WHAT’S HAPPENING, HAWTHORNE?!
January
PET PHOTO CONTEST
LIVING A RUFF LIFE!
Boston Terrier Matt Davis, came to his very first home at Hawthorne at the Parkway where in 2015, Lauren and Michael Connor welcomed him with open arms and treats! They set the bar very high, so he knows what to expect any time he visits a leasing office! He is a very good boy who enjoys open space, runs, traveling, snuggling and wearing sweaters!!
Fun Fact: Matt loves Cheese! Matt is 4 years old and lives with biological brother Luke (who doesn’t like his photo taken) and his hoomans! He has his own Instagram @BostonBugg where his mom takes way too many pictures of him!
Submitted by : Rasheemah Davis – Community Manager at Mission Triangle Point
WHERE’S HAWTHORNE?!
As we enter a new year, Hawthorne is busy managing his calendar with meetings and wants to share a few Meeting Etiquette tips:
Be on time, even show up early if possible. Everyone’s time is valuable and even being a few minutes late can sometimes set a bad tone for the entire meeting. Being on time shows respect.
Make introductions. Start with a friendly greeting. Do not assume that everyone knows each other.
Have a strong agenda / Be prepared. Come to the meeting with pen, paper, research, anything needed to contribute to the meeting. If the meeting is in person and an agenda is provided, everyone should have a copy. The agenda should be in sequential order of the meeting. If the meeting is over the phone, it is beneficial to still have notes, so you don’t lose track of what you need to relay to the meeting.
Listen, really listen. Effective listening can build trust, resolve conflicts and strengthen teams. Ask questions afterwards to reflect your understanding of what has been communicated.
5 STAR RESIDENT REVIEWS
HAWTHORNE RIVERSIDE
By:
Verified Resident / ApartmentRatings.com
The staff goes above and beyond to make residents feel welcome and are always eager to help. Their high standard for service seems to promote a positive sense of community among residents, making it a great place to live.
AVENUES OF KENNESAW
By: Jelisa Blackwell / Google +
Wow! I’m astonished at how smoothly my move-in experience has been at The Avenues of Kennesaw. Everyone can agree that moving can be stressful, however from the first time I visited the property to inquire about the apartments, I have been treated with consistent kindness and respect. Every staff member that I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with has been extremely professional. I worked with Dawn directly and I can honestly say she made me feel like family. She has an impeccable ability to connect with the residents. Her attention to detail and willingness to find the perfect unit for me, went above and beyond my expectations. To say that I love my apartment would be an understatement. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and from the moment I walked in, it felt like home. Nice amenities, spacious apartments, and professional staff, what more could you ask for! I’m thrilled to be a resident here and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an apartment in the Kennesaw area!
HAWTHORNE AT SUGARLOAF
By Verified Resident | ApartmentRatings.com
This is a wonderful community and great organization with well trained staff, that delivers warmth regularly. We are new to apartment living and we feel right at home. In addition, they provide all the necessities we look forward to having, i.e. car wash, laundromat, overnight package delivery, and more.
501 ESTATES
By: Verified Resident / ApartmentRatings.com
An overall excellent experience finding and renting at 501 estates. The leasing staff is super friendly, genuine, not pushy and very helpful. The complex is very safe, feels like a mini neighborhood. All buildings have a nice color scheme and spaces inside are beautiful, updated, and unique. Happy to call it home!
HR HAPPENINGS!
401(K) SAVINGS PLAN
Hawthorne offers a 401(k) savings plan for all employees. The plan provides an opportunity for participants to save for their retirement using pre-tax dollars.
All Hawthorne employees are automatically enrolled in Hawthorne Residential Partners 401(k) plan at a 3% contribution level after a 60-day waiting period. Empower is the administrator of Hawthorne’s 401(k) plan. After two years of service, employee contributions are auto-escalated to 4%. After three years of service, employee contributions are auto-escalated to 5%. After four years of service, employee contributions are autoescalated to 6%. After five years of service, employee contributions are auto-escalated to 7%. After six years of service, employee contributions are auto-escalated to 8%.
Auto-escalation only applies to participants who are auto-enrolled and make no changes to their contribution percentage after auto-enrollment.
To make changes to your 401(k), visit www.empowermyretirement.com or contact Empower at 800-338-4015.
Hawthorne’s employer match for new employees is 50 cents on the dollar up to a 3% contribution level.
After five years of service with Hawthorne the employer match is 50 cents on each dollar up to a 5% contribution level.
