OFFERING EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS THAT HELP SENIOR LIVING STAY COMPETITIVE Aegis Living can’t give all of its 2,100


employees $50,000 bonuses, and it’s hard to compete with neighboring employers like Microsoft, but the company does put forth a significant effort recognizing and appreciating its staff through awards such as this, bestowing extra earned vacation time for longevity of service, and by call- ing out employees’ names for their years of service in its employee newsletter. The company also tries to address its younger workers’ needs by making work life as lively as possible. Each community, for example, has a committee of employees who ensure that there’s a “fun” activity available for their peers every day, such as bowling, pic- nics, or even go-kart racing. And employ- ees can earn extra cash a number of ways, such as referring friends to the company as employee candidates, or by submitting ideas to management on how to improve the company’s day-to-day operations. The company also distributed eight all-expense- paid vacations this spring. One winner was 80 years old herself and has worked at Aegis for 17 years. She planned to take her kids and a grandkid to Disney World. Employee giveaways are just one com-


ponent of an extensive matrix of benefits that top senior living workplaces offer their hardworking front-line staff. Others include the basics, such as a choice of affordable health care plans, dental insurance, 401(k) retirement plans with company matches, and employee assistance. But some compa- nies also offer free wellness programs, pet insurance, bring-your-child or -pet to work options, adoption assistance, tuition reim-


TOP WORKPLACE AEGIS LIVING


Headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., Aegis Living was recognized as one of the best 50 places to work in the United States in a December 2016 report compiled by the career website Glassdoor. The report was based on anonymous employee reviews.


Aegis Living is led by chief executive officer Dwayne J. Clark, who prior to founding his own company in 1997, was executive vice president of operations at Sunrise Senior Living.


Clark has thought deeply about what makes employees happy and compiled his reflections in a 2001 book titled “Help Wanted.” The Aegis workplace and benefits even today reflect his thoughtful approach. For example, he writes about the importance of break rooms as a revitalizing force for his staff in an environment that could sometimes be “traumatizing.” So it’s not surprising to read an internal 2015 employee newsletter that touts a companywide contest to encourage communities to makeover their break rooms. The winning community would receive $1,000.


Aegis also holds an annual conference for management that features well-known speakers— 2017’s speakers included Ralph Hubert “Sonny” Barger, founding member of the Oakland chapter of the Hells Angels; Monica Lewinsky; and Lance Armstrong. Every year’s meeting has a learning theme, and this year’s was about managing difficult life experiences and about “empathy, compassion, and truth.” The rest of the staff has access to the talks via recorded DVDs.


“We are always looking for ways to extend our appreciation and support to those who are taking care of our seniors—work that is so often physically demanding and mentally exhausting,” Clark says in online literature about the company’s culture.


bursements, extensive training programs and opportunities for promotion, as well as the occasional transportation benefit. The goal is to offer employees choices


“Every year we take the employee survey feedback and we look at our benefits and we look at enhancements, and we make tweaks,” says Judy Whitcomb, Vi’s senior vice president of human resources and learning.


8 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE / ISSUE 4 2017


that match the realities of their lives. Aegis’ founder Clark illustrates the point explicitly in his book “Help Wanted.” He suggested that senior living front-line workers can be categorized into three buckets: “younger workers,” who are typically between 16 to 23 and who tend to focus on soft benefits like free food and having fun in the workplace; “career caregivers,” who are older and who need the health insurance and retirement plans; and “volunteer workers,” who may be middle-aged, but who are working the job because it fulfills their social conscience. These kinds of employees tend to want flex- ibility, Clark notes. Other items, such as pet insurance, made it


onto the benefits list because employees asked for it, says Judy Whitcomb, Vi’s senior vice president of human resources and learning. “This is back to choice, giving employees


choices that are not incredibly expensive to offer,” she says. “Every year we take the em-


ployee survey feedback and we look at our benefits and we look at enhancements, and we make tweaks.” Industry leaders’ focus on promoting a


strong company identity and culture by providing decent benefits (which often in- volves holding “fun” companywide events that bring staff together) is all part of the struggle to hang on to good employees who often hold tough jobs. “The cost [of care] for the residents has


to be realistic, and the care is the most im- portant thing, but then we have to pay our employees a competitive wage and it can be tough to balance all of that—especially when they could go to jobs that are ‘easier,’ that are less emotional and hands-on,” says Melinda Ericks, Carlton Senior Living’s senior vice president of human resources. Carlton is a privately held company head-


quartered in Concord, Calif. It operates 14 senior living communities around Sacra- mento, the East Bay, and in San Jose. The company serves about 1,375 residents and employs 1,000 people. But employee engagement comes in dif-


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