AvalonBay Used Employee Listening to Build a Culture of Career Development, Transparency, and Fairness

Customer EX Impact Award

• The Challenge:

  • Address the need for a more dynamic response to associate feedback, moving beyond a focus on numerical changes to establish a clearer link between feedback and action.

• The Solution:

  • Expedited the post-survey reporting process, delivering results to managers significantly faster by streamlining a hierarchical reporting system.
  • Increased direct engagement with associates through more than 100 feedback sessions, including Town Halls and Speak Ups, focusing on decoding feedback and determining impactful actions.
  • Introduced a weekly all-associate email and monthly Town Halls to report on strategic progress.
  • Enhanced transparency around career growth opportunities, including publicizing promotions and creating a program for associates to engage in developmental projects.

• The Impact:

  • Achieved an increase in the perception that, "Improvements were made as a result of associate feedback," with an item increase of +18, showcasing a direct link between feedback and actions in the associates' view.
  • Saw a significant improvement in perceptions of fairness in advancement opportunities, evidenced by a +12 increase in the relevant survey item.
  • Continued to focus on inter-departmental communication and career growth, with initiatives like cross-departmental meetings and the implementation of a career path framework.