In this episode of The Roots Podcast by 12 Oaks, host Melissa Labor, Chief People Officer, speaks with Erika Robledo, Human Resources Director, about her 25-year journey with 12 Oaks. They discuss the organization’s accomplishments in 2024, including achieving their thematic goal of being “Best in Class as Trusted Partners,” and their focus for 2025 on employee well-being, enhanced benefits, collaboration, and sustainability.
Intro 00:00
You’re listening to The Roots Podcast by 12 Oaks, where we’ll be joined by industry leaders to discuss and highlight the character, competency and care that is required to successfully manage senior living portfolios.
Melissa 00:13
Welcome to The Roots Podcast 512 at Senior Living. I am your host, and I am Melissa Labor, the Chief People Officer. And today, I’m so pleased that I’m joined by Erika Robledo, our Human Resources Director. How are you doing today?
Erika 00:28
I am great, thank you for asking. How about you?
Melissa 00:31
I am very good, and I have so been looking forward to this conversation because Erika and I are colleagues on the HR team and we have really aligned thoughts of the organization and where the growth is for 2025 and that’s some of the information that Erika is going to share today.
So before we jump into the conversation, Erika, you’ve got a great journey with 12 Oaks, and I’m hoping that you can share a little bit of that journey with the audience.
Erika 01:03
Yes, absolutely. Thank you for asking. My journey with 12 Oaks has been, I could say, dynamic and very fulfilling. 25 years of just 12 Oaks. I mean, it’s been great.
I started out of community, you know, in the dining department and slowly kind of ventured out to different roles that were available, which I feel gave me the ability to gain the value and the experience of senior living. Because I can honestly say that before, I probably didn’t know anything about senior living until I started with 12 Oaks. And then over the time I did transition over to the home office, which, as you mentioned, I’m now, in the HR department and currently in the HR Director role. It’s very exciting to be in this role. I’m excited to see everything else that comes along with HR. Obviously working with you, and I have a great team. I feel that this role is going to allow me the opportunity to continue growing professionally, but also allow me to contribute to the organization goals, which is what our focus.
Melissa 02:20
Well, you have already contributed so much to the organization over your 25 years with us. We’re very fortunate that you have been in so many different roles, and it really adds a lot of texture and depth to the things that we do in human resources and the programs, the listening that we do with our employees. And then your passion for employees in the community is something that really gets factored in when we are looking at each year what our goals are going to be. So we appreciate you and all that you’ve done over the 25 years that you’ve been with us. So can you believe we’re in 2025?
Erika 02:57
I don’t know. It feels like it’s going to be an exciting year. It feels good.
Melissa 03:02
That’s great. I’m glad you’re feeling that way. I feel that way too. It has definitely started off with strong and with a bang. I was thinking about and reflecting on 2024, and it really was a successful year for the organization and for our team. And I was thinking you have been a significant part of that. If maybe you could reflect on some of the accomplishments and things you’re really proud of.
Erika 03:30
I am very proud of how, as an organization 12 Oaks represented our thematic goal for 2024: Best in Class as Trusted Partners. I feel that the hard work, overall HR and all the teams showed how reliable and consistent we maintained throughout the year to help ensure that our communities felt supported, especially our employees, right? Because we want to make sure that they’re taken care of. So it’s very rewarding, I think, that we maintain that. And just because 2024 is done doesn’t necessarily mean that the Best in Class is going to go away. We’re just going to continue adding that to our 2025 and 2026 and keep on going. I was really proud at the end of the year to see that we really, really presented that throughout the year.
Melissa 04;24
I love that you said that because it’s not going away. It’s one of those goals that you continue to refine and build on. And if you ever lose sight of it, then it can easily go away. And we are so committed to being Best in Class as Partners internally with each other and externally that I’m with you, I think it’s really shown up in 2024, in our business results and our people results have shown that it has been our commitment to it has really been successful.
Erik 04:57
And I think, a big part of that too, was our collaboration throughout the teams.
Melissa 05:03
Definitely. And collaboration is a theme for 2025. And we are looking for different ways that we make sure that we are talking to groups across the organization. We’re doing listening tours with our people. Certainly want to make sure that we are connected with those that are really front forward with our residents. And, they’re the ones that when rubber meets the road, basically, of how people experience us in the community. So for 2025, what are some goals and initiatives that you’re looking forward to touching back on employees.
