Talk to any employer today and they will most likely complain about dipping employee retention numbers. An issue that was fueled by the pandemic, many employers are having a harder time finding and keeping employees, and many employees’ priorities have shifted, as things like work/life balance, growth opportunities, and communication become more important to them.
But decreasing employee retention numbers is not a problem for Pan American. While Jessica Golden and Nicole Bovard did work at the property management firm and then left, they both decided to return, and couldn’t be happier. Why have they defied the norm? We asked them what made them depart when they did, and most importantly, what made them go back.
Jessica Golden, Property Supervisor
Jessica first worked for Pan American Properties from 2017 to 2019 as a maintenance scheduler. “I was working in their maintenance department, scheduling all the maintenance tests and working with vendors in getting all the units turned,” she recalls. But she wasn’t where she wanted to be at the time, she said. “Before Pan American I used to have a property that I worked at, and I wanted to get back to the residential property environment.” So she began to look elsewhere, eventually finding a job as an assistant supervisor. In retrospect, “I don’t know why I didn’t say anything to anyone at Pan American at the time,” she says.
Jessica maintained a good relationship with Pan American after leaving and ended up reconnecting with Amanda Hall, the company’s current Director of Operations, over lunch one day. When she told her what she’d been doing since leaving the company, Amanda was surprised.
“She asked me why I didn’t just tell them I wanted to go into the residential,” Jessica recalls. As a result of that meeting, Amanda offered her a position in a supervisory role as Property Supervisor.
“They hear you and they recognize you.”
“Making the move was an easy decision,” Jessica says. “Pan American is a good place to work. The culture’s great. The people that work there are great. They hear you and they recognize you.”
And she was offered an extra incentive to work there – tuition reimbursement. “Pan American has been nice enough to pay for my real estate license, and I’m going to get my CPM (Certified Property Management) license so I can continue to grow with the company. I’m looking forward to getting my real estate license, getting my CPM license, and getting a senior role in the company. The fact that they saw potential in me and offered me this opportunity to grow with the company made all the difference.”
Nicole Bovard, Accountant
Nicole took a job with Pan American right out of college. They created a brand-new position for her, assisting with the accounting department.
“They saw a lot of potential in me,” she recalls, “which I always appreciated. Then they asked me if I wanted to do HR (Human Resources.) I was looking to grow with the company, so I said yes.”
Half of her job was in accounting, the other half in HR. Says Nicole, “I began to feel like I was too far into the HR aspect. Plus, I was young and I felt like I was all over the place. Something wasn’t working. So I decided to take some time off and figure out what I wanted to do.”
Nicole went to work for another company in 2017 as an accountant but never stopped thinking about Pan American. “In the back of my mind, while working, I’d think, wow, Pan American could really utilize this in their accounting department to deal with property management, and “it was very special to me,” she says.
Right around the time of the pandemic she gave birth to her son (she has three young children) and knew she had to return to work soon after, something she wasn’t comfortable with. “I was at a crossroads, having given birth to my son and having to go back to work so soon.” That’s when she saw a job posted on LinkedIn at Pan American.
Going back to Pan American was “Meant to Be”
“I believe in faith, and I felt like it was meant to be,” she says. Instead of applying on the job site, she applied directly to Lauren and Rick. And they said they’d be more than happy to have her come back.
Plus, they were willing to create a new position for her. It was fully remote, a big appeal to her. He also felt she would benefit the position and the department. Plus, it was part-time, which as a mother to three young children was ideal since she couldn’t commit to full-time.
Nicole’s never been happier since returning there. “I always felt Pan American wasn’t set in their ways. They still aren’t. If you have ideas, your voice is definitely heard. “I love this company. I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
Why Your Next Job Should Be with Pan American
Are you unhappy in your current job and looking to make a change? Are growth opportunities, work/life balance, and communication top priorities for you? Then look no further than Pan American. If you are qualified the company will do what it can to find you a place you can call your second home. Call them today at (888) 754-9700 or email them at [email protected].