HR TIPS FOR MANAGERS
ENHANCING ONE-ON-ONE SKILLS
In our January HR Tips for Managers, we discussed why great leaders have regular one-on-one meetings with their reports and why one-on-one meetings are vitally important to keeping a pulse on your team. Whether you’re a new manager who is starting one-on-ones with your team or a seasoned manager who is looking to improve regular one-on-ones, we’ve put together this quintessential list of tips to apply to make your one-on-ones more effective and impactful.
1. Establish Safety and Trust
More often than not, one-on-one meetings are held for disciplinary action instead of positive relationship building or goal setting. It is up to us as managers to create a safe environment for open and honest conversations. Start the meeting by reassuring them that the meeting is solely out of positive intent to focus on them, their individual development and their career goals. Treat this meeting as a private conversation, do not discuss information they’ve divulged to you with others on the team without their consent.
2. Make the meeting about them
Get to know them as an individual. Avoid status updates. The purpose of this meeting to give them an opportunity to open up and discuss what is on their mind. These meetings will help you learn about their passions, strengths, areas for growth and opportunities for coaching.
3. Prepare thought-provoking questions
Be prepared to drive the first few meetings with thought-provoking questions until you establish a rhythm. Ask them how they are really doing, how they are enjoying their role, how you could better support them, etc. Utilize a grading scale of 1 to 5 to get past the surface level answers. i.e. How would you rate satisfaction in your role on a scale of 1 to 5? 5 being fantastic and 1 being not so good.
4. Review Trakstar together and take notes!
A great way to continue working through goals and accountability is by reviewing Trakstar together – long before their review! Encourage them to take notes and post goals in Trakstar that you can discuss and review together throughout the year. This is a perfect way to provide coaching, manage expectations and avoid any surprises at their review.
5. Consistency is key!
Trust is built over time with consistency. As you continue to meet, you will gain more insight to who they are, what they care about and what motivates them. Take opportunities to advocate for them and push them to achieve more than they thought possible.
“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” --Andrew Carnegie
GETTING TO KNOW
SUSANNA MCCRAY
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH HRP?
I have been with Hawthorne for 7 wonderful months.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT HRP?
I enjoy the work I get to do, and I love all of the amazing people I get to collaborate with on a daily basis.
WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF HAWTHORNE?
Outside of work I like to travel and spend Outside of working here at Hawthorne, I enjoy cooking and watching superhero movies.
IF YOU HAD 3 WISHES, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
1. I would wish for unlimited resources.
2. I would wish for more empathy for everyone.
3. And I would wish for 3 more wishes!
TRAINING CORNER!
UPCOMING TRAINING EVENTS
3/17 – 3/19
Leadership Conference
4/8 – 4/9
AL/GA/TN Hawthornize
4/15 – 4/16
AL/GA/TN Leasing School
4/16 – 4/17
Live It Leadership
4/22 – 4/23
NC/SC Leasing School
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
The 2020 Leadership Conference is just a couple weeks away! This year’s Conference is titled: “Believe: Awaken the Champion Within” and will be held at Hotel Ballast in beautiful Wilmington, NC, March 17-19.
Our Leadership Conference is an action-packed, 3-day event where each attendee connects with their peers, receives engaging and inspiring leadership content, and, of course, has some fun celebrating our successes. This year will be our largest Leadership Conference yet and it’s going to be a blast!
During the Conference, we’ll hear from HRP President, Sam Davenport as well as this year’s keynote speaker, Judi Holler. We’ll have breakout sessions tailored to your role and presented by some of Hawthorne’s fantastic leadership team. This is a great time to learn, grow, and have some fun along the way.
We’ll also have teambuilding events lined up along with our opening night party and our Annual Awards Celebration. This is where we’ll celebrate the past year’s successes and honor those individuals who have made a positive impact on their communities.
If you want to find out more, you can view highlights from past conferences, check out our agenda, and catch up on some helpful travel tips on our Conference website at www.hrpconference. com.
Get ready to take action and Awaken the Champion Within!
SOFTWARE SUPPORT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF:
Meet the support team that is always here to assist YOU – completing approximately 800 tickets each month with an average first response time of 4.5 hours, and an average resolution time of 12 hours! The support team is made up of members from all different areas of property management, each with different expertise
BECKY CARTER. Director of Software Support, Greensboro, NC.
I love to travel as much as possible. My hope is to spend time with my daughter in all 50 states, we are more than halfway there! I am also a HUGE J Cole fan!
LINDSEY WILKERSON. Software Support Specialist, Greensboro, NC.
I can speed read, and usually read several books a week.
CINDY BLACK. Software Support Specialist, Greensboro, NC.
I enjoy flower gardening and dancing…two-step, west coast swing, line dance, square dance. It’s all fun and great exercise!
