There’s no line item in the budget for practicing kindness throughout your company. But doing so creates a powerful ripple effect that ultimately has a significant benefit to the bottom line.
For starters, kindness paves the way for happier, less stressed and more productive team members. According to information from Dartmouth College, those who regularly practice kindness experience a wide array of health benefits: more energy, increased levels of happiness, less anxiety, healthier blood pressure, significantly lower amounts of cortisol (the stress hormone) and longer lifespans.
Along those same lines, organizational development specialist Dan Schwartz advises workers to “be kind to your fellow employees and commit random acts of kindness to decrease stress in the workplace and increase productivity.”
When associates are healthier and less stressed, they are more likely to become long-term employees, which saves on the often-considerable expense of hiring and training new team members. And healthy, engaged associates lead to satisfied residents who are more apt to renew their leases.
In my 23+ years of working with multifamily executives, leasing teams and supplier partners, here are some of the important things I’ve learned about kindness and the apartment industry.
Everyone has a hand in creating a culture of kindness
Everyone is responsible for creating a culture of kindness, from the ownership group and investors to the executive leadership and onsite property teams.
Company executives and onsite team members need to practice kindness and courtesy in all of their interactions with employees. Treat each other – as well as residents and vendors – with warmth and respect. Don’t just always offer constructive criticism but point out the ways in which individual associates and teams are excelling. Write handwritten thank-you notes to those who are doing great jobs. Smile. Be approachable. When someone is struggling with an issue outside of work, send them a supportive email or note. It’s just common sense that associates will want to work well and work harder when they feel recognized and appreciated.
When an apartment company’s leaders and onsite associates display genuine kindness and care in their everyday interactions with others, it sets a tone that people across the organization will want to emulate. It creates an atmosphere in which people can thrive and are willing to go the extra mile when someone needs them to. I’m not saying associates shouldn’t be held accountable when they underperform or mess up, but I am saying they should always be treated with respect and consideration.
Give back to your communities and the neighborhoods around you
Another way that apartment companies can practice kindness is to give back to the communities and areas in which they operate. Regularly providing chances for employees to perform philanthropic work enables them to satisfy the basic human need we all feel to help others. That, in turn, can make them feel better about your company. At the same time, group volunteer outings allow team members to strengthen their bonds with each other.
Regular recognition events
Finally, regular recognition events – such as a lunch or a dinner – are a great way to honor high-performing associates, show kindness, and build team camaraderie and morale. Everyone likes to be recognized for their good efforts, and honoring strong performers in a room full of their peers has special value.
It’s an everyday commitment
Kindness isn’t a one-dose-a-month prescription. Your company has to have an ongoing and daily commitment to making sure team members treat each other – as well as residents and vendors – with real warmth and respect. It may sound silly but don’t ever underestimate what a simple smile, “hello” or other gesture can do to positively impact a co-worker’s day.
Simply put, practicing kindness every day is one of the most effective ways to build a high-performing team and a portfolio of satisfied residents.