DS News

51 INTERPERSONAL ISSUES Servicers interviewed for this piece agreed that the pandemic has heightened stress levels for many. While they've worked hard to help ensure that staff has the same technical and work-related management support that they had in the centralized office, there are workers who know someone who has suffered from COVID-19, entertainment and vacation options are limited, and there are other stress factors in play as well. As such, many companies within the industry are taking extra steps to try to lift workers' spirits. "There's a lot of anxiety when you're not prepared for the work-at-home environment," Mason said. RoundPoint offers regular exercise options, tips on working from home, options to become more involved by giving back to the community, etc. Mr. Cooper Group offers a robust employee assistance program providing employees with access to councelors and resources to help them manage through emotional stress. Additionally, the company launched an online education platform including training courses, articles, and podcasts to address a variety of issues such as caring for children or parents living with team members (Doherty said half of the Mr. Cooper Group staff is doing so), and other "life" issues that may have resulted during the pandemic. The company has also been streaming live virtual exercise sessions and different challenges (e.g., push-ups, steps), as well as other videos designed to encourage connectivity with team members, Doherty said. Home Point has workers share videos and photos of family and friends and hosts contests for best photos/videos within certain categories (e.g., at-home haircuts) to try to keep employees engaged and lighten the mood. Gift cards are awarded to contest winners. In addition to offering virtual exercise, AHP has been offering virtual fitness and dietary programs. Clarifire, meanwhile, has offered streaming cooking classes to its employees. BACK TO THE OFFICE? While most servicers moved from their centralized offices to home offices relatively quickly—typically within a couple of weeks or less—those interviewed told DS News that there was no rush to return to the previous working environment, due primarily to concerns about the safety and health of employees. One notable exception is AHP, which saw most of its small servicing staff return to the offices at the Chicago Board of Trade building once the city permitted it at the beginning of June. Daniel said that the building is set up for safety—requiring masks for entry, no-touch elevators that go only to designated floors, etc. Some staff will continue to work remotely but will still come into the office once or twice a week. According to Yowell, Fairway officials have already decided to have the servicing team remain in their remote office environments through the remainder of the year. Other servicers haven't announced anything as definitive, though they all say they will be extremely conservative in their transition back to centralized offices. Another factor—far behind the health and safety of the staff—is that servicers have found that staff have not only kept up productivity and other key performance indicators, but, in some instances, have actually improved on them since moving to home-based environments. "As a result of our approach, our RoundPoint teams are doing amazingly well working from home," Adams said. "ey have taken adversity in stride and continue to meet, if not exceed, the goals set forth." Phil Britt started covering mortgages and other financial services matters for a suburban Chicago newspaper in the mid- 1980s, before joining Savings Institutions magazine in 1992. When that publication moved its offices to Washington, D.C. in 1993, he started his own editorial services room and continued to cover mortgages, other financial services subjects, and technology for a variety of websites and publications. "We want to make sure people aren't overworking themselves." —Wes Iseley, Senior Managing Director, Carrington Holding Company

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