Building Community Beyond Job Titles

In senior living communities, engagement is not limited to one department. While the Life Enrichment team leads many of the programs, real community happens when every staff member (nursing, dining, maintenance, housekeeping, operations) feels welcome to participate. Many staff assume activities are “not their department,” yet their involvement makes a big difference.

When team members join just for a minute, dropping a joke, sharing a story, helping residents in one small task, they strengthen bonds and deepen a sense of belonging across the community.

Why Staff Participation Matters

Residents see staff as people, not just roles. Trust, warmth, and connection grow when staff from different departments engage. While staff joining in, even briefly, breaks monotony, lifts spirits, and gives memories that feel rewarding. When everyone contributes, the atmosphere changes. Spaces feel more welcoming, people feel more included, and morale improves.

Common Objection: “I Don’t Have Time for That”

Many staff members say they are too busy. Schedules are tight, priorities many. But participation does not need to be a big time investment. Five minutes can be enough: a quick check-in with residents, a high-five during an activity, a walk through an event to simply say hello.

When leadership sets the tone and says “that’s okay, you can join for a little while”, staff begin to feel safe doing so. Modeling this, and recognizing even small moments, shows that the effort matters.

Simple Ways to Invite Staff to Join

Here are ideas for making invitation easy, approachable, and low-pressure:

• Trivia on the fly: If a staff member is walking by during a trivia game, invite them for one question.
• Pop-in fun: Ask someone to toss a balloon, help serve snack, or join a group sing-along for one song.
• Spotlight skills: Find out what staff enjoy outside work. Maybe maintenance has woodworking skills, dining has a cook with a special dish, or housekeeping enjoys crafts. Invite them to lead or demo.
• Learn their passions: Ask staff about hobbies and interests. Use those to co-create programs.
• Staff vs. resident challenges: Simple games or competitions (friendly bowling, trivia, or even step challenges) encourage camaraderie.

Using Go Icon Features to Increase Engagement & Recognition

Go Icon offers tools that make it easier not only to invite participation but also to recognize it in meaningful ways. Including recognition increases motivation and signals that every contribution matters. Here’s how Go Icon’s Employee Recognition & Rewards features can be used:

• Shout-Outs:Encourage peers, residents, and family members to send shout-outs to staff members who go the extra mile, even in small ways. For example: “Thanks to Jane from Maintenance for stopping by the activity room to fix the light so residents could finish their game.” Public acknowledgment reinforces that participation is valued.
• Accomplishments & Milestones Badges: Create collectible badges for different achievements such as years of service, above-and-beyond acts, or consistent participation in resident events. These badges give visual markers of value and encourage friendly recognition across all departments.
• Spotlights & Points: Managers can award points for exemplary performance or engagement. For instance, a staff member who helps a resident join an event, or who learns something new from a resident, could be rewarded. Points can be part of staff reviews or recognition ceremonies.
• Competitions: Set up small, friendly competitions: maybe between departments, or communities (if your organization has multiple sites). Competitions can be about participation in events, resident laughter, or small acts of kindness. Games or contests get people talking, engaged, and excited.
• Rewards: Staff can redeem earned points for meaningful rewards like gift cards, perks, or swag. Use Go Icon’s reward structure to let staff see that their participation (even tiny moments) adds up. The relationship between recognition + reward supports retention and improves performance. According to Go Icon’s data, communities using effective recognition see up to 50% lower turnover rates.

Practical Strategies for Leadership

To pull this all together, leaders can use these approaches:

1. Set expectations at orientation so new staff know that participation and recognition are part of community culture.
2. Model participation: when leadership joins or gives shout-outs, others see it’s encouraged.
3. Notice the small moments: walk through activity rooms, spot someone helping residents, then use Go Icon to recognize it.
4. Communicate recognition broadly: share in newsletters, on signage, or in staff meetings, stories of recognition and participation.
5. Make recognition inclusive: recognize nursing, maintenance, housekeeping, dining; avoid only highlighting Life Enrichment.

Building a Stronger, More Connected Community

When every team member feels seen, valued, and invited, the community becomes stronger. Residents benefit from more familiar faces and more connection. Staff feel more engaged, less siloed, and more part of something larger. Turnover drops, morale increases, and care improves.

With Go Icon’s robust recognition tools, combined with small, everyday acts of inclusion, each department can play a part in creating a culture that honors everyone. Participation is not extra work, it’s part of who we are when we build community together.