As a property management company, we rent homes to so many people. While keeping our tenants happy is rewarding, it is just as satisfying to reward and congratulate our team for their successes and accomplishments.
Team meetings are the perfect opportunity to get everyone together to go over the goals for the week: i.e. scheduled move ins and move outs, preventive maintenance, etc. Meetings are an important way to make sure everyone is on the same page, and to ensure the week is successful through the contribution of every team member.
Including your property management team in these discussions creates the opportunity for ownership in your property and its operations. Weekly gatherings reinforces the value of training and learning, and it can also create a sense of camaraderie among employees. If possible, focus on leadership and team building rather than lecturing.
Try to make the meetings memorable and fun and only review policy or procedures if absolutely necessary. I don’t like having a meeting just for the sake of having a meeting. I don’t like attending them for that purpose, and I am sure my teams don't either. Make the meetings worthwhile for your team. Bring breakfast or lunch so everyone can share, or conduct the meeting at an offsite location like a restaurant or coffee house.
Once everyone is gathered, make sure to stick to an agenda and plan out the meeting in a timely fashion. It’s also courteous to send the agenda out prior to the meeting so your staff has time to look it over and gather any questions. Make sure that whoever is moderating keeps to that agenda; otherwise it could result in some or all of the objectives not being met.
Take this time to recognize your employees for their accomplishments. Maybe the maintenance team received exceptional feedback on service requests last month or a particular leasing agent signed the most tenants. Celebrate those reached goals with an incentive like a giveaway or gift card. Acknowledge the team members who have shown growth, solved a problem or received positive feedback from a tenant.
I also like to include employees in brainstorming or strategy development on new issues or projects. It gives everyone a chance to be heard and it is an effective way to bring new ideas to the table.
This approach will build a stronger, more motivated organization and will allow your top performers to flourish.