The Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter’s (MIMHC) third annual 144-mile Walk & Talk challenge finally came to an end on Friday last week as leaders Jason Berry and Charlie Morley crossed the finish line at HSBC’s Birmingham head office at 15:45.
Some 64 participants from across the mortgage sector, joining for different stages of the route, took part in the week long challenge that spanned the length of the Grand Union Canal.
The event was led by Jason Berry, group sales director at Crystal Specialist Finance and co-founder of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter, who completed the full route alongside Charlie Morley, director of mortgage distribution, operations and servicing at Metro Bank.
Over the last four weeks Mortgage Soup has been firing the questions at both sponsors and those taking part.
Today, Richard Merrett (main picture), managing director at Alexander Hall, is under the spotlight.
MS: What made you want to support and be part of the Walk and Talk initiative / event?
Walking is one of my big passions – it is without doubt the best thing you can do for your own joy – be it alone; with a friend; a bigger group; to talk; for exercise; just to get out of the house; to get up some sun on your face; see nature; to get to somewhere good; clear your mind or stop along the way for a beer or good lunch. Walking is brilliant.
MS: From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges brokers/clients are facing right now with their mental health and wellbeing?
The sheer weight of what we do is the biggest challenge.
Mortgage brokers are not saving people’s lives. And this is really corny but we are helping make customers property dreams come true and protecting them when nightmares arise.
Brokers have made themselves so invaluable, so good, that when we have such extreme market volatility, they put added pressure on themselves because they care SO much about doing the right thing, about providing great service.
They consistently go above and beyond and at times that becomes difficult to sustain.
If you then overlay the extremely busy periods we have all faced into several times in the last few years against the fact everyone will have personal stuff going on; the ups and downs of life; the effort in showing up every day and being the best version of yourself in order to help customers with something important and stressful, well it can often be overwhelming.
I know so many people who love what they do but that doesn’t necessarily mean you like it all the time. And that is ok.
MS: What is your organisation doing to better support staff and the wider market?
First and foremost we are extremely proactive in looking after our customers.
I think if you can be confident you are doing a good job, providing a great service and genuinely helping people, then that helps no matter how challenging it becomes – it validates what you do.
In terms of our staff, at Alexander Hall we place a great deal of value in our culture; in creating and maintaining a rewarding, collaborative, inclusive environment.
We try and foster a strength of community, in cross-pollination of teams, ideas and shared experiences.
I think as a management team it is important that we lead with authenticity and are also comfortable to show our own vulnerabilities; we can demonstrate that sometimes it is ok not to be ok.
I hope, and think, all of my people feel valued, appreciated and seen and heard.
Last but not least, I try and do everything with enthusiasm and a smile on my face; the more we can create joy and enjoyment, the more it will manifest, even in the difficult moments.
MS: Looking ahead, what trends or changes would you like to see in the next 12–24 months?
I think as an industry we have done a huge amount to raise awareness of mental health challenges and normalise seeking support.
Initiatives such as MIMHC and AMI, in particular Working In Mortgages are a force for good.
As a collective industry I do think we need to challenge ourselves to do more on the innovations and actions that will help.
As a good case in point, I think the fact the extreme rate volatility we have seen on several occasions in the recent past has returned time and again, albeit driven by factors well out of our control, means that we have to assume it will happen again.
Whilst this is not all about product withdrawals, it is often the pace of these that cause the most stress to customers, advisers, case managers, lender’s pricing teams, BDMs… the list goes on.
Many lenders have delivered withdrawal pledges to try and ease the issue, often at a great cost burden.
This leads me to question whether there is a better way?
Surely, in this day and age, we could have a solution where a rate can be secured quickly to give time for the customer and adviser to prepare a more considered, better quality and less stressful application?
In my mind, this would be better for all concerned and a proper adjustment that would benefit the market.
MS: What does success from this initiative / event look like for you?
Raising money for charity; awareness for the industry and the unique challenges that brokers in particular face.
On a personal level, making new friends and connections and strengthening existing ones and hopefully still being able to stand up the following day for seven-a-side football!
