Posts about Employees

5 Tips to Get Your Property Ready for Spring

Spring is in the air! After a long, cold winter, the snow has finally melted, the birds are singing, and the flowers are starting to bloom. As a property management company, spring is an important time of year for us. It's a time to freshen up your property and get ready for the busy season ahead. So, let's dive into some tips to help make the most of spring! Clean, clean, clean Spring cleaning isn't just for homes – it's for properties too! Now is the time for a deep clean, both inside and out. Sweep the sidewalks, power wash the building exteriors, and wash the windows. Inside, dust and vacuum thoroughly, and don't forget to sanitize high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and light switches. A clean property not only looks better, but it also promotes good health and safety for residents and guests. Get landscaping in order Spring is the perfect time to get the landscaping in order. Whether you have a small courtyard or a large lawn, a little bit of maintenance can go a long way. Trim back overgrown bushes and trees, plant new flowers, and lay fresh mulch. A well-kept landscape can boost curb appeal and make your property more attractive to potential residents. Check for winter damage Winter weather can be harsh on buildings and outdoor structures. Take a walk around your property and check for any damage caused by snow, ice, or freezing temperatures. Look for cracks in pavement or concrete, damage to roofs or gutters, and broken outdoor fixtures like lights or benches. Addressing these issues early can prevent further damage and keep your property looking its best. Prep for outdoor amenities As the weather warms up, residents will want to take advantage of outdoor amenities like patios, decks, and grilling areas. Make sure these areas are clean, safe, and ready for use. Clean the grills, add fresh cushions to outdoor furniture, and ensure that any safety features like railings or fencing are in good condition. Update marketing materials Finally, spring is a great time to update your marketing materials. Take new photos of your property in its springtime glory, and update your website and social media accounts with fresh content. Consider creating a spring-themed marketing campaign to attract new residents and highlight the benefits of living in your property during this beautiful time of year. Spring is a time of renewal and growth, and it's the perfect opportunity to freshen up your properties and attract new residents. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to a successful spring season!

Saluting industry professionals during a challenging time

The residential property management industry remains a resilient one, even when faced with unprecedented challenges. Around the country, leasing consultants, maintenance technicians, property managers, suppliers, and other property management professionals are working to keep everyone safe and turn residents’ apartments into homes. At FOURMIDABLE, this idea is at the very heart of who we are as a company. That’s why we were delighted to team up with the National Apartment Association (NAA) this month to highlight the benefits of our growing industry and celebrate the hard work of our staff. It is with great excitement that we focus on those dedicated members of our management teams from across the country. This month, we once again took part in Apartment Onsite Teams Day recognizing the efforts of the professionals who make residential communities thrive. As our nation’s business community returns to some level of normal, every industry is being reshaped and reconsidered, especially in light of the pandemic that turned things on its head for more than a year. I’ve heard from people planning to leave one industry, say like food service or retail, and are looking for something new where they can make a difference. The team environment of property management is perfect for anyone who likes to solve problems, work with people or their hands, and help others in one of the most fundamental aspects of life – having a great place to live. Over the years, I’ve seen opportunities in the property management industry grow and evolve across the country as the demand for apartments and housing communities grows at the same time. If you’re looking for a career with excellent opportunity for job security, job mobility, and great benefits such as 401(k) plans, health insurance, paid holidays, and paid time off, now is the perfect time to consider joining a great company like FOURMIDBALE. Just think about this: a diverse range of opportunities flows across our industry, often needing skill sets in areas like accounting and management, from leasing and maintenance to activities planning and food service. Yes, the past year and a half has been difficult, especially for all those on the frontlines committed to performing the work necessary to ensure our communities function properly while keeping families safe and healthy. Now as we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, FOURMIDABLE, along with the whole rental housing industry, wants to celebrate by focusing on all of our staff but especially our onsite apartment teams, those who make the property management world rewarding and exciting. I know very well the strength and dedication of our men and women, many of whom have served our communities for decades. My thanks may seem small in comparison to their devotion, but I offer it to them this month again – thank you for all you do day in and day out.

