Pros
Steady and dependable pay/benefits. Making friends with co-workers is a given. Equity has or had a very good culture of employees across the nation feeling as though you belong to a family. Creating relationships with residents is really what gets the field employees though the day. Reaching out to your co-workers who are in your same position is often helpful with sharing practices, procedures, and policies. Equity does try to calm the storms with parties for the employees and nice day long meetings for the entire region to get together.
Cons
Equity Residential is extremely cheap. Often times major issues with the communities are not fixed or resolved until the situation or issues become dramatically out of control. In this area they have cut cleaning contracts for the majority of the garden style communties leaving the staff to do the dirty work. Properties are not very well maintained, those being renovated are cheaply done and results of poor, cheap products and wokmaship are evident to the customers. Equity does a great job of trying to create job growth by purchasing additional properties but don't expect to transfer or be promoted if you're not in the right circle or know the inside of the very apparent politics.And if you do get promoted, don't expect any training from your direct supervisor, promotions are sink or swim as far as meeting the job requirements. This area is very cliquey, there is definately a seperation between the corporate eployees and field employees. As far as resident retention, they are only a valuable as the rent they pay. The older properties make it quite difficult for people to be proud of where they live, crime, stuctural issues, uncaring and "robotic" staff are becoming more of the trend even at the "luxury" communities.