Every New Year’s Eve, millions gather to watch the famous ball drop at Times Square. The tradition goes back to the era of wind-up timekeeping – the ball drop gave people a chance to synchronize their wristwatches to the true time.

The new year presents an opportunity to synchronize, to take stock of where we stand, and set goals for where we’re headed.

As head of Atria’s Human Resources, I’m filled with optimism about several forthcoming initiatives that will benefit our employees and strengthen the communities we serve.

In 2023, Atria took a significant step by introducing the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) – a mission statement to shape the relationship between employer and employee. Each tenet is a component of our shared success.

This year, we seek to build upon the foundations of the EVP and incorporate the feedback we received from our Employee Engagement Survey. These valuable comments – each one reviewed by supervisors – revealed two consistent themes.

Today’s employees want to know: 1) How can I grow my career, and 2) What learning and development opportunities will help me do that?

Moving forward, we’ll meet the needs of our employees by providing additional tools to empower those who want to take charge of their careers.

Career ladders will help employees chart their career trajectories. These impactful tools make the promotion process more transparent and help detail the steps necessary to achieve them.

Atria University will continue to grow. This incredibly powerful resource has over 500 courses – everything from professional development to Ted Talks, to skills training – available at no cost, and solely to aid career development.

In 2024, Atria U’s offerings will continue to evolve with content tailored to today’s workforce, based off what employees request during survey periods and supervisor meetings.

And we’ll continue to invest in our tuition reimbursement program for employees who want to take skills development to the next level. Full-time Atria employees in the U.S are eligible to receive 100% tuition reimbursement, up to a maximum of $5,250 each calendar year, for up to 12 credit hours per semester at an accredited college or university.

Finally, we know that employee development greatly benefits from a positive and productive relationship with your direct supervisor. Atria is committed to equipping company leaders with the latest training to maximize and cultivate their talented employees.

Last year, all of Atria’s Regional Vice Presidents underwent an extensive training regimen to identify and develop the core competencies needed to excel in their roles.

In 2024, we’ll bring a version of this training to Executive Directors and General Managers across all our brands so that employees benefit from highly trained leaders ready to support their career journeys.

You’ll hear more about these programs and tools in the coming months. When you do, know they stem from a commitment to provide our workforce with even more opportunities for skill development, career advancement, and personal growth.

Here’s to an inspiring new year. I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve – together.