August 12, 2020 marks the official inaugural Apartment Onsite Teams Day (#APTeamsDay). Apartments.com 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, onsite 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, SVP at Apartments.com, conceptualized Apartment Onsite Teams Day. “The onsite apartment teams are the front lines of apartment communities and were deemed ‘essential’ early on in the pandemic,” shared Bollinger. “My vision was to designate a day to recognize and thank apartment community onsite teams for the many hours of dedication to shelter residents, manage the property and keep operations running. Onsite 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.”

Marcia Bollinger, SVP at Apartments.com

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 onsite teams, and helps with the frequent changes we are making in how we run our businesses. Pinnacle is also pleased to recognize our onsite 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.”

“I cannot begin to express the pride I feel for how our industry has responded to the challenges raised by the Coronavirus pandemic,” added Michael Holmes, NAA’s 2020 Chairman of the Board. “I am thrilled to see our industry honor our onsite teams that have been on the front lines of our response during this challenging time.”

LuAnne Acton Ross, Executive Vice President of JMG Realty continued, “Although we have always known that our onsite teams are the frontline 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 onsite 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 adds. “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 onsite 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 onsite teams on this very special day. Brenda Lindner, Executive Vice President of RAM Partners, LCC shared, “RAM is taking the entire week to celebrate and appreciate our onsite 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 onsite teams on August 12.  Many property management companies are planning on bringing in catered lunches for their onsite 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 onsite team members surprise gifts.

Celebrating Apartment Onsite Teams Day with Multifamily Insiders and Swift Bunny

Multifamily Insiders has partnered with Swift Bunny to celebrate Apartment Onsite Teams Day with giveaways and fun on Swift Bunny’s Facebook page at facebook.com/goswiftbunny and on the Multifamily ShareSpace. Join us there on August 12 for a chance to win! Use these hashtags: #APTeamsDay, #multifamilyinsiders, and #goswiftbunny when sharing photos, videos, and stories of your essential, amazing apartment teams.