Unsung “life” heroes stepped up their game

This past year has been a challenge for so many of us due to lockdowns, shortages, health struggles and much loss for so many. Here at FOURMIDABLE, we couldn’t have gotten through this pandemic without our dedicated “life” heroes: those onsite Managers, Activity Directors, and hard-working Service Coordinators. These women and men have tirelessly devoted themselves to their senior communities, setting an outstanding example of what dedicated professionals look like. What do they do? The simple answer is everything – everything to help their older residents. So many of our communities were locked down and forced to isolate their residents, leaving them unable to embrace or even see their families. And hosting events or activities proved nearly impossible. But without fail, our staff turned up the effort, finding unique and fun ways to fill the lives of residents with something other than worry or concern over a virus. They had to reconfigure policies and deal with unique challenges, even as they faced the same health concerns we all did. Activities Directors typically plan lots of activities and events in communities with older residents, celebrating holidays or special occasions, hosting bingo or game nights, taking people on outings and giving residents something fun and entertaining to experience. Service Coordinators, at HUD communities, typically work with the elderly and persons with disabilities and play a critical role to support a platform for financial and physical security, social connections and the delivery of supportive services. With the pandemic, these Coordinators had to reach out to multiple services to fill in those gaps that they would never of thought they would have had to do. How things changed The biggest change was finding ways to keep families connected. This has been the era of remote visits through Zoom, of pulling together window visits and doing everything to keep isolated seniors active mentally and physically. Let me tell, they did a great job providing emotional support when personal contact was out of the question. Being creative requires much thought, but also lots of work. They rolled up their sleeves and kept at it for month after month, always willing to serve and help. While field trips and outdoor activities were limited, creative ways to offer forms of physical activity, like in-chair exercise classes or hallway kickball were the order of the day. Creativity also led to in-person performances with musicians or singers outside serenading the residents who watched from windows or balconies. Families, and local service groups or charities, helped for sure, hosting automobile “parades” for special occasions, or even just to break up the day. Another great idea was to get outside volunteers to send residents simple greeting cards. In one community where “happy hour” was halted, the staff implemented a “Happy Hour Cart” where they took a cart loaded with various beverages to the residents’ door. Finding other ways to help Even as we look back at the many ways our Activity Directors and Service Coordinators were able to continue playing a vital role in their communities, I am reminded that there are plenty of cool ways these individuals help. Staff work with third-party providers and vendors to deliver elements that can’t be produced in-house, create and share goodie bags or bring in performers to provide some joy during lonely times. They also help residents apply for different programs, stay up-to-date on what’s going on in the community and even teach them how to use things like Zoom or Facetime. Just as important as what they do for a resident’s mental health, staff heroes also assist in ensuring everyone has access to PPE, medicine, food and household supplies, working as well with the medical community for testing and possible vaccinations. In the end, the value of team on the front lines, cannot be understated. When family was cut off from family, when communities were locked down or isolated, these individuals stepped up and became family and friends to residents. And heroes to us. My thanks to each and every one of you.

Building a good team – from bottom to top

Lately there has been a renewed focus on improving staff development and success, especially from entrepreneurial leaders seeking to develop and maintain a great team for their organization. Many suggest a good team can be created from top to bottom, but I also like to think about it the other way – we should be building our team from bottom to top, involving all of our frontline workers first and foremost, along with managers in a thoughtful process that achieves ongoing engagement and success. For us at FOURMIDABLE, this means everyone plays a key role, from housekeepers and groundskeepers to accountants and HR assistants, and from community managers to corporate officers. An author I recently read in Entrepreneur magazine suggested that there are six steps to building a good and effective team. As a CEO, Cynthia Johnson reflected in her piece on what she saw as the right path forward, adaptable for any organization, large or small. The steps needed for a great team Johnson’s process for building a strong team, one that is not only good but can be great, includes a series of simple, and ongoing steps. They are: focus on roles, value each role, communicate, set goals, celebrate successes and failures, and know each other. Here’s my perspective on each of these ideas. First, there are likely many different roles, at many different levels. These need to be clearly articulated and defined. Every employee involved, from maintenance technician to President, needs to truly understand their role and how they work both together and on their own. Second, it is critical to value everyone in your organization, no matter the scale of their responsibility or length of their tenure. This value comes with recognition, understanding and a commitment to develop each person in their role. Next, as a leader, communication is a top priority. In our case, it means communicating to all members of our teams spread around the country, as well as letting our residents and community leaders know what is going on. Always set goals, not only for yourself and the organization, but for each member of team. Think about it: giving goals to staff at the bottom as well as top of the organization shows how much you value them. Goals are not just yard sticks, they are a form of responsibility and leadership. Everyone wants to celebrate success. While that is important, it is also important to discuss failures. Now, that doesn’t mean focusing solely on who’s to blame. This process is more about learning, adapting, resolving and improving for the future. Lastly, know yourself. I love this step especially. At FOURMIDABLE, we have recently had some staffing changes at the corporate level. This has provided us a real opportunity to consider the things I just wrote about and to look at ourselves. We are constantly evaluating our needs, the roles of the team and what they bring to the organization, focused on success and sometimes on failure. For me personally, some recent comments by one of our janitorial team at Rosehaven Manor sums up a sound attitude and approach to building a great team. Her words say it best: “Working for FOURMIDABLE has been great. Very respectful and happy people, who will encourage you and support your hard work.” Encourage and support hard work. Those words and actions reflect the kind of team you want and need.