Steer clear . . . There are many better property management companies out there. - Anonymous employee Equity Residential Employee Review

1.0
Feb 11, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Unfortunately, I have nothing to add to this category. Work here if you can't find a job anywhere else.

Cons

Equity Residential's cons originate from the top down. The first thing you need to know is this, one group of people matters. No, it's not the residents/paying customers, it's not the employees, it is the shareholders and the shareholders alone. Working for this company was torture because they tell you one thing, then do another. They teach you in their training classes to "do the right thing". What is important to know is they left out the second part of their sentence, which is "do the right thing for the shareholders." Let me elaborate - At EQR, do not expect one team lunch, a birthday cake, or a reward lunch for a job well done for your team. They won't spend the money. You are not worth it. Do not expect a competitive salary. They spend a lot of time researching the least they can possibly pay you within your market. Good luck getting any more than that for any reason. They also fee residents to death any way they possibly can without shame, while at the same time they try to cut back on the amenities they offer the residents. This makes your job there miserable when you want to do the right thing to help residents in any way possible, but they simply won't allow it. Their benefits are also not as good as other companies. Overall, I would steer clear of both working for this company, or living at one of their communities.

Explore other reviews about Equity Residential

5.0
May 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

great benefits and pay along with culture

Cons

don't have any at the moment

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Equity Residential Response
1w
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Equity Residential. We’re thrilled to hear that you’ve had such a positive experience and that our benefits, compensation, and culture have stood out to you. Creating an environment where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed is a key priority for us, and it’s rewarding to know that those efforts are reflected in your experience. Feedback like yours reinforces our commitment to investing in our people and fostering a positive workplace culture. Thank you for being part of the Equity Residential team. We appreciate all that you do and look forward to your continued success with us!
2.0
May 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Housing discount, strong portfolio exposure, opportunity to work across multiple communities, and valuable experience in a fast-paced leasing environment.

Cons

Management loves to preach “teamwork” until something goes wrong, then suddenly it’s every employee for themselves. Very documentation-heavy culture where certain managers seem to enjoy writing people up more than actually developing talent. Communication is inconsistent, accountability is selective, and favoritism is hard to ignore. Commission structure is shockingly low for the workload and expectations. Leadership often presents itself as organized and supportive, but behind the scenes there’s a lot of blame-shifting, targeting of employees, and policy confusion — especially regarding employee housing and lease transitions. My own experience at the end of my employee lease felt retaliatory and left a very negative impression.

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Equity Residential Response
1mo
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback about your experience as a Multisite Leasing Consultant. We appreciate your recognition of the opportunities for portfolio exposure, cross-community experience, and the fast-paced learning environment. Roles like yours require adaptability and strong relationship-building skills, and we value the contributions of our onsite teams. We’re sorry to hear that aspects of your experience, particularly around communication, consistency, leadership support, and trust, did not meet expectations. We understand how important it is for employees to feel supported, developed, and treated fairly, especially in collaborative team environments. Your feedback regarding communication between HR and onsite teams, management practices, and employee housing processes is valuable and helps highlight areas where we can continue to improve. We also encourage you to continue sharing your feedback with your HR Business Partner or through our confidential Call to Action Hotline, available 24/7 by phone at 800-231-5699 or online at CallToActionHotline.com, so concerns can be reviewed appropriately. Thank you again for sharing your perspective. Feedback like yours plays an important role in helping us strengthen the employee experience across our communities.
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