An Example of Talent Management in Senior Living

Let me start by asking my senior living provider friends, “When was the last time you promoted a maintenance professional to director of housing?”

The reason I ask is that at Avinity we take talent management very seriously. We are proactive in talking with our employee family members about their goals, dreams and future. While important, we are less worried about specific educational background and a glossy resume. We are more interested in skills, abilities, passion, and an ability to listen and learn.

Over the past year or so our head of talent management had separate conversations with two of our long time maintenance supervisors serving at two different Avinity senior living communities. Each expressed interest in furthering their career at Avinity by serving as a senior living housing director at one of our communities.

In one case, we provided a growth path that included a stint as the assistant housing director in our largest community of 161 units, and now a few months later he is THE housing director, and doing a fantastic job!  In the other case, an opportunity came via a pending acquisition of a 48 unit senior living community where we were able to offer a combined position as housing & maintenance director.

In both instances we have seen these professionals take their skills and commitment to a new level. It is amazing to see the positive transformation that has occurred.  Talent management really isn’t rocket science. It really doesn’t take much, other than a willingness to listen, offer some mentoring or training and most of all, offering an opportunity to someone so they can show what they are capable of doing.

Avinity Senior Living which was founded in 1970. It is a non-profit, faith based organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Avinity is a collection of senior living communities (independent living, assisted living, homecare, memory care) where older adults thrive in their social, spiritual and personal lives, and their families have the peace of mind knowing their loved ones are safe, secure and well cared for. 

To learn more about Avinity check us out at www.AvinitySeniorLiving.org or Twitter @AvinityMN or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AvinitySeniorLiving