How to Show Support to On-Site Teams

Carol Jackson, Area Vice President for the Maryland Region, Morgan Properties. Image courtesy of Morgan Properties

After spending more than three decades in the multifamily industry, Carol Jackson, Morgan Properties Area Vice President for the Maryland Region, admits that one of the most demanding aspects of her job today is keeping on-site teams optimistic about what’s to come after the past very stressful couple of years. And the current economic situation is only adding to employees’ mental stress.

Overseeing 11,000 units across 26 properties in the Mid-Atlantic, Jackson knows exactly what her teams need in order to feel appreciated, respected, trusted and understood. Among other things, Jackson is testing a more flexible work schedule for on-site teams—four 10-hour workdays a week—to accommodate their need to rest, but also to make property management more appealing to younger generations who are more mindful of their work-life balance.

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When Jackson started off in the multifamily business back in 1990, she received a lot of support from her superiors. She began as a leasing agent, but rapidly worked her way up. In 2006, she joined Morgan Properties as the company’s first area vice president, but as time passed, she had the opportunity to form and coach four other area vice presidents, who are now working by her side. And mentoring others is one of her favorite tasks.

“If you want to be a leasing agent your whole career, I’ll support you in being the best leasing agent and getting you the best experience that you can have. If you want to be my boss someday, I can help you with that, too,” she told Multi-Housing News Senior Editor Laura Calugar in the July episode of the Mission Success: Women in Multifamily podcast series.

Here’s what else you’ll hear about in this episode:

• • How she got into property management (1:02)
  • Most stressful part of her job (03:00)
  • Why coaching is her favorite part of her job (4:28)
  • Making on-site teams feel appreciated and respected (6:22)
  • How the next generation of multifamily leaders looks like (7:25)
  • Challenges when filling open positions (8:45)
  • Retaining employees and reducing turnover (10:10)
  • Mentoring the new generation (12:50)
  • Diversity and inclusion (14:20)
  • What Carol likes to do in her spare time (15:55)
  • Carol’s plans at Morgan Properties (16:55)

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