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Community managers are the backbone of a well-run homeowners’ association (HOA)—from navigating board politics to late-night maintenance calls and maintaining smooth operations. For management company executives, empowering your management teams isn’t just good leadership; it’s a strategic edge. When association managers feel heard, supported, and equipped, they deliver better service, liaise more effectively with boards, and remain committed for the long haul.
Why Supporting HOA Managers Is a Strategic Priority
Community managers are among the most prominent faces that represent your communities. Their performance is directly linked to your organization’s reputation, talent retention, and resident satisfaction; however, the role is demanding. Property managers must balance a seemingly unending list of responsibilities, complex board dynamics, resident expectations, and operational hurdles. In fact, 47% of managers surveyed by the Foundation for Community Association Research cited decreased morale as a key detractor from the HOA industry. Other common contributors to dissatisfaction include:
- Lack of work-life balance
- Outdated technology
- Overextended responsibilities
- Limited recognition
- Minimal professional development
HOA executives who prioritize manager support and well-being are positioned to retain top talent, reduce burnout, and foster thriving communities. Read on to uncover six strategies to set your management teams up for success.
READ: Top 5 Reasons for Employee Turnoverin HOA Management Companies and How To Mitigate Them
6 Ways Management Companies Can Support HOA Managers
Community managers oversee the routine challenges of daily life in your HOAs, often under pressure spread across multiple properties. Creating a motivating environment for them is essential for job satisfaction and effectiveness. Here are six strategies that can inspire teams and enhance performance:
1. Establish clear communication.
Direct, consistent communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship. And that goes double for HOA decision-makers and community managers. Strong communication between the two sets a tone of trust and transparency. Management company leaders can support teams and guarantee they’re aligned with organizational objectives through:
- Weekly check-ins
- Monthly performance reviews
- Quarterly town halls
- Periodic pulse surveys
Healthy communication means implementing structured communication cadences, open-door policies, and collaborative feedback loops. It may also mean adopting HOA management software with built-in communication features that centralize interactions and enable instant, direct messaging.
2. Set realistic goals.
To promote engaged and motivated teams, set reasonable and attainable goals. Collaborate with the manager to assess their needs, pain points, and improvement opportunities, and establish measurable objectives that align with their capabilities and the organization’s vision. Be sure to set practical timelines, conduct regular reviews, and adjust benchmarks as needed. Clear expectations enable community managers to focus their energy and have a positive impact.
RELATED: Top Performance Metrics HOA PropertyManagers Should Track
3. Invest in professional development.
Nurturing community managers in their professional growth benefits both your teams and the residents they serve. Provide and encourage managers to leverage opportunities like industry conferences, certifications, and training that sharpen and grow their skills, keeping them up to date with evolving best practices. Courses and workshops can benefit your management teams by:
- Strengthening communication and leadership skills
- Deepening understanding of HOA legal and financial compliance
- Improving conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills
- Building confidence in managing complex community dynamics
- Expanding their professional network and industry knowledge
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4. Recognize and reward wins.
Recognition goes a long way—especially for busy community managers juggling endless to-dos. Offering a shoutout in a team meeting, a performance bonus, or even a spotlight in your internal newsletter are simple ways to reinforce a culture of appreciation. Executives should be intentional about celebrating achievements like smooth budget approvals, increased annual meeting attendance, and resident satisfaction wins. Association managers who feel seen and heard are more likely to go the extra mile.
5. Build a culture of autonomy.
Promote an environment of trust by empowering your managers to make decisions within their scope and encouraging them to share ideas and take calculated risks. When your teams feel trusted, they’re more likely to take accountability for their work and contribute meaningfully to the company’s overall mission. Executives can foster a culture of autonomy by defining decision-making boundaries and providing a comprehensive HOA management platform, such as TownSq, for independent work.
LEARN MORE: 5 Ways to Rebuild Trust in Your HOA
6. Prioritize manager well-being.
It’s no secret: Community management is a rewarding yet challenging job. Flexible schedules, mental health resources, wellness perks, and generous paid-time-off packages can mean the difference between teams that flourish—or fizzle. HOA executives should set the example by:
- Normalizing breaks
- Encouraging unplugging
- Ensuring workloads are manageable
HOA management tools, such as TownSq’s portfolio management feature and unified workspace dashboards, simplify daily workloads by centralizing tasks, requests, and updates into a single, seamless system.
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Build HOA Management Teams That Lead with Confidence
Supporting your community managers goes beyond retention. It’s about building high-performing teams that not only meet—but also exceed—targets and reflect your organization’s values. When you prioritize proactive communication, goal setting, professional development, performance wins, administrative autonomy, and manager well-being, you create a culture charged by the motivation and clarity that drives successful communities.
Ready to take team-building a step further? Read How to Bridge the Gap Between Management Company Executives and Managers for even more insights on strengthening collaboration.
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