Aug. 12 will mark the official inaugural Apartment Onsite Teams Day (#APTeamsDay). Apartments.com has spearheaded this day as a way to recognize those in the multifamily apartment industry who have been essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These people worked to keep apartment operations moving, residents happy, and prospects signing leases as Americans spent more time in their apartment residences than ever before. In just 60 days over the course of the pandemic, on-site teams had to completely rewrite their operational procedures to adapt to the new normal, affecting the millions of Americans who live in apartment buildings.
Marcia Bollinger, senior vice president at Apartments.com, conceptualized Apartment Onsite Teams Day. “The on-site apartment teams are the front lines of apartment communities and were deemed ‘essential’ early on in the pandemic,” shares Bollinger. “My vision was to designate a day to recognize and thank apartment community on-site teams for the many hours of dedication to shelter residents, manage the property, and keep operations running. On-site teams have to remain hopeful to get through, adapt daily to the new normal, and continue to be diligent with their duties. They all deserve a moment of gratefulness and gratitude.”
Apartment Onsite Teams Day is Endorsed by the NAA
Endorsed by the National Apartment Association (NAA), Apartment Onsite Teams Day will mark an important day in history for the multifamily community, one that will continue annually. Rick Graf, NAA’s 2021 chairman of the board and president and CEO of Pinnacle, notes that Apartment Onsite Teams Day “gives our industry a boost for the grassroots on-site teams, and helps with the frequent changes we are making in how we run our businesses. Pinnacle is also pleased to recognize our on-site teams across the country—thanking them for the vast amount of time they have spent to support our apartment communities and residents during the pandemic.”
Michael Holmes, NAA’s 2020 chairman of the board, agrees. “I cannot begin to express the pride I feel for how our industry has responded to the challenges raised by the coronavirus pandemic,” he says. “I am thrilled to see our industry honor our on-site teams that have been on the front lines of our response during this challenging time.”
LuAnne Acton Ross, executive vice president of JMG Realty adds that on-site teams have been critical since the pandemic started. “Although we have always known that our on-site teams are the front line to our residents, the crisis we have experienced over the last several months has reminded us just how invaluable they are and how crucial they are to our industry.”
Apartment Workers Have Been Essential Throughout the Global Pandemic
There are many ways in which on-site apartment teams have been essential to supporting the multifamily industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have supported residents’ needs, adapted to closing and reopening property amenities, found new ways to show a prospective renter an available unit to lease, managed the bricks and mortar of apartment homes, worked with vendor partners and construction workers, and figured out how to deal with emergency and non-emergency maintenance requests.
“Hail to the essential workers who contributed to ‘life in an apartment home’ during the pandemic,” Bollinger says. “Well-deserved recognition for their commitment to helping their residents, prospects, owners, managing agents, vendor partners, and many more. #APTeamsDay gives wind beneath the wings of thousands of on-site employees who continue to stand tall every day.”
How Apartment Communities Can Celebrate Apartment Onsite Teams Day
Apartment executives and management companies are strongly encouraged to celebrate their on-site teams on Aug. 12.
Brenda Lindner, executive vice president of RAM Partners, shares, “RAM is taking the entire week to celebrate and appreciate our on-site associates. Our team’s commitment represents who we are as a company, and we are so thankful for their dedication.”
Other organizations, such as Easlan Management, Perennial, The Management Group, Bridge, Mission Rock, Lincoln, Simpson, Windsor, Gables, Pegasus Residential, and hundreds more, have also pledged participation and will recognize their on-site teams on this day. Many property management companies are planning on bringing in catered lunches for their on-site teams, while others are sending sweet treats, distributing gift cards, hanging celebration banners in recognition, decorating apartment offices, posting fun team photos on social media, and even giving their on-site team members surprise gifts.
