Working Together - Property Manager and Assistant Property Manager Follow

Overview 

Westward 360 was founded in 2002 in Chicago. The Philippines office opened in 2009, and both offices have grown significantly. As of 2023, we have 108 team members in the Philippines and 192 in the United States, including Elmwood Park, Woodstock, Denver, and Las Vegas offices. The Westward we know today has grown considerably due to our ever-evolving set of technology, processes, and customer focused employees. Westward360 has experienced significant internal growth and acquired numerous companies over time. 

Working Together

One of the greatest things about Westward is the support our team provides each other, regardless of the state or country you are in! When a relationship is remote, we often accidentally skip pleasantries and the regular socializing naturally occurring in the office. If communication is limited to all business, the relationship will likely fail or not be productive.

It’s essential to set clear expectations with your overseas coworkers and reiterate them to ensure there are no misunderstandings. Over-communicate with your teammates and be as open and available to your team as possible. All avenues should be on the table, including Zendesk, email, chat, phone, and most importantly, Google Meet to work face to face. 

Examples: 

• Tell your teammates when you plan on taking lunch and ask them when they are taking lunch
• Check in with each other often about sprints or when teammates will be unavailable for quick responses
• Take the opportunity to decompress with them on Friday afternoons, and catch up on accomplishments for the week. Did anything funny or interesting happen with a client?

Share knowledge by allowing your PM or APM to sit in on meetings (Board or otherwise) if they have time. Help each other with professional development, advice, or a sounding board. Many of us may not come from a property management background, so creating context around the daily tasks is important. PMs and APMs should have oversight into what their partner is working on and how to accomplish that job. See our article “Zendesk - Required Views”.

Other ideas to promote a culture of cross-training, helping, and professional development may include: 

• Cameras on! With up to 8,000 miles between us, we should always have our cameras on and promote face-to-face communication
• Use a screen share when helpful
• Record and share meetings or calls, or allow your PM or APM to shadow when possible
• Do not skip or reschedule SCRUM
• Always keep an eye on your Zendesk views

Here you can find a list of tasks that APMs are encouraged to complete as needed for the associations. If you have any feedback on the list, please let us know. 

CAM

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J7Eata-8MEqFE0DKCOfBlLKfdHJS_bFkGJ15ikKDFBQ/edit?usp=sharing

Invest

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AIFPT6EueErJQySqfeA2RhJi2ilSg5LVx7eslg959PM/edit?usp=sharing

Culture 

Each year the PH and US offices participate in a gift exchange. HR will organize the exchange and the suggested spending per gift. Participating in this is a great way to build relationships and is a valued part of the company culture. We are always looking for ways to improve too. Some goals for 2023 include providing travel books with information about each office location and opening CAI training classes to more employees. Recognized holidays are different per country and should be considered when planning due dates. The 2023 PH and US holidays can be found here.

https://support.westward360.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409701216403-2023-Holiday-Schedule-for-US-and-PH-offices

Handling Issues 

If all else fails, don’t be afraid to reach out to a trusted supervisor who can handle unresolved issues between a PM and APM delicately. Assume that your teammates are doing their best and offer feedback in a respectful and positive way that sets them up for future success. Brainstorm together how to solve a problem, and don’t be afraid to consider creative solutions! 

Regardless of your role, we have seen examples of employees failing to say when they are too busy or overwhelmed. We encourage you to be open and honest with your PM or APM when you need help. A relationship of fear is not working correctly. Remember, don’t ask anyone to do something you would not do. We all share a common goal.

Onnyt After Hours Service 

Our Onnyt after-hours service is staffed by some of our daytime CSR coworkers. It’s necessary to have updated reference notes in Atlas to avoid after-hours issues. See our article “Reference Notes”.

Time to Start

If you need help breaking the ice, let leadership know so they can help with informal introductions. The importance of relationships built on trust and open communication can not be overstated. We all must work together to succeed, regardless of location. We can learn from each other's success and embrace failures together through a productive lens. In the end, you will have a dependable coworker and new friend.