one but two employees of the month, congratulations to two of our Housing Officers, Janine Rising and Daniel Banton — recognising and celebrating all their recent hard work as we fight to end #homelessness.

Both Daniel and Janine are fine examples of how Housing Officers should conduct themselves. They are always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, often in demanding circumstances. The care and attention they provide to our service users is exemplary. Both Daniel and Janine are shining examples of what makes the service we provide, so unique and special.

We spoke to Janine & Daniel to get to know a bit more about what was behind their success.

Congratulations on winning the August Stef & Philips employee of the month. How did it feel to win?
Janine Rising: I was pleasantly surprised; I work at the satellite office covering Essex, so it was a good feeling to be recognised
Daniel Banton: I think it is fair to say that I was somewhat surprised

What are your day-to-day responsibilities at Stef & Philips?
JR: My responsibilities include the smooth transition into temporary accommodation for our service users who are clearly in most desperate need, liaising with support services and monitoring our properties to ensure high standards are maintained
DB: Fundamentally, I perform more of a pastoral role; ensuring that our service users are made as comfortable as possible for the duration of their stay with Stef & Philips

How has your previous experience helped you to be successful in your current role?
JR: My previous experience was in the hospitality and licensed trade where my people skills, empathy and ability to resolve conflict were developed and honed
DB: I have always had a customer-focused persona and an empathetic approach throughout my career, which I regard as key in delivering a people-centric service

What are you most proud of in your work at Stef & Philips?
JR: I pride myself on my commitment to the company as a whole and the people that we house. I have been part of Stef & Philips for nearly seven years and I have seen it grow into the organisation that it is today. it is always a proud moment to be told by council representatives how highly they regard our business
DB: I am very proud of the ethos within Stef & Philips; everyone is driven towards exceeding the expectations of our service users, a key component of our continued success

Any exciting developments in the pipeline?
JR: The expanding property portfolio brings new challenges, no two days are the same, every day has the potential to be exciting
DB: I am very much looking forward to the imminent release of our new software system, which is designed to further increase efficiency and productivity across the business

Fantastic effort Janine and Daniel, keep up the good work!

Stay tuned for our September winner…