Erika 05:43
Touching back on our employees, right? What do our employees need? I think our big focus for 2025, started mid-year in 2024 for our employee benefit. Their well-being is very important to us, making sure that they’re being heard, making sure that they’re okay. And so right now, having that enhanced benefit plan or enhanced program, it also strains our company culture, our values of how we see our employees. And then it also allows our employees to know how much we value them and how much we support their well-being.
06:17 Melissa
You were very instrumental in the changes and enhancements to our benefits program this year. Is there anything in particular on the benefits that you think we should highlight and really distinguishes us as something that’s different in the industry?
Erika 06:35
Definitely our employee assistance programs. What programs are out there to help where they can reach out and get that assistance that they need? Definitely looking into the costs, right. Making sure that it’s affordable for our employees, that the plans that we put in place have the coverage that they’re needing and that also they can find providers near them. And it’s just easy for them. We don’t want them to have a difficult time searching for a provider when they need the care. So looking into that, I feel, was very important. Again, hearing their feedback definitely helped because it’s about them. We do this for them. So they drive it.
Melissa 07:22
Yeah, they definitely drive it. And what’s amazing is our people are comfortable with sharing how they’re feeling, what they’re experiencing. And we are able to respond sometimes in real time whenever we hear something like that. Even just as recent. So we kicked off 20 25 with some new benefits and got feedback on things and, Erika, you’ve been involved in making sure we get exactly what our people need.
Erika 07:51
I like how they can reach out because we build that relationship and trust in communicating and listening to them. So that’s always good to have.
Melissa 08:00
Yeah, it definitely is. It helps us sustain the success that we’ve had in our organization, and that’s certainly one of again, one of our themes and goals for the year is that we are able to sustain our organization because we believe that we are significant to the impact of our employees, their experiences, as well as our resident experiences. And so I’m glad you mentioned that piece of it as well.
Erika 08:29
And what I take away from you, Melissa, is how you said creating sustainability is by mastering the fundamentals, which is looking into the details, which I feel is what we did with this benefit program. And again, really digging into it and see how it was going to benefit overall to our employees.
Melissa 08:49
You know, retention is a big emphasis for us and for the organization. And we have really done a nice job with our Executive Directors and having really great retention in that role. And there’s been an emphasis on recruiting and hiring well, too. And that’s a group that reports through you. And there’s been some promotions in that group. And so there’s been some development there which has been exciting. And is there anything else on the recruitment side that you’d like to highlight?
Erika 09:22
I would definitely like to continue the retention of our employees, right? Letting our new hires know that 12 Oaks is a great place to work. Making it more engaging, and if that’s looking into onboarding, standardizing it, making it consistent throughout the communities, then we’re going to do that, right? We’re going to make sure that they have what they need, that they get the information when they become when they walk into the community, right? Because, we want them to feel welcome. So that would be one.
Looking at technology too, there’s a lot of stuff coming out. AI, you hear that a lot. And so what technology can we use to benefit our employees? Again, it all ties it back to our employees. User friendly systems. Systems that are going to provide what they need, where they don’t have to be looking, anywhere else for it. And definitely people development. 12 Oaks is big on that, on growth. I could say that for myself, too, is, making sure that we have those tools in place so that those who want to continue and grow, it’s there.
Melissa 10:40
That’s a great point. And it also brings up, I did not mention at the beginning that you just recently got promoted to Human Resource Director. So yes, you are an example of the development and growth that we are encouraging into our programs.
So that kind of leads me to something personally; what have you personally been proud of and experienced in the last year and maybe looking forward to putting into play into 2025?
Erika 11:05
Personally, wow you’re going to make me cry.
Melissa 11:10
Oh, I’m sorry. That’s just your passion. I love that.
Erika 11:14
Personally, it’s just a great experience. When I grow, I just don’t see growth in me. I see growth in the team. I see growth everywhere. To me, my growth is because of them, it’s because of the team, it’s because of the people that I work with. And I just want to continue to be able to support and listen and contribute any way that I can. Again, reaching the company goals and whatnot. But I’m just so proud. I don’t know how else to describe it, but when I win everybody wins in my eyes.
Melissa 11:48
Oh, I love that. I love it and I do love how there’s emotion tied to that too, with you. So what opportunities do you think that we have this next year, both from a senior living expectation of what the changes are in the market and what’s going on, as well as with 12 Oaks and what our goals and initiatives are?
