Improve Resident Experience with 5 Great No-Fuss Event Ideas

Note: this article is adapted from a National Apartment Association piece on their website back around the holidays; their event were terrific so check them out for later this year, we’ve updated these for Spring.

“Resident experience” has been a hot topic in the apartment industry for several years — and for good reason. Positive resident experience leads to more renewals and new leases. And positive reviews. And, of course, the converse is true as well. But let’s stick to the positive.

If you haven’t filled up your Spring 2022 resident event calendar yet, try one, or all, of these easy and affordable ideas. They’ll attract various demographics in your community, bring like-minded people together (and that’s another factor in boosting retention) and everyone can have a good time – all thanks to the good-hearted people in their management office.

Lend a helping hand. Get a group together to go to help clean up a park, school grounds, a neighborhood. Just Google “volunteer clean up effort” to find organizations and events near you.
Host a post-holiday potluck and create a cookbook – the weekend after Memorial Day weekend, or after July 4^th.* Or just any weekend. Your office can provide the tableware, set up some decorations, music, whatever you can manage. Ask your residents to bring badminton or cornhole or any activity they might have.
Host a post-holiday* happy hour. Some mixed nuts or pretzels is all you really need. Do it outdoors if you can and it’s even more casual. Have everyone fill out a name tag – first name and the beverage that best matches their personality.
Arts & Crafts It. Make trendy Spring wreaths or birdhouses or other easy craft. Make it a kid’s craft table; staff can take turns supervising so the parents can take a break and mingle. Here you will need to dip into the till, but the Dollar Store has a wide selection of craft items.
Before it gets too hot, put on an Adult & Kids Field Day. Have them compete separately or together. 3-legged races, 50-yard dash, hopping on your foot for 60 seconds and then running to the next event. You and your team can brainstorm a million other fun ideas. Something that gets people laughing and talking and meeting their neighbors is what you want. (We wouldn’t be Heartline Fitness if we didn’t suggest at least one fitness-type event to get you moving, would we?)

We’ll add a few tips of our own.

You don’t need to do this every month, every other month, or just at the beginning and end of Spring or Summer is just fine.
At each event always ask the residents who come what other activities they’d like to participate in – often it’s best to give them a list to check off as many as they like and a few blank lines for Other.
If turnout is very small, don’t worry about it. Try it a few more times, try different ways of inviting people (people will respond better to an invitation than to an announcement).

We have some more resident engagement events – even more fitness/wellness oriented – coming your way. Watch your inbox for ready-made events and activities to bring your residents together and “elevate the resident experience.”

Now, let’s all make it through this Winter of 2022 so we can start trying these Spring/Summer activities.