We recently talked about our Employee Recognition Program and how we feel that is an integral part of making employees feel valuable and like a contributing factor to our business. However, an important group that we did not highlight are our maintenance staff. This team is the backbone of our organization and they often go without recognition for their work. They complete hundreds of work orders and unit turns each month and are responsible for keeping our grounds and our pools looking clean.

Basically, we would fall apart operationally without them, so they deserve a special week dedicated just to them. During our first ever Maintenance Appreciation Week in May, our property managers did our maintenance technicians’ morning grounds work, made them breakfast and a potluck lunch, shadowed their work to learn a little more about what they do, and even interviewed them so that our residents can better get to know them.

It was a full week and we shared the day’s activities and photos on our community Facebook pages, which gave our residents the chance to comment and say their own thanks. Check out or photos and some of the great things our managers had to say about our hard-working maintenance technicians.

“I am thankful for Danny because one day when I was having a bad day, he went to get me lunch and talked to me to make me feel a little better. He didn’t have to do that, so it was really thoughtful.” — Jennifer

“I am thankful for my maintenance staff because they are always here with a smile on their face and willing to help the residents and the office staff in any way. They work so hard on making the property look great.” –Erica

“Lake Club is extremely appreciative of its maintenance staff. Duke, Jaime and Brian go above and beyond to make sure Lake Club is looking top notch. From the moment they get here they are out on the grounds – picking up trash, emptying trash cans, pulling weeds- to make sure our community looks great! “No”, is not an answer for our maintenance staff.”

“I am thankful for my maintenance staff because they are an incredibly knowledgeable and hard working team. Each one brings their own unique thing to the table here at Oak Creek and I think that is why Oak Creek flows so well.” — Meagan