Team Springs

Supporting Staff Advancement

By Erica Rascón on May 20, 2019 in Giving, People

It’s a well known fact that the senior living industry has struggled to identify and retained talented personnel. Yardi client The Living Springs has found a way to nourish its talented employees through programs that promote personal and professional advancement. Through its efforts, the organization—and the overall industry—can cultivate a stronger support staff and enhance resident care.

Creative Problem Solving

Three years ago, Lisa Maynard, director of people and process at The Springs Living, noticed a trend. Employees were eager for professional advancement, mostly in the nursing field. Yet they lacked the resources to make their dreams into a reality.

Simultaneously, care providers strategized ways to attract and maintain talent, often in vain.

Maynard and the team at The Springs Living realized that both issues could be addressed at once: a scholarship that empowered employees to pursue higher education. Through the Team Springs Scholarship fund, the brand could build loyalty with current employees. Those same employees would gain the education needed to provide higher quality care for residents.

“Generally, we find employees want to gain more knowledge with the goal to return and help out our residents in a higher-level capacity,” explained Maynard.

The scholarship fund is not limited to long-term care or health care, Maynard says. But that isn’t a deterrent.

“We do have a mission to change the way people, think, feel and experience working in senior living.  If we can get our younger generations to see the career opportunities, we think they will come back in some form or fashion.  Even if it is just referring us to another talented friend or family member.”

The Springs Living also invented the Shine Academy. The in-house program assists with on-boarding, on the job training, and continuing education.  The Shine Academy encourages staff to look forward towards their next adventure in education, rather than becoming complacent. As a result, employees remain engaged and invested in their careers.

Transforming Dreams into Reality

“Yardi’s contributions have allowed us to grow The Team Springs Scholarship Fund year-over-year,” said Maynard. “The first year, we were able to help ten students. The second year, we helped 15 students. This year, with the help of Yardi, we anticipate helping between 35 and 40 students work toward their college dreams.”

Many scholarship recipients choose to pursue certifications in health-related fields. Each batch of graduates feeds into The Living Springs talent pool and the senior care industry. As awareness of the scholarship continues to grow, the impact becomes more profound.

“We find employees love this industry and see themselves in it for many years,” said Maynard.