If the executive committee of your strata building is in need of new members, there are ways to encourage people to join.
Being part of your strata building’s executive committee can be a rewarding experience but it is an opportunity many fail to notice or seek out.
Your committee can have up to seven members and the more people you have, the lighter the load. To ensure you attract and retain the best committee members, take the following steps:
- Be professional and consistent
Although being an executive committee member is not a paid role, it is an important one. Those on the committee should take their responsibilities seriously and communicate professionally.Small things like a communication style guide and an established ‘vision’ for the committee can provide a consistent experience. Well-written documents and regular, professional-sounding updates sent to the owners corporation will create the impression of a committee which is organised and runs smoothly.
- Speak highly of your committee
Nobody would want to join a committee if the members were always complaining about each other to outsiders.If you’re looking to hire new members, say good things and talk about the committee often to your neighbours. Painting a positive picture will inspire them to be involved.Be open to questions and talk about what you enjoy when it comes to being a committee member. Ask outsiders for their opinions about the way the building is operated. If they have great ideas, extend a friendly invitation to come along to a meeting to see how things work.
- Hire a good strata manager
Your strata manager is the professional company who takes care of numerous tasks on the executive committee’s behalf.If your executive committee chooses wisely and hires a good strata manager, the workload will be reduced for everyone. For example, your strata manager should bring someone along to take minutes during meetings. This frees members up from having to take notes and contribute to the discussion at the same time.Your strata manager will have excellent connections so maintenance and repair jobs are taken care of quickly. Small things like this lead to happier residents, meaning there are fewer complaints for the executive committee to respond to.In addition, a strata manager will help your executive committee stay on top of finances. This helps the experience be more positive for all involved.
- Promote early and often
Even if your executive committee only recruits once a year, make sure people understand how and when they can apply.You can do this by adding a standard message about the committee to the end of every newsletter. You could also ask your strata manager to create a poster highlighting the benefits of being involved and asking people to apply.If your building has a social media group, mention the committee but keep it to a minimum so the users don’t feel spammed.It is easy to create a video using a platform like Content Samurai to send to owners corporation members. Upload some photos of the committee at work, include captions and share information about how to get involved.
- Create sub-groups
Allocating smaller responsibilities to willing owners corporation members can be a gateway to the committee. Your executive committee can ask for volunteers to help with short-term projects as a way to introduce them to life as a more involved member.
- Be clear on responsibilities
People may be hesitant to involve the executive committee because they are not certain of what is involved.At your AGM and through your online portal, share information about what committee members do and how much of their time is required. Owners may be surprised to realise the strata manager does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to running a multi-tenanted complex.
- Make it fun
There should be some perks for joining the executive committee. Movie nights, regular get-togethers and other social events will make it worth being part of.
As well as a vision, keep your committee’s shared values in mind. These may include supporting each other, having a positive attitude and having a mindset of innovation and creative problem-solving. By agreeing to adhere to these values, you will have a more aligned committee of enthusiastic members who enjoy working together.
