Learn, explore and unleash your inner chef.

“Culture implementation is a process. The secret is continuity and commitment by all team members,” said Sloan Bentley, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lifespace Communities. “When you strive to be exceptional there is always room for growth,” she adds.

Sloan is a speaker at the marcus evans LTC & Senior Living CXO Summit 2017, in Florida, July 10-11.

What cultural transformation did you undertake at Lifespace Communities? Why?

Lifespace Communities has embarked on a defined cultural journey to further develop team members in providing exceptional service. We established a comprehensive program entitled Living Lifespace, which clearly defined the attitudes, behaviors and standards necessary to provide exceptional service and memorable experiences for our residents, team members and guests.

As an organization focused on continued growth and development, I felt it imperative to establish the definitions of our culture, supported by best practices and empowering team members to make their own decisions in the best interest of our residents and the community.

What did the training program include? Can you outline the steps and processes?

We developed a customized program modeled after The Ritz Carlton. Internally there are four key training dates that fall on the following days of employment: Day 1, Day 2, Day 21 and Day 365. All new team members attend Day 1 and Day 2 training prior to beginning any work. We also established “Huddles” that are held during every shift, every day so that all team members can participate. The daily Huddles are critical to keeping our culture top of mind.

 What struggles and obstacles did you face? How did you overcome them? What lessons can you share with other LTC providers?

Culture implementation is a process. The secret is continuity and commitment by all team members. Initial resistance is typical as this requires more time and complex scheduling for on-boarding each new team member. We believe this investment is vital in empowering all team members and creating the expectation and recognition for exceptional care and services.

How did you achieve a culture of hospitality?

Our transformation has been thoughtful and has taken time. We understand that culture eats strategy for lunch. Therefore, our commitment is unwavering. It took commitment and dedication from all levels. When you strive to be exceptional there is always room for growth. 

Lifespace is fortunate to have really great department leaders who have immersed themselves in the Living Lifespace program. I believe it is because of their commitment we have been able to create a culture of hospitality.

What results and impact did this have on recruitment, retention and engagement? 

One of the most important factors when being considered for a position at Lifespace is if the person is a good cultural fit. Candidates are often surprised to learn the magnitude of our Living Lifespace efforts.

As far as our existing team members, we recently just completed a team member survey and as an organization we had a 93 percent response rate. That is an incredible response and an excellent example of team member engagement.