Your brand has come to encompass not only what residents know, see and say about you, but also the same from your employees.
Every company claims to be the best in the industry, but most of the time, that claim is contradicted by a third-party, like a negative review on Glassdoor. Positive reviews from residents on Yelp, Google or Facebook are crucial, but what about employee reviews?
Panelists provided valuable insights into the importance of infusing company culture through a collaboration between marketing and HR during NAA’s APTvirtual session, “Marketing and HR: Rental Housing’s Newest ‘It’ Couple.” In creating this powerhouse partnership, companies attract and retain employees who are more satisfied in their role and motivated to contribute to the company’s overall growth.
It’s about company culture and authenticity. By marketing a company’s culture internally in authentic ways, operators give a glimpse of their company to potential employees, residents and vendors, said Lori Snider, Head of Learning and Experience at Red Peak Properties.
This marketing also contributes to employee satisfaction and retention.
“We humanize our team members,” said Jamie Capodiferro, Vice President of Talent, Acquisition & Development at AVE by Korman Communities. AVE utilized its current charity partnerships to create a program called AveinACTion and used that to not only practice team building, but also market their company culture to potential employees.
Their goal was to get team members more engaged with current partnerships, said Ashley Cerasaro, Director of Communications at AVE. By documenting and highlighting their partnerships and employee experiences on their careers page, employee motivation has increased, as has interest from potential employees.
At RedPeak, it’s the employee’s responsibility to contribute to the creation of the culture.
“They sit on committees that are really designed to move the dial forward within the organization and also enhance the culture in the process,” Snider said.
By making employees a part of the process in growing the company and its culture, prospective employees get a real look at what the working environment is like. Marketing and HR don’t generally cross paths, but by meeting and designing strategies together, operators can change the dynamics of the entire company.
“There’s no secret to collaboration,” Cerasaro said. “Action begets action. If you don’t have a connection with HR, reach out and make it happen. When you’re building those relationships, go in with the recognition that you’re each bringing a unique set of skills to the table. You’re better together.”
For smaller companies, collaboration may be easier to facilitate.
“Because we’re smaller, it’s much more close,” Snider said. “Really think about your career page, start there, think about what you’re saying to people when trying to promote your organization.”
While your company’s website is a good place to exhibit, what makes it a great place to work, starts on Glassdoor. “If you’re not informed there, you’re not going to look further,” said Jen Piccotti, Chief Learning Officer at Swift Bunny.
Employees are the backbone of any company, so celebrate team members and construct a yearly plan for campaign promotions of your company, incorporating the information they give, Picotti said. Utilize the campaigns and when doing things as a team, “make sure to take pictures and show it,” Capodiferro said. Avoid stock photos. People want to see team members in a natural environment and see the real side of your company.
To be the best place to work, companies must be authentic and consider who they’re targeting. It’s important for them to consult their employees, inquire about their experiences and use that input to create the culture they want at their company.
To find and keep quality talent, Cerasaro recommends asking your top reps why they love their role and develop role-based video clips to post and give potential employees the content they want to see.
“Candidates quickly connect to those videos,” added Capodiferro.
By taking the HR perspective and applying it with a marketing mindset, that’s the magic touch to creating company success and employee satisfaction.
Andrew Ruhland is a Junior Account Executive for LinnellTaylor Marketing.