Hiring the Best and Brightest Enhances Your Reputation
We all know that your reputation is among your company’s most valuable assets. There are many ways to make, and to break, the positive image of a brand. Consequently, who you hire to work for your company is one of the biggest decisions property managers can make. Hiring the wrong person will make your company weaker and may even destroy it. Additionally, attracting the right workers will strengthen your company in expected and unanticipated ways. Here are some tips for hiring a star team.
Keys for Effective Hiring
At Opiniion, we know how important it is to control your online reputation. Property managers want more tenants. This is often accomplished by good word of mouth and positive online reviews. One way to do this is to run a smooth ship by attracting the right people for your needs. The following pointers for finding top talent are a good place to start:
- Know the needs of your company
- Institute a well-thought-out process
- Do not relax on the background and reference checks
- Write clear job descriptions
- Make sure new employees are adept at innovative technology
- Hire those who look ahead
Also, remember that property management is a people business. Look for employees who have excellent communication skills. This is rarer than one might think. Interpersonal skills and advanced problem solving is something you should always value. A company that manages multi-family properties needs to be able to talk to different types of people. This includes a diverse group of tenants and a variety of workers with different backgrounds.
Benefits of Good Employees
Customers like to be treated with dignity and respect. They also like to have problems fixed quickly and correctly. When you have the right team in place, these matters are more likely to be addressed. Conscientious maintenance staff will take care of small problems before they develop into larger ones. Just as importantly, this develops goodwill among your clients. They are more likely to sing the praises of your company both in-person and online.
A good job, though, is more than just fixing something. There is human interaction to consider. An employee who understands the importance of small talk and a friendly smile is a real asset. This connection predisposes your tenants to look favorably on your company. For this reason, during the hiring process, it pays to look for the intangibles in a prospective employee. This can be done in a lengthy and probing interview. It can also be accomplished by scrutinizing background checks and calling references.
Advantages of Low Turnover
We know at Opiniion that a high turnover rate for employees can harm a company’s reputation in several ways. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for many industries and is certainly the case for property rental companies. In fact, for all industries, the average turnover rate is 13%, and even higher for the service sector. One of the keys, of course, is to make sure to hire the right people. Consider some proven ways to reduce employee turnover:
- Provide fair compensation and benefits
- Promote a positive workplace culture
- Offer recognition and rewards
- Be flexible
- Monitor employee happiness and engagement
- Value personal and professional growth
Although it may seem counterintuitive to reduce turnover, you should fire employees who create a toxic workplace. Keeping a bad employee for too long often convinces good employees to go elsewhere. Therefore, consider your employee review process. Make sure it is fair, regular, consistent and always constructive. The review process is an opportunity to improve the bond between worker and employer.
The Rewards of a Good Reputation
In Conclusion, a strong hiring process is one avenue toward building a strong reputation. Contact us at Opiniion to learn more about building your brand with positive online reviews.
