Digital telecare has come of age – and your staff need to be on board
Digital telecare is becoming a hot topic in the sector. For many housing providers, it’s no longer a question of whether you implement digital technology in your properties, but rather ‘when’.
The shift to digital offers a host of benefits for both your customers and your organisation. External factors are also accelerating this, making it a top strategic priority for the sector.
Where do your staff fit into this picture?
Any plans to upgrade systems such as warden call and community alarms will have a direct impact on the way your teams work. This is especially the case for those on-site, who are responsible for the smooth running of your properties.
It’s therefore important that they are not just aware of developments in telecare technology, but can understand how this can be utilised this within your organisation.
Involving your staff in the drive for digital telecare
There are several reasons why you should be proactively engaging your staff with digital technology.
1. To prepare for changes to telecare
Technology Enabled Care (TEC) has been around for decades. From personal alarms to fall detectors and other sensors within your properties, your staff are familiar with the equipment and how the call system works.
But the industry is changing. Digital technology is a much more powerful solution, offering significant advantages to both your business and the end users.
In addition to this, the telecoms network in the UK is switching from analogue to digital in 2025. This is affecting traditional telecare equipment, which is likely to be incompatible with digital networks.
Digital telecare is becoming the industry standard.
Even if you’re only just starting to consider this as an organisation, your staff will be using these systems at some point and will need to adapt to new ways of working. It makes sense to begin educating your teams in the early stages of your digitisation project.
This can generate enthusiasm and buy-in by showing how the new technology can help them in their roles. You can also identify any potential barriers to transitioning to digital, which can be addressed within your general internal communications or with specific training.
2. To make the most of your investment in digital
The move to digital telecare is a management decision but your staff within the wider organisation are key to ensuring the success of this.
Involving them during the research and planning stage will help you to find the right solutions for your needs, as you will gain important insights from the people operating ‘on the ground’.
Once you have implemented digital technology across your properties, staff who understand and embrace this are much more likely to dig into the systems and explore what you can do with these.
Engaged staff can help you to unlock the potential of digital telecare systems within your organisation, so that you can realise the benefits of your investment.
3. To show how the technology can support them in their day-to-day tasks
Digital telecare offers many tangible benefits for your staff, allowing them to carry out their roles more efficiently and with a greater focus on the needs of the residents in their care.
From call queuing and video options to fault monitoring and automated processes, many of the features of digital systems improve communication and productivity for your teams.
You can also access a wealth of data on areas such as call history and levels of use, which provide valuable insights that can feed into future initiatives and plans.
Engaging your staff with the potential of digital technology not only helps them day-to-day, but also encourages them to consider how this can be used to improve your services.
4. To ensure your customers’ experience is a positive one
Your on-site staff are an important part of the community at your properties.
These are the people interacting with your customers and supporting their needs. They will have a much better understanding of how residents can use technology in their everyday lives, and any potential issues around this.
As familiar and trusted contacts, your staff are also significant influencers for your customers. They are well-placed to help residents make full use of the digital telecare services on offer.
You want your teams to be knowledgeable about the systems you have in place, and to be champions for these to ensure a positive experience for your customers.
5. To encourage innovation within your organisation
Digital is the future of telecare. It’s also an important part of what housing providers can offer to enable and support the individuals at their properties to lead independent and fulfilling lives. Keeping pace with developments in the industry is essential.
The Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) report on technology in housing and care highlights the importance of keeping this person-centred and collaborative.
This is a useful benchmark to have in mind as you begin your journey to implementing digital telecare. Your customers need to be at the heart of this. But your staff have a key part to play, as they can help you to understand how you can use digital technology to deliver an exceptional offering for your customers.
There are clear benefits to engaging your staff with digital telecare – but how can you do this?
We have put together a guide to help you, covering the importance of engaging your staff early in the process and how to overcome barriers to engagement, plus what to focus on to generate staff buy-in for moving to digital telecare. There are also tips for planning an engagement programme and what you need to consider before, during and after the implementation of your new digital telecare systems.
Download our guide here: Managing the Transition to Digital Telecare: A Guide to Engaging Your Staff with the Technology
