DSNews delivers stories, ideas, links, companies, people, events, and videos impacting the mortgage default servicing industry.
Issue link: http://digital.dsnews.com/i/1187602
29 ยป VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE Brookstone Management's HR initiatives are helping military spouses relieve the burden of running a household on one's own during times of active deployment. By Kerry Medel Each year on Veteran's Day, we reflect on the honor, bravery, strength, and fidelity of our retired and active-duty military members whose devoted service protects our freedoms. Unembellished and isolated, however, the sacrifices of military spouses are often overlooked. Brookstone Management's President and CEO are two incredibly family-oriented individuals. ese values are woven into the company's organizational fabric, designed to make each employee feel like they are an integral part of the Brookstone family. erefore, it came as no surprise when collaborating with senior management that Brookstone decided to contribute to veterans in the way they know best: by offering care and opportunity for military families. is Brookstone initiative began with implementing a special recruitment drive for the spouses of active-duty service members. e company worked to tap into this vast and diverse talent pool that had remarkable knowledge often left off their resumes. Many of the candidates recruited through this program had vast experience in volunteerism, banking, construction, public speaking, and management. ey spoke common and uncommon languages, possessed an incredible aptitude for seamless multitasking, and worked with commitment to a higher purpose. e Brookstone team also discovered that military spouses naturally possessed soft skills that are critical to the business of property preservation and management: managing stress and high- pressure situations and remaining adaptable and clever, with an uncanny ability to compartmentalize. Most of all, they were enthusiastic about their contributions to the company. Apart from possessing these skills, recruits were also thrilled that their talents and experiences could be used as a viable career opportunity that would follow them wherever and whenever they were re-stationed, further perpetuating their commitment to excellence and thirst for learning the ropes of the business. HOW BROOKSTONE BENEFITED Recruiting and onboarding military spouse team members comes with an inherent assurance that the individual will pass background checks that are even more stringent than those required by our investors and servicers. anks to this initiative, Brookstone can now provide more local representatives to meet clients' needs in a shorter timeframe. e U.S. currently has around 500 military bases and installations across the country. Because of the permanent change of station (PCS) rule, Brookstone has had the unique opportunity to expand their QC and authorized representative footprint by operating a staff that has been vetted and are spread across the furthest reaches of our nation. By retaining team members stationed in many locations, Brookstone can now dispatch representatives who are familiar with these areas, for example, to meet with a local Homeowners Association (HOA) that has been refusing Inspectors access for occupancy determinations. Advancements in technological communication and connectivity through software such as Skype, Microsoft Teams, and even social media platforms like Workplace by Facebook, have made staying connected with remote employees as easy as having them in the next cubicle. Military spouses can take their full-time job with them whenever they must PCS, and the transition is seamless. Brookstone noted an increase in the free flow of ideas, gap identification, updates to procedure, team collaboration, and individual production because of these advancements and the incorporation of remote users. e biggest benefit the company saw, however, was talent retention costs and attrition. Many factors impact cost calculations when hiring new talent, but business owners know that reducing hiring costs directly influences that bottom line. Brookstone has seen an amazing retention rate while hiring veterans and military spouses. In fact, 100% of military spouses and veterans hired since 2015 remain current employees; half of these do not call the New Jersey office their home base. HOW MILITARY SPOUSES BENEFITED Spouses who were recruited by Brookstone reported reduced stress on their families. Flexible schedules allow spouses to fulfill their "single-parent" duties during deployment more easily while kids are home from school, as well as allowing them to contribute positively to their household income. Brookstone Management has always been inspired by the service and sacrifice of our military and their families. is year, Brookstone was honored to team up with a national servicer for a unique program that offers and coordinates exterior maintenance services for the homes of the servicer's employees whose spouses are actively deployed. e hope is that, perhaps in even the smallest of ways, Brookstone can assist in relieving some of the burden of running a household on one's own during this incredibly uncertain and stressful time. Brookstone looks forward to bolstering and broadening its endeavors to better serve those who serve in 2020, as well as exploring the impacts that small-business decisions have on caring for our servicemembers. Kerry Medel is the Client Relationship and Operations manager leading Brookstone Management's Property Preservation Division. She oversees high-level procedural development and operation improvements internally and within Brookstone management's vendor network. Ensuring daily risk analysis leading direction to burgeoning high-quality product delivery, Medel works ardently to synthesize client demands, investor requirements, and vendor productivity across all portfolios to develop a competitive advantage. Sponsored Content