I did a piece last week suggesting that employers should be quick to thank their employees to help build goodwill and employee engagement. Most of the time, all the employees are looking for is acknowledgment of their efforts. I think this also translates well to our clients, prospects, peers, competition, and our industry as a whole.
This week I was rolling out some “Thank You” offers to both our new and loyal readers and it reminded me of what a great industry in which I have the pleasure of serving! Over the last 15 years I have been involved and most of the last 40 that MDS has been in business, there have been a great many changes both good and not as good. The one thing that has remained constant is the quality of people that the industry has attracted and recruited.
Special Industry
This industry as a whole is very quick to take the heat for accidents or individual bad actors because it involves the lives of others and of course this is nothing to take lightly. On the converse, it seems that the industry as a whole is very slow to receive the praise for all the resident days that are logged not only without incident, but with successful outcomes for the seniors served.
I have had this experience from both sides of the table. Of course I work with both Senior Living operators and Senior Consumers on a daily basis, but I have also had family members in every form of Senior Living from Independent Living to Skilled Nursing. I know firsthand that overall, seniors’ lives are enriched because of the services provided. If that’s hard to wrap your head around, then just think of the lives that would be impacted if every Senior Living community closed their doors tonight.
Special People
I really enjoy the camaraderie of my friends and associates in the industry. There are several groups of professionals that serve the Senior Living industry that I meet with regularly. While we are capitalist and do need to make a living, we always consider the other group members when it comes to cross-marketing. We are very attune to opportunities where our group members can benefit. I think because they all have a giving spirit and that seems to be a common thread throughout those who work in the Senior Living field. That is not just reserved for those who work on the front lines in the communities at the operations level, but to the vendors that serve the operators as well.
The support that people and companies in this industry give to each other is also incredible. Operators are always eager to lend a helping hand to other operators. We all share and collaborate on ways to better serve the senior population. Even vendors who compete in the same product line talk freely and share ideas with other vendors who compete directly with them.
Character Shines Through
Probably one of the most awesome features is that we don’t feel the need to “trash” our competitors in an open forum to make them look bad and us better. I write a lot and while I do get some constructive feedback from time to time, I have never had any harsh criticism. The same goes for me, if I see something I don’t agree with, running someone down in an open forum is not the right thing to do. I have been appalled as of late while reading the Pulse postings on LinkedIn at the amount of negative responses. I don’t mean just one or two, I am talking about an entire thread of negative comments to some person’s feelings or position. I guess I follow the old adage that if you don’t have something nice to say, you don’t say anything.
Again, I am not talking about a difference of opinion that can be discussed like professional adults, but just rude and non-productive comments that add no value to the conversation and they sure don’t make the commenter look good. In fact, if the person providing the negative comment only knew how shallow and uneducated it makes them appear they would think twice about being negative or so literal to the point you put someone else down.
So, all that to say….Thanks to those who make up the Senior Living industry. From the financiers who take a chance with their money, to the operators and their awesome staff who make it happen day in and day out, and to vendors that serve them all, a BIG THANK YOU, for a job well done and for making this a great industry of which to be a part! If you’re not fortunate enough to work in the Senior Living industry, but work with equally as great people as we do, consider yourself blessed.
Roy Barker is Director of Special Projects at Moore Diversified Services, a Fort Worth, Texas-based organization specializing in operations analysis, marketing development, and investment advisory services. Roy is an authority in the field of employee turnover analysis and retention strategies.
