In the aftermath of COVID-19, companies have faced numerous challenges related to recruiting, retention, benefits, compensation, and more. Over the past four and a half years, the corporate landscape has experienced a roller coaster of events, beginning with the lockdowns in March 2020. Following that, there was a hiring frenzy where talent commanded hefty bonuses and compensation packages. However, by Q4 of 2023, many companies implemented hiring freezes or even faced layoffs. Additionally, the cost of benefits has risen across the board. Efforts to bring employees back to the office have often been met with resistance. These are just a few of the realities of doing business in a post-COVID world.
Despite these challenges, companies have developed innovative solutions to combat these issues. When the team at CA Search Advisors first started researching for this article, we weren’t sure of the direction it would take. Almost immediately, the focus shifted from challenges to solutions, with companies showing creativity in building a sense of community in the workplace. Here, we highlight some key innovations and successes from companies in the healthcare space.
Return to the Office Dynamics
The topic of return-to-office mandates has dominated headlines recently, with some very large companies issuing stern warnings to employees about compliance. The challenge for businesses is balancing company culture, maintaining productivity, and finding office policies that work for their teams—whether hybrid, fully remote, or in-office.
When researching, two key themes emerge:
- “You Do You” – Each company must do what is right for its bottom line, employees, and company culture.
- Flexibility and Trust – Work is no longer confined to the traditional 9 AM to 5 PM schedule, especially for teams with employees and clients spread across different time zones, and life does not fit neatly around those hours. With work and life frequently overlapping, employees want to be treated like adults, and fostering flexibility is crucial.
Companies have had to assess their workforce: Where are employees located? Do they have a conducive work-from-home environment? Do certain roles require onsite work, such as property management team positions? By engaging with group heads and managers, organizations can determine what works best for each team.
At Flagship Healthcare Properties, collaboration days have become a focal point. While many employees choose to come into the office each weekday, typically, employees that are close to the Charlotte, NC headquarters work onsite from Tuesday to Thursday, using these days for team meetings, training, and activities like lunch-and-learns. For remote employees and those out in the field, virtual participation is facilitated, often with perks such as Uber Eats gift cards to share the experience. They also organize local events like baseball games to foster team bonding in different locations.
Meanwhile, Anchor Health Properties has leaned heavily into hybrid models, utilizing technology like Asana to maintain connectivity. They encourage group leaders to understand the unique needs of their teams. They foster community through wellness challenges using the Virgin Pulse application (soon to become Personify Health) and host a companywide annual summit at their Charlottesville, VA headquarters as examples. This approach reinforces trust and flexibility, allowing employees to manage personal commitments such as childcare or eldercare while maintaining productivity and employee connection.
Building Trust Through Flexibility
The demand for flexible hours is largely driven by employees’ desire for work-life balance. For example, parents may need flexibility for school drop-offs or after-school activities. Similarly, employees caring for aging parents or a disabled spouse require adaptable schedules. Companies that accommodate these needs through open communication and understanding foster a trusting environment, which pays dividends in employee loyalty and performance.
In a forward-thinking move, Cushman & Wakefield’s Healthcare Advisory Practice established a Managing Director of Asset Services role just before the COVID-19 pandemic. This position supports property management teams and clients across the country with two main objectives:
- Ensure property management teams feel connected, appreciated, and heard as well as provide them with a network of peers to enhance collaboration, creativity, and a sense of community.
- Understand client needs, set client expectations, and provide support when issues arise.
This position became invaluable during the pandemic as the Managing Director worked with property managers and clients to implement responsible patient spacing solutions and flexible work schedules to minimize contact in medical facilities.
Nurturing Internal Growth and Career Development
Companies like Anchor are also investing in their employees’ career progression. They recognize that it’s far more cost-effective to nurture internal talent than to replace employees. By tapping into employees’ interests and providing training, organizations can fill future vacancies from within. For instance, a property manager may aspire to move into asset management, or an analyst may wish to transition to human resources. Understanding these ambitions allows companies to guide employees through tailored growth paths.
Flagship has created an analyst pool with multiple disciplines, offering more varied project exposure versus siloing analysts into asset management or acquisitions as examples. This approach reduces turnover, fosters career progression, and enhances job satisfaction by allowing analysts to learn the full lifecycle of an asset and gain a comprehensive understanding of the company.
Employee resource groups (ERGs) also play a crucial role in creating a sense of community. Cushman & Wakefield’s internal women’s group facilitates mentorship across locations and job functions, encouraging diverse perspectives and professional growth. The group also hosts educational and social events both nationally and locally.
Benefits and Support Programs
As benefit costs continue to rise, companies are finding new ways to ensure employees fully utilize available programs. Kelly Benefits Strategies (KBS), a national employee benefits consultant, emphasizes that effective communication is key to program success. Ensuring employees understand their benefits and how to use them is essential to maximizing value.
One formerly underutilized yet increasingly crucial benefit is employee assistance programs (EAPs). These programs offer services such as access to mental health providers, legal support, and recently, concierge services that help employees find nearby resources, like medical specialists or even dog walkers—particularly useful as workers return to the office. Companies that previously opted out of EAPs are now rapidly adopting them.
Other trends in benefits include the expansion of mental health resources, with companies like CareFirst partnering with virtual mental health networks to improve access and reduce stigma. Financial wellness programs, like those offered by MetLife, have also gained traction, providing employees with financial planning assistance through webinars and onsite consultations. Long-term care insurance options and even access to pet insurance have been added to benefits product suites.
The reevaluation of paid time off (PTO) structures is another prominent trend in the post-COVID workplace. More and more companies are consolidating vacation, personal, and sick leave into a single PTO bucket to better meet employees’ diverse needs. Additionally, some organizations are adopting different accrual rates for employees based on their work arrangement, with fully onsite employees often benefiting from enhanced accrual options.
Beyond PTO, companies are also exploring new benefits such as extended parental leave policies and caregiver support for employees with responsibilities for children and disabled or elderly family members. These evolving benefits reflect a broader shift toward recognizing the varied personal demands employees face.
A key takeaway from KBS is that a benefits provider should be more than just a broker. KBS aims to serve as a true partner, offering strategic support and expert guidance to its clients. In addition to providing access to benefit programs, KBS collaborates with organizations to develop comprehensive benefits strategies, implement them effectively, and communicate them clearly to employees. Even the most generous benefits package may fall short if not communicated properly, highlighting the importance of clear, engaging messaging to ensure employees fully understand and appreciate the value being offered.
Conclusion
As the post-pandemic world continues to evolve, companies that embrace flexibility, trust, and employee well-being are leading the way in workplace innovation. Whether through hybrid work models, career development programs, or enhanced benefits, businesses are redefining what it means to foster a productive, engaged, and loyal workforce.
About CA Search Advisors, LLC
CA Search Advisors is a national executive search firm, focused on the real estate industry. Our careers-long commitment and focus in the real estate talent management sector brings a unique and fresh approach to executive search. Managing Principals, Amy Bauer and Katie Becker, have a deep inside knowledge and extensive long-standing relationships as a result of working directly in the industries they serve. You can rest assured that you’re in good care and in the hands of a firm you can trust.
CA Search Advisors’ mission is to find top talent for our clients. We believe talent is found in people from all backgrounds, includes all demographics, and is formed through different experiences. That belief drives us to help our clients build strong teams and robust cultures.
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Amy Bauer, Managing Principal and Co-Founder
443-784-2555
Amy@casearchadvisors.com
Katie Becker, Managing Principal and Co-Founder
312-802-0300
Katie@casearchadvisors.com
