Maintain Your Property And Your People With Heart

Which of the following things that can create unforeseen costs for your association if not properly maintained and supported?

1. Roof
2. Dryer Ducts
3. Landscaping
4. Resident Manager & Building Staff

Most people instinctively check A, B and C. In reality, ALL four items require careful maintenance and support --- with D being especially important in our residential property management industry.

When the average person hears the word “maintenance” they think of their car being serviced. Scheduling regular oil changes and maintaining adequate tire pressure are so important that many car dealerships send email reminders nowadays. Many car warranties stipulate that a warranty can be voided if servicing dates at specified intervals are not strictly met. These reminders are in place to maintain the vehicle.

What reminders do we have in place to “maintain” the most important people in our lives? “Maintaining people” is an odd thing to say. We are all accustomed to maintaining things, not people. It is a lot easier to set up a preventative maintenance program for things at a property than it is to maintain the people who oversee a property, yet both are vitally important.  It takes long term planning and thoughtful consideration when creating a strategy for your association’s physical assets, and the same is necessary for your most important asset of all, your manager and their team!

Some Typical Physical Maintenance schedules may include:

• Roof Maintenance Program – Semi-Annually (May be more often depending on Location)
• Dryer Duct Vent Cleaning – Every 1-2 years
• Gutter Cleaning – Semi Annually (Depending on nearby trees)
• Tree trimming – Every 6 months

You can find a dependable contractor who will gladly set you up on a maintenance program contract and make sure all of these things are done consistently. However, what reminders do you have set up concerning the needs of the resident or site manager who works on your property?

• When was the last time you took the time to sit down and ask how your resident manager is doing or ask about his/her family?
• Have you noticed that he/she is not driving to work anymore, yet is always on time?
• Do you compliment him/her regularly on a job well done?
• Have you noticed that he/she had a cough, yet is still at work?
• Have your ever asked for his/her opinion on a proposed change at the property?
• When was a last time you showed a sincere interest in the maintenance and well-being of the people that help take care of the things around you?

Roofs can be neglected but fixed. However, one valued employee unwittingly overlooked, has the potential to unexpectedly leave one day, creating a change in the mood and morale of your building staff and even residents.

In a nationwide survey of residential managers done by the Institute of Real Estate Management, Full Appreciation for Work Done, was the listed as the most important factor in job satisfaction ranking higher than either Job Security or Good Wages.

The Society for Human Resource Management, a global industry expert in personnel recruiting and development, estimates that it costs, on average, from six to nine month’s salary in recruiting and training expenses every time a business replaces an employee. In Hawaii’s tight labor market, the demand for top talent is especially high with many of the new condominium buildings paying a premium to attract and retain experienced condo managers. In Hawaii’s current labor market, where finding good employees is increasingly difficult, investing the time and resources to maintain relationships with your staff can pay large dividends.

Retaining pride in the work done is a good thing, but what causes a resident manager to go above and beyond is HEART.

-A heart for those who take the time to care, to ask how he/he has been. 

-A heart for those who show genuine concern and appreciation for a job well done.