The Construction Source

JANUARY 2020 to go through all these layers of approvals.” She also credits their reten- tion to the shared values of the staff. She says they all have the same goal of “providing excep- tional service to seniors,” and “when you’re working work with a bunch of like-minded people like that, it doesn’t feel like a job.” Patrick Schilling is the Director of Design for PARC Living. He’s a more recent addition to the team, but he agrees with Jac- queline’s sentiments. He joined the company roughly two years ago because Rainer convinced him of the worth of their mis- sion. “I wanted to design buildings that people could use and en- joy,” he says. “That’s what drew me to Rainer. He really want- ed to build residences for res- idents. That’s what he wanted more than anything else – more than making money, more than winning awards. It was about the residents and giving them a unique experience.” In addition to giving employ- ees a worthwhile cause, PARC also pays a living wage. In fact, their company is certified Living Wage Employer, one of only a select few in Vancouver. Jacque- line believes that certification has been vital to their retention efforts – and that retention has, in turn, been vital to the compa- ny’s success. “Keeping staff is important, be- cause it’s very hard when they turn over,” she says. “It’s hard on the business and it’s hard on the residents.”