Culture
Club
Everybody talks about the importance of
corporate culture, but how do you really get
staff to live it every day? By Scott McCutcheon
Fast forward
New employees have to learn
how to live your mission, your
vision, and your guiding
principles every day.
A successful community
needs an executive director
who is able to address the
details without doing his or
her team members’ work.
If you set a higher expectation
than the minimum required
for licensure, then
compensate team
members accordingly.
A comprehensive quality assurance program ensures your
community is preparing for an
audit every day.
Successful senior living communities are a product of more than beauti- ful buildings, effective processes, and good marketing. Success begins with a corporate culture that is embraced
and epitomized by community-level staff, and
supported by residents.
The benefits are many: citation-free audits,
well-trained staff, happy residents, and full
buildings. When team members are engaged
and aligned with the mission; the organization
sets and communicates high standards; and
a shared vision is repeatedly tied to everyday
routines, team members know their every action matters.
How can your organization create this kind
of culture? Read on.
Put true effort into finding and
keeping the right caregivers. An
intensive recruiting, screening, and hiring
process to select those who not only have the
required skills needed, but have the personality
and drive to embrace the vision and translate
that into their daily routines, is step one. You
have to find the rare individuals who will
thrive in your corporate culture.
Engage residents in corporate
culture. Residents should be involved in
36 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE | MAY/JUNE 2012 | WWW.ALFA.ORG
