Equity Residential Reviews

Pros

You need to be a person with a strong work ethic because we work hard everyday. The pay off for your hard work is excellent benefits, salary and a great work environment. Senior mgmt really cares about their employees. It's a true team spirit with everyone working for the same goal.

Cons

The initiatives always change. You finally get a new one down and you Bono and they changed what they want. The changes take some getting used to but once you get in the grove a d go with he flow you see there is a great strategy behind it all.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what your doing. It's working.

Pros

Good benefits, time off. Financial backing to complete projects, have acceptable appearance of locations and maintenance of sites in customer service industry where impressions are important.

Cons

There is a lack of understanding of what happens at the apartment property sites. The last year has seen elimination of titles trying to copy similar companies, without understanding each employee's function. Job descriptions or duties did not change, but bonuses and pay were cut. Lack of understanding of PM role (salaried), which causes the company to leak money in the millions. Average salaried employee works 30 hours per week, sometimes less, while most of corporate America usually relies on salaried employees to pick up the slack. With over 10% unemployment in our culture, good replacements cannot be attracted or hired for most positions, as the replacement will be actually running the site at a very modest pay. Best practices are not followed (or passed along).

Advice to Senior Management

No training of leadership=no leaders. Either lack of training or experience results in vacuum where regional and AVP management, etc., cannot relate to onsite issues. A requirement to operate a community onsite for 1 month per year would retrain many upper management employees who have a 90's view of property management. Surprising managers and communities with drop-in visits might education upper management. All visits are pre-planned to avoid eye-opening surprises. Regionals and AVPS do not expend the time to visit sites or investigate recurring issues. They are also on the "no overtime" plan. The company is hiring graphs and charts employees, does not focus on customer service anymore.

Pros

sales meetings.
employee holiday party.
community service.

Cons

unfairness towards employee's who try to do the right thing.
only promote people who are the favorites from the regional managers even though you have more experience. drop your pay or title when it suits the company, Upper management does not really listen to what is going on, numbers come first above employee's and residents issues.A lot of great employee's have jumped ship in the past year. Not many employee's who work there past 5 or more years. High turn over.

Advice to Senior Management

Time to review your Upper management skills when it comes to employee's. Actually listen to all employee's in regards to issue's with your company. You will be surprised to find out what the company is doing wrong in regards to keeping people who would want to work there. Stop pushing people out just because they work for your company along time.

Pros

decent compensation and benefits package

Cons

Lack of communication between mgt and lower-level employees. Everyone out for themselves.

Pros

Benefits, annual activities, Having a steady job, housing discount

Cons

No real employee engagement endeavors, even though there is an annual employee engagement survey (such a joke). It seems as though Equity does not care if they lose their best workers, everyone is replaceable. No consideration is given to how decisions will affect employees, the only focus is the bottom line. Most people are overworked. If someone quits or gets fired, they take forever to replace that person and only if they absolutely have to. But in the meantime you will be given hell about audit compliance and metrics when you are just trying to stay afloat. Anything can change at any moment about your job requirement, compensation, job title, etc. I would suggest Equity being a last resort, or a temporary gig until you find something better.

Advice to Senior Management

I would suggest doing some research on how to actually engage your employees and what effect it could have on the bottom line. Treat your employees better! Hire an outside consultant to really investigate how decisions that have been made have effected your employees. At least act like you care instead of sitting there getting richer and richer in Chicago.

Pros

Equity is up to date on technological advances and going green-electronic leases, application process etc. They spend the money to keep properties looking great. They have extremely high standards for their employees and properties which keep everyone looking sharp. Great managers and employees. They are very good at recognizing their top performers in the field.

Cons

Managers stay with Equity a very long time leaving few positions for other employees to grow into.

Advice to Senior Management

Not to undervalue the importance of room for career advancement in the DRIVE criteria

Pros

I have been an employee for three years and I must say it has been the best decision I have ever made as far as an employer. They were very up front when hiring on their expectations. I see that most people on here say they are over worked??? That I find wierd because if you just come and do your job you have no problems. If you do more than what is asked of you they reward you. If you show you are interested in moving up in the buisness they will promote. Bottom line if you work you get.... If you sit back and collect a check that's what you will get in return. All the tools are in place to help employees grow and move up the ladder.

Cons

They demand a lot but it is well worth the effort , I personaly don't like the CLS that is used because it affects your bonus at years end and you don't have total control over the outcome of the number. You could be doing everything needed and others not doing whats needed and it goes against you.

Advice to Senior Management

Spend more money on the properties, When doing projects try not to use the cheapest contractors and supplies. You get what you pay for!!

Pros

great benefits
stock options
discounts with vendors
software advancements

Cons

Your raise every year is predetermined and not negotiable, your commissions are sometimes discretionary- not every manager pays out every commission. Some former employees were terminated with one story and then told unemployment offices a different story. Property or regional/area managers can prevent you from changing properties or applying for promotions. If you live at an Equity Property and get terminated, you have 7 days to move out.

Advice to Senior Management

There is an serious disconnect between upper management and onsite employees. Listen to the frustrations of employees at the site level. Start caring about your employees! Your "Do The Right Thing" should apply to everyone. If you want your employees to give you a specific performance don't be so vague in the direction. I have watched this company throw out some loyal and hard working employees just because all the facts and sides weren't given to a situation or a regional manager didn't like someone in their portfolio. Good employees are hard to come by and they are starting to jump ship!

Pros

20% off your rent, with any Equity property you choose to live on.

Cons

They do not care about the employees. The managers are self centered and rude!

Advice to Senior Management

Train your employees better!

Pros

-Benefits were reasonable
-You get to meet nice tenants

Cons

- Management is hypocritical and promote those who they have good relationships with
- Many times you do things outside of your job description
- Pay was below average and commissions ($25-$40 per apt)
- No regard to outside factors affecting the closing of an sale

Advice to Senior Management

Better incentives will give employees motivation. Try to eliminate the high school culture of the sales staff because you alienate new employees.