Erika 12:11
I think definitely focusing on the changes that do come in. Obviously that’s going to be big, how it’s going to impact our industry. Again, understanding the fundamentals of it, making sure that we are ahead of the game, being prepared so that we’re not at the last minute trying to get things in order for our employees and our communities. Just continue listening and building those relationships. Definitely checking in. Always thought I think those are important, right? How are you doing? Not just business, but also personal because you do have those relationships with them as well at the communities.
Melissa 12:51
Yes, I agree with you completely. That relationship piece and making sure that our people are known is so important and so much a part of the culture and what things the foundation has been built on at 12 Oaks. And I know that the things that we do, both from a human resource perspective as well as throughout operations, accounting, across the organization, that really does contribute to the way those relationships are and the experiences as well.
Erika 13:23
And it goes back to the goal of the sustainability. The collaboration is very important in order for us to reach the same goal.
Melissa 13:31
Yeah, definitely. You mentioned technology and I know that we have been working on some things in technology. One of those is for the community, the scheduler programming. And you’ve been involved in that. And so, maybe you could give a little insight on how we make sure when we roll something out that it’s quality and that we’re making sure we’re efficient on that too, because certainly while a commitment to quality is one of our initiatives for 2025, also.
Erika 14:02
Yes, definitely excited about the Paycom scheduler. Like you said, it does take time to kind of roll it out. We want to make sure that we 1) understand what the needs are of the community, what it is they want the system to do. So there was a lot of behind the scenes, collaboration with Paycom and ourselves, and then our RVPs, to get an understanding. I think we’re finally at the point where we have something that’s ready to go, especially when we presented it to the RVPs. During the impact, they were very excited. What I’m feeling is when you have their support and that they’re excited about rolling something out. Whenever you want to roll something out, take your time and make sure that you’re understanding the needs. We don’t want to rush into anything. So this is why I’m excited to say that in April, we’ll soon see, a pilot come out to launch this and again, testing it out to see what they’re seeing, what they’re liking, what? What do we need to change? Doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s ready to go live, but it’s giving us the opportunity to get there and get it perfect.
Melissa 15:21
Yeah, I love that. You might have to make adjustments and changes, right?
Erika 15:25
Right.
Melissa 15:27
Things are not always exactly as you planned. And so you’ve got to have some agility and be able to navigate all of those things that might pop up. And so that’s great that we have the ability to do pilots on things so that we can test something out before it actually impacts the whole organization and impacts somebody’s experience as well.
Our values are incredibly important to us. And we really work to make sure that people experience them as well as our displaying them, because they have interactions with residents and their families and our other partners. And so I’m wondering if you could maybe share what you think people experience, our people experience at 12 Oaks and how those values maybe show up for them.
Erika 16:14
Definitely. I would say stewardship is one that stands out. I feel that we’re always there for them to support them. When we go visit communities where, you know, we’re not just there to visit a business, it’s, hey, how are you? And so we definitely have that relationship with our employees that allow us to build that trust again with them, that they could come to us for anything.
I’m going to share a story with how that works, because I was actually out sick on Tuesday. I was still available for one of our employees at a community, I answered, and they’re like, hey, you don’t sound sick. I was like, oh I’m not feeling well. And so we ended the conversation and he sends me text the next day. Hey Erika just checking in on you. How are you doing? And to me, that was like, wow.
Melissa 17:15
Oh, I love that.
Erika 17:17
So again, that relationship building it’s very important because he took time out of his day to check on me and see how I was doing, and that’s very important to me. So that shows how important it is.
Melissa 17:34
I mean, what a great connection. From community, I’m calling about some sort of situation going on, and then I’m checking up on you from the community perspective. That’s pretty great. I think there are so many things that are unique, different and special about our culture. And obviously I’m a little biased on that, but I love to hear stories like that, and there are lots of others that we’ve shared throughout other podcasts that, if anybody listening has not had an opportunity to tune in to some of our other podcasts, they should do that because there’s so many different perspectives from our accounting group, our solutions group. There’s podcasts with our CEO and our president. All of those things really do honor and put on display the amazing culture that we have at 12 Oaks.
Do you have any parting thoughts of wisdom for anyone that happens to be tuning in today?
Erika 18:34
Keep thriving. Don’t set limits and just know that you’re going to have a great, great 2025.
Melissa 18:44
Thank you so much for being a part of the podcast today. I have enjoyed this conversation, and as your partner, I’m looking forward to 2025 being a great year.
Outro
We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Roots Podcast by 12 Oaks. Get connected with us on social media and at 12oaks.com.