I will omit the 2020 COVID-19 response from my review, other than to say the expectations of employees showed the company’s true colors for associate appreciation. At the end of 2020, each associate was given a Challenge Coin and $100 as a “Thank You.” Excuse me for being ungrateful, but it was a slap in the face from the VP executive team and above after the year we all endured. Not familiar with a Challenge Coin? Lookup how many Donald Trump had displayed in his office. The emotional value meant nothing to the on-site teams who received them since they are handed out like candy. Compare this to countless other property management companies who awarded their associates a minimum of $1,000 each.
Staying on the topic of financial recognition and compensation, this is the greatest area of opportunity for associate satisfaction. Approximately every year or two, AvalonBay conducts an Associate Perspective Survey to solicit direct feedback. While this is a commendable gesture to do the right thing, there have been zero questions asked about compensation over the years, yet it is the highest written in response year over year. As an adult well out of college years it is embarrassing that a company in the housing industry does not pay their associates enough to live on-site at the communities they help keep occupied. Living paycheck to paycheck should not be a reality of the people who run the success of their business day to day. You are expected to achieve more with less resources and tools, staffing levels are a joke.
It is hard to watch the on-site Managers work magic to achieve success while burning themselves out. Work life balance is non-existent and quarterly performance-based compensation is not paid timely. In the last year, the quarterly bonus for Supervisors and Managers (both office and maintenance) was paid late 3 times, once being 3 pay periods (6 weeks) late. Also, do not get used to the compensation plan because it changes (for the worse) every year. They like to pretend you have the autonomy to do your job and make decisions independently, but I have seen my manager be told outright a person of higher position can out rule their decision "because they can."
AvalonBay, it is time for YOU to act like the owners and show the same commitment and dedication to your staff as your on-site associates do for residents, vendors, and peers. They are the reason residents ultimately chose to call AvalonBay home after all.
