What is YOUR company DOING to promote a Positive Company Culture?

In my world ~ A positive company culture is important if you want happy employees that stick around. What is YOUR company DOING to promote a Positive Company Culture?

We have a VERY team/family environment. We truly have each other's backs. Its amazing and awesome to work with such great people!????

I love it! Wendy, what does your company do to promote this kind of interaction and behavior?

Gerry Hunt ????. We all treat each other with respect always, make each other important and empower them to help others as well. It always makes a difference that we always show up no matter what and we always make people first. #niceisfree

We had a great company culture at Forest City ..very forward thinking and inclusive family /team. They promoted a positive work environment that built relationships with open communication between the top and bottom. We were bought out last year and I’m still waiting to see what the culture is .. things are still very transitional.

Thank you for sharing, Holly! What are some ways that Forest City built these relationships and work environment?

Gerry for instance once a year we would organize within the community and do volunteer work we would have everyone together from the CEO to the groundskeeper working side by side. During the year we had different things going on like “care projects” , kindness matters different themes and at the end of the year one property would win a donation to their cause. Corporate had an open door policy so communication was free flowing they would reach out either through email or onsite visits to constantly keep us updated on upcoming changes.. that was huge there was no disconnect we all had the same goals.

Thank you Holly! I love the 'free flowing communication'! I hope the new company understands the importance of developing a positive culture!

Gerry Hunt me too! They are global company and this is their first venture in multi family properties so we will see if it flows down to us!

Flexibility in scheduling, non micro management, enabling employees to make decisions. So many managers power trip and have to control everything.

Thank you for sharing, Josué! What has your company done to implement the non-micromanagement and decision making process?

Gerry Hunt I left multifamily to work Inflight at Southwest Airlines. How SWA operates (many books and YouTube videos) can be found. I love going to work. When you make a culture that puts employees first, it then allows for us to take better care of the customer. When you create that culture.... It brings out the best in people. One of the things I hated the most about multi family was Monday morning reports asking me why people didn't lease over the weekend. Idk why they didn't lease... Most won't tell you right away. The constant unrealistic sales goals. Of course I want leases to make commissions but don't make it look like someone isn't doing their job because they're not getting leases. So many managers have the attitude of "leasing is under me". God forbid they have to tour or answer a phone call. Yes managers have reports and deadlines and so does leasing. Give on site staff the ability to issue rent credits or waive late fees for when residents have a bad experience.

Josué thank you so much for sharing. Fostering great teams and team work is part of building a great company culture! It sounds like your experience in Multi-family was dida[[ointing to say the least. To read the you now work for Southwest and 'love going to work' is fantastic! I applaud you for following your heart!

Gerry Hunt thank you. I did leasing for a while... 9 years and I saw so many broken processes. I really hope that the industry can change to build better teams and have less turn over. Try doing things a little different from the norm... The results might shock you.

Josué, I agree with you ~ we must change the way we do business if we are going to attract and KEEP the best of the best!

Gerry Hunt When I finish my work now, I always ask a co worker how I can help them. They do the same for me. We get to the gate early to help our co workers clean the plane. No I'm not getting paid and no I don't have to do it.... But it's amazing how when you help your co workers out just cause you want to... The favor gets returned when you need it. Imagine if the leasing office worked that way. Hey I finished all my tasks if there anything I can help you with?

Gerry Hunt I'd say managers need to work weekends..... That's your prime time with guests to the community. Help greet guests while leasing is out Touring. Answer the phone and schedule appointments. These are often hot buttons for residents and guests. When managers start to help leasing, hopefully leasing will show the same courtesy to both your internal and external customers. I get a friendly reminder on the top of each paystub it says "Deposits Made Possible By Your Customers". If only staff can remember without serving the residents, they wouldn't have a job. Show appreciation to the staff and they will show it to the resident and so forth. I really hope this can work for your office and that positive change comes from your willingness to improve. I had our CEO on my flight the other night. I was so used to multifamily that the big wigs only want to talk to the managers. The CEO made a point to come back and talk with me for about 30 minutes during some downtime. He didn't have to leave his family and do that. It was like talking to a old friend. So kind and down to earth. What if all leaders were like that... Approachable. I really hope multifamily can get better. My spouse still works multifamily and it sounds like same old same old the stories I get.

Josué, that is team work, caring and respect! You are so right ~~ the CEO did not need to take time with you--he is a wise person! He made you FEEL valued! 'Boosting engagement, retention, and performance isn’t about the metrics or methodology. It’s about your people." (thank you Swift Bunny)

Josué Adam I’m a PM and recently started working every other weekend and you are right. That is when you get to meet most of your potential future ressies (as I like to say). It also shows your team you’re one who knows what it takes to make it happen. It provides me with a great sense of what’s going on at my community as well. Gerry Hunt Our company culture needs some work as a whole but I’m sticking it out in hopes that it transitions’ some changes in the next year. The older I become the more I’m realizing to not run at the 1st sign of disappointment. Hopefully, the upper level executives realize to show humility goes a long way with people being inspired not just because you give them a paycheck. This industry has evolved way too much for companies to still be politically pompous, and so results driven.

Dominque McSween that's wonderful that you support your team like that. While one or both leasing agents are out on tour on the weekend, you can help hold down the fort. I had plenty of PM who would run from issues... Push off calling residents back, dealing with problems. Sadly most of the time. Empower your people below you to make decisions.

Dominque, thank you so much for sharing! We have come a long way in our industry and still have a lot of room for growth and improvement. Company Culture, in my world, must evolve if we are going to continue to grow!

Grubb cares about the residents and team members. I feel empowered to make decisions to "take care of people" and know the money/profit will follow.

Thank you Nicole! What does Grubb do to promote this kind of culture?

Gerry Hunt treat residents, associates, vendors and investors with respect! Carefully select people who are built to carry out that mission. Pay bills on time, salaries are above average, conduct an annual, anonymous employee survey and ask for improvement ideas and actually implement the practical ones

Promoting from within, mentoring all employees, quarterly conversations about what is working/not working and how the company can help employees reach their goals, being open to changing the processes/reports/approvals that slow us down, TRUST, empowering your team to make decisions, judgement calls and problem solve

Some companies are actually trying to get away from the word “culture“ in 2020. I’m totally OK with this. Sometimes that word can be perceived as a toxic business trait. I’ve read a few articles on LinkedIn as of late that basically boils down to companies pushing their “culture“ as a way of keeping employees in check. Assimilate or you’re out kinda thing.

Matt McNier this is interesting and your probably spot on. Culture has been overplayed and played poorly by so many. Culture isn’t an action, it’s an employee first attitude! For example, there are companies that have “retreats” or “fun days” to celebrate their employees BUT they bribe vendors to “sponsor” the event. They even ask the employees to help fund raise. Basically they are saying that they care BUT on someone else’s dime. This is culture gone way wrong!

Andy Meador this happens every year for our Christmas Event. Literally begging vendors to sponsor gifts but doesn’t pay some of them timely. It’s so tacky.

Thank you for Sharing Matt! Not everyone is going to be a good fit for every company. And yes there are Company Cultures' that are Micro-managers-my way 0r the highway kind of companies and there are other companies who understand that the Corp Office is overhead and support staff. And companies in-between. We can find a company where we can find passion in what we do

We feel empowered to make decisions & we're trusted to carry out our mission. We laugh together, work hard, support each other, share common goals and believe in our company. We carry each other when needed - we're a true team.