KAYLEE MCDANIEL.
Software Support Specialist, Greensboro, NC.
I am obsessed with roller coasters and anything that gets my adrenaline going. Someday, I would love to go skydiving!
THE TECHNOLOGY CORNER. INVESTIGATING. PROBLEM-SOLVING. SUPPORTING. CONSISTENCY.
The Software Support team’s goal is to help you solve your day to day challenges and to help you understand the tools at your fingertips to ensure future success. They provide support for our site teams by answering support tickets related to all things Yardi, Knock, Rent Café, Yieldstar, Voyager, Payscan and any other software related issues that may arise. This can include a wide variety of topics from email setups/ changes, checkscan, user access, new property takeover setups, setting up new properties in Blue Moon, Knock, Yieldstar and Resident Screening, and providing support with resident ledger corrections.
Please enter a support ticket with any and all software questions through HRP Support Guru at www.hrpsupportguru.com, and the Software Support team will help you find a solution!
NEW DEVELOPMENT UPDATES!
HAWTHORNE AT SMITH CREEK
We are excited to announce Hawthorne at Smith Creek is now open. A 318-unit, modern farmhouse, garden-style community, located in Wilmington, North Carolina just 15 minutes from Wrightsville Beach.
Hawthorne at Smith Creek features a great amenity package, with an expansive 24-hour stand-alone fitness center, saltwater swimming pool with sun ledge, large pet park and pet wash, along with a large outdoor pavilion featuring grills and a fireplace, a game room featuring a golf simulator, billiards and ping pong table and a 24-hour cyber café. Showcasing two apartment home interior finish packages to select from, both options include granite countertops, shaker style cabinets doors, custom, designer selected lighting and plumbing fixtures, stainless steel appliances and chrome hardware throughout, along with washers and dryers included in every home.
HAWTHORNE AT HAYWOOD
We are proud to announce the opening of Hawthorne at Haywood. A 236-unit, modern, garden-style community, located in West Asheville, North Carolina just minutes from downtown.
Hawthorne at Haywood features a luxurious modern style throughout the community including gated access, saltwater swimming pool with an outdoor kitchen and fireplace, large pet park and pet wash, bike and kayak storage, 24-hour cyber café with co-working space and an expansive fitness center with CrossFit inspired fitness equipment. Showcasing two apartment home interior finish packages to select from, both options include granite countertops, flat panel style cabinets doors, designer selected lighting and plumbing fixtures such as rain shower heads, stainless steel appliances and chrome hardware throughout, along with washers and dryers included in every home. Residents will have nature as their neighbor as select units boast mountainous views!
LEADERSHIP CORNER!
RECOGNIZING YOUNG LEADERS
February is National Youth Leadership month. National Youth Leadership recognizes those who have taken on leadership roles and aims to encourage those that have not yet taken on leadership positions to do so, because they can!
Ed Harrington, Principal, shared his thoughts on young leaders and how they have a vital role: “Leaders come in all different shapes and sizes with different personalities, demographics and age. One thing is changing with leadership; leaders are forming at an earlier age than in the past. There are many different factors that could lead to this reality, but an important ingredient is having a mentor that you respect and has experience. Being a young leader doesn’t necessarily mean you have employees that report to you, it means that you bring new ideas to the table, possess a desire to learn, communicate effectively and help someone else work on themselves. Examples of leading can be brainstorming ideas on how to streamline a current process or taking the initiative to get a task done. I challenge each of you to be a leader that you would want to follow.”
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch
LIVE IT! CORNER
Our LIVE IT! culture is based on integrity and doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Having integrity establishes trust, which can put us on the road to success both personally and professionally. Working everyday to build and maintain trust with everyone around us is some of the best time we can spend.
Whether you are a leader or seeking to be a leader, it’s important to develop these 5 powerful habits to establish trust.
Be radically honest
When we are honest with people, people reciprocate- not only with their own honesty but also with trust. If you can be honest in bad times as well as good, people will naturally trust you.
Invest in helping people grow and become better
Regardless of your position, if you are thinking of others and helping them to learn and grow, you will establish trust and people will have faith in you.
Consistently offer support
When you show that you care consistently, offering the support that others need, people feel confident in their own position and will be assured by you.
Seek input from others
When you are willing to seek ideas and feedback, it demonstrates that you are leading with character. People trust anyone who leads with character.
Be willing to admit when you are wrong
When you admit that you are wrong , this can earn the respect of others around you proving to them that you are trustworthy.
We Are Kind And We Are Changing The World!!
@hawthorneresidentialpartners www.hawthorneresidentialpartners.com