What Renters Want with Jessica Fiur: Employees Not Getting Along? 3 Tips from Guns N’ Roses

You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby!
—Axl Rose, Guns N’ Roses

No matter how carefully you curate your team, interpersonal conflicts are bound to appear now and then in the workplace. This is true in all types of work settings, but it could be especially damaging in a multifamily community, because many of the positions are resident facing. Not only would it look unprofessional for the team to be fighting or snapping at each other in front of a resident, but it could also make the resident uncomfortable, and therefore less likely to come to a staff member when there’s a problem (which could potentially damage a unit if a resident goes the DIY route), to refer a friend to the community, or to renew their lease. So when your multifamily team doesn’t work together, it could end up costing you time, and, ultimately, money.

Team members don’t have to be friends. It doesn’t matter if they get drinks together after work or hang out on the weekends.

But they do have to respect each other.

And they have to work to get along and communicate effectively.

What do you do when multifamily employees are letting their personal issues interfere with their work? Well, you look to Guns N’ Roses. Obviously.

I’m sure you’ve heard, but if not, Guns N’ Roses is touring again, after years and years and years of having nothing to do with each other. Lead singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash reportedly hated each other. So then why, after all this time, are they touring again? For the greater good of music.

And probably for money.

But that’s OK! Again, the band doesn’t have to like each other. But if they’re at least working together, we all benefit.

Here are some tips.

Nip bad behavior in the bud. It’s important for your team to know they’re all working together towards a common goal. If there is a personality clash, make sure you communicate with them. In private. There’s no need to embarrass anyone. But, just as Axl’s infamous, um, “appetite for destruction” in the past used to cause canceled concerts and unhappy fans, if the bad behavior continues, residents will be affected. Tell your staff to leave their personal issues at home.

Let everyone shine. People have different personality types, and everyone has an ego. Make sure your employees know it’s a team effort— for example, one leasing agent shouldn’t be hogging all the walk-ins. Everyone serves a purpose on the team. If someone has a big personality, maybe they would work better at the front desk, while an introvert might excel doing paperwork and schedules. No one should be more important than anyone else. After all, remember Chinese Democracy, when the only original member of the band was Axl? Nope, me either.

Use outside motivation. Again, the motivation for this new tour is probably money. But, so what, it works. And your multifamily team can also be motivated with something other than “knowing they did a good job.” Maybe if your team works together to get a certain number of apartments leased, they can all get a bonus. Or a pizza party. Don’t knock pizza parties.

What are some of your strategies for dealing with multifamily employees who don’t get along? And who’s going to see Guns N’ Roses? We would love to hear your thoughts. Post your comments on our Facebook page or send a tweet to @MHNOnline.